"On Mission"

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. 
Matthew 28:18-20

And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful. 
Titus 3:14

What does it mean to be “on mission” with the gospel?  The word “disciple” simply means “’follower.”  Though this term is often used in different ways amongst Christians, it is best used to describe anything God uses to help someone either become a follower of Christ or to grow as a follower.  We desire to be a church that takes people through a spiritual pathway from unbelief to belief; from belief to maturity; from maturity to leadership.

In Matthew 4:19, Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Jesus made this promise for all His followers, not just a select number.  Matthew 28:18-20 is a command for all of us to keep as our mindset.  This is a life-or-death issue-not an option.  People around us are facing an eternal death, and they need to hear the good news of salvation.

What do we learn from Jesus’ example?  What was Jesus’ mission? Jesus’ mission was to make His gospel known to all people through both word (sharing the gospel) and deed (demonstrating the gospel).  Jesus shared the gospel message in His preaching (message) and demonstrated His gospel with His actions (healing, meeting needs, etc.).

This mission is one that every generation of His followers must take up as well.  Christ calls His followers to make the gospel known through word and deed wherever they live, work, or play as well as in their surrounding communities.  And of course, all of this starts with prayer (Matthew 6:33).

Let’s pray that God will help us to look with compassion on the people around us and give us wisdom in how we can make the gospel known through word and deed.