And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:18–20).
– Jesus
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he commissioned his apostles. This commission, known now as the Great Commission, has greatly influenced how Christians conceive of the God’s mission on earth. During the 18th century, many felt that this commission applied specifically to the Apostles, and not to everyday believers. William Carey responded this assumption by asserting the universal application of the great commission. Carey’s pioneering vision for missions previewed the great flourishing of missions that would soon follow and whose influence is still felt today.
While Christians today affirm that Jesus’ Great Commission applies to all believers, believers sometimes misunderstand the nature of the commission. The Great Commission has become so common and familiar that its message is often assumed to be something that is not, and this happens in at least two ways. [Read more…] about Two Wrong Assumptions about the Great Commission