What is the Commission of the Church?

I recently posted three questions on my facebook page:

1. As a Christian are you called to draw people to God? Yes or No

Most people would answer this question with a Yes. I want to share a scripture with you that will release you from feeling you have the responsiblility of leading people to God.

John 14: 6

Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me."

My answer is that you are not called to draw people to God that is the job of the Holy Spirit. 

2. As a Christian are you called to convert people to Christ? Yes or No

Most people would answer this question with a Yes. All of us have heard people say,  "I brought so and so to Christ." Or "I have lead this many people to Christ." or even "I have this burden to save the lost." I want to share a scripture that I believe will help free you from feeling a burden to convert people to Christ.

John 6: 44  We will begin in 43

Jesus said, "Don't bicker among yourselves over me. You're not in charge here. The Father who sent me is in charge. He draws people to me—that's the only way you'll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End. This is what the prophets meant when they wrote, 'And then they will all be personally taught by God.' Anyone who has spent any time at all listening to the Father, really listening and therefore learning, comes to me to be taught personally—to see it with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears, from me, since I have it firsthand from the Father. No one has seen the Father except the One who has his Being alongside the Father—and you can see me.

My answer is you are not called to convert peeple them to Christ that is the job of the Holy Spirit.

3. In one sentence what are you commissioned to do?

Most people would say our commission is to go and make disciples.

We find this commission in Matthew 28: 18-20 (The Message)

Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."

The American Standard

18 And Jesus came up 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 the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

My answer is our job as the church is 1. to go out to the nations (people groups) and make disciples, then 2. baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and then 3. teach them to observed what Jesus taught. No mention of us converting them or leading them to Christ. If we look at John 16: 8 we are told that it is the Holy Spirit that will convict and therefore convert people to Christ and draw them to God. That frees us up to do what we are called to do which is to witness about the Good News and make people disciples of Christ.

What most churches too often try to do is convert people to being a Christian and a denomination. We get all worked up about how to lead them to God when all we are commissioned to do is follow the formula Jesus gave us: Make Disciples + Baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit + Teach what Jesus taught = Healthy followers of Jesus.

In his book, "The Great Omission" Dallas Willard says this: "All that is needed from us to change things--whether in the church or the world--is sustained apprenticeship of individuals to Jesus, the Savior of the world so loved by God. Our directions "as we go" are clear: to be disciples--apprentices--of Jesus in Kingdom living and by our life and words his apprecntices to wit-ness, to bring others to know and ling for the life that is in us through confidence in him."

Our responsibility as the church of Jesus Christ is:
1st to be his disciples,
2nd go to others and be a witness of the Gospel,
3rd help them become disciples of Jesus,
4th baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
and 5th teach them what Jesus taught the disciples. I hope you find this as freeing as it is to me.

Recommended reading:
"The Great Omission" by Dallas Willard
"Passport" by Tim Davidson
"Hope Lives" by Rick Olmstead

Coming in February 2010 is a Discipleship of Jesus Life Group which will be held on Saturday mornings. Contact Larry Clark at lnclark@mokancomm.net for details.

Discipleship group