The news of mission and great commission is not a surprise anymore. I don’t believe if someone says people are not well-informed about the great commission. It is not true at all! Over the ages and centuries, we overheard about the mission, missionaries, outreach ministries, mission model, gospel tools, support to the mission field and mission needs. But then, still most of the statistics state that 90% and more Christians have not shared the good news even once in their lifetime. Do we have an accurate diagnose of the problem yet? Churches, Parachurches & Mission organizations may blame each other for this big problem. All the entities, including the Churches, Mission organizations and believers are responsible to a larger extent for failing to demonstrate the gospel to the dying world. The question is not about effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the churches, believers and Mission organizations, but somewhere we have compromised Christ’s mission with our personal objectives, building our Churches, organizations and institutions.
The history of the early Churches records that they grew daily in numbers. Observe that the political scenario was not favorable at all for Christians then. They were brutally persecuted and killed for their faith, yet the disciples and the Churches grew in number, daily.
Acts 6:1 state ‘in those days as the disciples were increasing in number.’. And in verse 7 it says, “so the word of God spread, the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly in number.”. Disciple is a strong word not limited to Church attendee who thinks he/she is doing an obligation to God and to the Church. By simple definition the disciple-makers are the disciples. Allow me to explain how a disciple was motivated. In one instance it is said that Paul and Barnabas “strengthened the disciples” by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”. How do we encourage our believers today? We promise God will bless them with all they want and riches of His providence. So as a result, Christians today are more sophisticated expecting abundance, blessings and satisfaction as an end goal.
In Acts 2:47 talks about the Church growth in Jerusalem which says, “Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” And then in Derbe and Lystra it is described likewise, “So the Churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.”. When the disciples grow, Churches grow. Disciples are the one who take the Great Commission seriously and become a witness by sharing the good news. Dan White Jr. puts this beautifully, “Most seminaries don’t disciple people, they inform people. Most Bible studies don’t disciple people, they inform people. Most sermons don’t disciple people, they inform people. Most sermons don’t disciple people, they inform people. Lots of information- very little formation.”. The Information about disciple, missions has overcrowded Christendom with an agenda. Christian leaders, Churches and missions assume they have informed people well about going, sharing and discipling without modelling, and demonstrating what is the meaning of the true Church.
Let me quote Ezekiel where God Says, Ezekiel 7:14 “They have blown the trumpet and made everyone ready. But no one goes to battle. For my wrath is on all the multitude”. Is it not strange? Money in abundance is raised, spent, transactions made, yet no one or very few goes to battle. This is the same situation today. I want to metaphorically resemble the sound of the trumpet to the call of believers to go and share Gospel. It is up to each one of us to decide how we want to internalize it. I am in the mission world serving more than 25 years and I see somewhere most of us have become too busy in managing the institutions and securing our personal security and future, and the future of our ministries and organizations.
And the second reason why all the Churches and believers are not active in sharing the gospel can be related from a unique example given by Paul in his writing to Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 14:8 when referring to tongues states, “If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for the battle?” The trumpet blowers have a specific tune which mobilizes people for war. If it is a soothing tune to a music, people will be entertained rather than go out to fight the battle. Today many are entertained rather than warned about their failed responsibility.
Peter and John state Acts 4:20 “for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Paul States in 2 Cor 5:14 “for the love of Christ constrains us”. How could one encounter God and experience the forgiveness and the big salvation and not talk about it. Something is wrong with the puzzle, don’t you agree? Today we have in abundance the various gospel tools, literatures, seminars, strategies and pep talks about how to share the gospel, yet we are struggling to reach our families, relatives, friends and people in our influence. It is time to repent and think how we could prioritize Christ mission to people without adding our agenda to it, and for sure the hearts of the people will be moved.
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