18 MAY 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional
“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:18-20
Do you realize that a survey was done across the United States asking, what is the great commission? There was a shock in the results. I would have thought 98% would know this, but wait for it…51% didn’t know what it was. 51%! I honestly felt sick to my stomach. The great commission is the sole mission of the church, period.
Everything we do directly supports that mission or sends people to do that mission. What we have to do is periodically look at ourselves and ask, are we on a mission? Are we doing it? Are we supporting it? Form follows function, they say. If your churches are not designed to make disciples that make disciples and they are not being made and multiplied, then we should shut the doors. We have become a country club.
You can ask pastors, where is all of your effort, time, and money being spent as a church? They will tell you that 90% of their resources are spent on a Sunday morning event. Less than 1% of church leaders in the United States say they do discipleship well. Think about that. If our military didn’t know the mission, didn’t train their service members to fight, and spent all their time and money on one day of work, we would be speaking Chinese right now.
This is a gross dereliction of duty for churches in the United States, not just leaders. We strive after things that Jesus didn’t tell us to do like high-tech worship, personality and feel-good inspirational messages, programs to entertain, extra-biblical signs and wonders, revival, and big crowds. Jesus didn’t tell us to be focused on any of that. Jesus would not be pleased that we have abandoned his leadership and are insubordinate to his commands. We all need to repent!
Do you know what the great commission is?
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