Selling Short the Great Commission: When Sharing the Gospel Is Not Enough

The Great Commission, as these verses have come to be known, is found in Matthew 28:19-20:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;

and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Global Missions, though Important, Are Only Part of Obeying the Great Commission

Nearly every Christian church-goer in America is familiar with these verses, as most ministries place a huge emphasis on evangelism in the name of fulfilling the Great Commission. While Christians are certainly commanded to share the gospel message with those who don’t know Jesus, is evangelism really the sole point of the Lord’s words in this passage? Is it even the main point? Put another way, is telling the lost world about Christ and the salvation found in Him an adequate, stand-alone paraphrase of the Great Commission?

Fulfilling the Great Commission As You Go

Setting aside our preconceived notions, let’s explore Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:19-20 more carefully. First of all, rather than a command to “Go” (which many Christian ministries emphasize), the verb tense in the original language actually assumes the “going.” Therefore, Jesus’ directions do not highlight the going, but are instead focused on what His followers should be doing as they go. Simply put, as they go, they are to be making disciples. According to Jesus’ words, these doings include baptizing (signifying making new Christian converts) and teaching (helping those already baptized to observe Jesus’ commands). Again, the thrust of the Great Commission is not the going; it is making disciples.

What Is a Disciple?

At this point in the discussion, it will be helpful to define what it means to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. The biblical Greek word for disciple is mathētē, which translates as a learner or a pupil. In the New Testament, however, this generic meaning is expanded to encompass the ideas of accepting instruction and making the teaching one’s rule of conduct. More specifically, to be a disciple of Jesus means to follow His precepts and instructions. For this reason, a “follower” is perhaps a more fitting way to describe what it means to be a disciple of Christ. In following Jesus, we not only learn and obey His teachings, but we also endeavor to actively imitate His life and character. In fact, we strive to be more and more like Jesus. Naturally, such profound change does not occur instantaneously at conversion.

Baptism, Just the Beginning

Therefore, just as the thrust of the Great Commission is not the going, it is also not evangelism. The emphasis of Jesus’ command is making disciples, and the first step, of course, is conversion. Baptism (the identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection) is an early and symbolic act for a new believer. It signifies that the making of disciples has a starting point. However, if we only lead people to be baptized and then stop there, have we really made a disciple? Does baptism achieve the goal of making a genuine follower of Christ?

Jesus answers this rhetorical question by describing how His audience is to make disciples as they go. After the initial step of conversion (as pictured in baptism), they are to teach these new believers to observe (to watch attentively, obey vigilantly, guard) all that Jesus commanded. Without pursuing the ongoing work in making disciples, true followers of Jesus are never made, for becoming a disciple of Jesus is more than praying a one-time prayer or participating in the ordinance of baptism. In a very real sense, we never stop becoming a disciple of the Lord, for we continue to be transformed into His likeness.

Upgrading to a Broader Understanding and Application

Consequently, if we are truly seeking to obey the Great Commandment, besides sharing the gospel with the lost, we should just as passionately be pursuing the spiritual maturity of all believers. The latter is so under-emphasized in the church today! Perhaps this is why when we look around we observe a church that is weak and ineffective. How many Christians are failing to grow and thrive because they have not been taught to observe all that Jesus commanded?

Therefore, we as believers need to think differently about the Great Commission and how it applies to us. Can it be a call to share the gospel with the lost people in our sphere of influence? Absolutely! Can it mean going on a short-term mission trip or even becoming a missionary? Again, most definitely! However, it is a gross misinterpretation to limit the Great Commission to just evangelism. We need an upgrade!

Small Group Bible Studies Are a GREAT Way to Make Disciples!

What this short article hopes to achieve is to broaden our understanding and application of the Great Commission. More than evangelism, our calling is to make followers of Christ. This includes things like teaching a Sunday school class, leading a Bible study, or investing in one-on-one discipleship with another believer. It means training up our own children to know the Scriptures instead of delegating our duty others. Finally, while it certainly might include “going,” for most people the Great Commission means looking for opportunities “as you go” to teach others about what it means to be a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Go therefore and make disciples...

Our Purpose and Passion

This neglected aspect of making disciples is at the heart of our ministry at BC Publications and the Bible Conversations Series. Through developing resources that encourage independent and small group Bible study, we aim to help the Body of Christ to grow in the likeness of Jesus. As believers, we should be devoted to the diligent study of the Scriptures, so that we are becoming better equipped to fulfill ALL of the Great Commission.

Realistically, how can we teach others to observe all that the Lord commanded if we ourselves don’t really know all of what He said? Every book of the Bible records the words and heart of God, so whether you study the Old Testament or the New Testament, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you are preparing for and becoming more adept for the important work of obediently making disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ!

More About Our Ministry

BC Publications is a non-profit ministry committed to offering in-depth, inductive study and discussion guides that foster meaningful Bible conversations and develop skills for personal study of God's Word.  In our unique approach, BC Publications is passionate about helping you learn how to study the Scriptures for yourself by going beyond the typical fill-in-the-blank, spoon-feeding Bible resources.  In addition, it is our aim to help you to grow from just knowing Bible facts to actually LIVING God’s Word, through pointed application questions built on Scriptural principles.    



Whether you want to study on your own, with a friend or family, or you're looking for new materials to lead your own small group, BC Publications has just what you need to grow diligent personal study of God’s life-giving, heart-transforming Word! Visit us at BCpublications.org to learn more!

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