Do we, as the American Church, care about the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20?
As I write these words, I imagine that many of you reading, whether you’re a pastor or a committed Christ-follower, are thinking about foreign missions when you hear about the Great Commission. And you should.
At Transformation Church, where I serve as one of the elder-pastors, by God’s grace we’re planting churches in China through the Underground Church, we’re planting churches among an unreached people group in Southeast Asia, and we’re also partnering with missions organizations in Haiti and South America to fulfill the Great Commission.
And in our local church context, God has blessed us to see nearly 800 ethnically diverse people commit their lives to Jesus and His Kingdom since we launched Transformation Church on February 7, 2010.
I’m humbled, constantly in awe, and energized by what the Lord has done in and through us.
Here are Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) that declare the Great Commission,
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.”
I want us to lock in on the word “nations” in this important passage. In the Greek, “nation” is ethnos. Ethnos means ethnic group. Jesus didn’t suggest to His 1st-century disciples, nor does He suggest to His blood-purchased Church today, but He commands His people to go make disciples of all ethnic groups.
And Jesus’ command isn’t just to make disciples of ethnic groups across the sea, BUT ALSO ACROSS THE STREET!
Sunday morning in the United States of America is still the most segregated time of the week!
This Sunday, take a moment and look around the congregation where you worship and see if these words are true.
