How can your church community better fulfill the command in Matthew 28:19? The Heart of the Command “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.” (Matthew 28:19) Recognizing the Scope: “All Nations” • Nothing less than a global vision • Begins right where we live but refuses to stop there (cf. Acts 1:8) • Moves us from maintenance to mission Practical Steps for Our Congregation 1. Build a Disciple-Making Culture • Shift success metrics from attendance to multiplication of disciples (2 Timothy 2:2) • Regular testimonies celebrating disciple-making stories • Pastors, elders, and teachers modeling one-on-one mentoring 2. Equip Every Believer • Offer short, hands-on workshops: sharing the gospel, answering objections (1 Peter 3:15) • Provide simple, reproducible studies new believers can lead within weeks • Create a “mission pathway” so members see clear next steps—from learner to leader 3. Baptize Promptly and Publicly • Schedule baptisms often; remove long waits that hinder obedience • Teach the meaning of baptism in new-member and youth classes • Celebrate baptisms as congregational highlights to reinforce the command 4. Go Beyond the Church Walls • Neighborhood prayer-walking teams—meeting residents, offering help, sharing Christ • Partnerships with local ministries (pregnancy centers, shelters, schools) as bridges for the gospel • Encourage workplace and campus witness—commission believers as “sent ones” each Sunday • Global missions teams—short-term trips feeding long-term partnerships and missionary care 5. Leverage Digital Avenues • Weekly clips of biblical answers to common questions, easily shareable • Host online Bible studies for seekers; funnel participants toward in-person fellowship • Equip tech-savvy members to disciple others virtually across borders 6. Nurture New Believers • Pair each new convert with a mature believer for three to six months • Small-group rhythm: Scripture, obedience steps, accountability, and prayer (Matthew 28:20) • Introduce spiritual disciplines early—scripture intake, prayer, fellowship, witness 7. Sustain the Work through Prayer and Power • Congregational prayer gatherings focused on the unreached and unsaved (Romans 10:14-15) • Quarterly fasting and prayer days to seek fresh filling of the Spirit (Acts 1:8) • Keep a visible world map with pins marking gospel engagements; pray over it regularly 8. Measure Faithfulness, Not Just Numbers • Track lives discipled and ministries started, not only event attendance • Celebrate obedience steps—first gospel conversation, first mentoring relationship, first mission trip • Review yearly goals in light of Scripture, adjusting methods but never the message Living the Commission Together When every believer understands Matthew 28:19 as a personal assignment and the church structures itself to support that calling, making disciples becomes our shared lifestyle rather than a program. |
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