“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20
As a church, we have a mission. That mission is clear because Jesus gave it to us before He departed from the earth. We now know this to be the Great Commission and it is recorded in Matthew 28:19-20. The passage says,
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This is a direct order from Jesus to us, the church. He tells us to do three specific things: preach the gospel, baptize new believers, and then disciple those believers. As a church, once we have shared the gospel and baptized those who have chosen to believe, we must continue to lead these believers in their faith walk.
Some churches are great at sharing the gospel. They hit amazing numbers in terms of people who give their life to Christ. And that is awesome! To God be the glory! But the journey doesn’t stop there. Once these young believers give their life to Christ, we must disciple them.
Think about young children. Once they are born, we do not let them out on their own. There is so much to teach them, so much for them to learn! And the same is true for a young believer.
As a church, it is our responsibility to disciple these new believers. That is what God commands us. What is our mission? Share the gospel. Lead new believers in the faithful act of baptism. Then, disciple those young believers as they grow in their walk with Christ. That is God’s mission for us as a church!