Commitment # 2 - The Great Commitment

Jesus said, "…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:18-20). We refer to this as the Great Commission. Jesus also said, "…you will …be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8).

Many professing Christians have opted to hire out the Great Commission, expecting professional ministers and missionaries to do most of the work.

An alternative view is that we are each personally called to Great Commission living. This gives meaning to such terms as "lifestyle evangelism" and "evangelical Christian". It holds that we are to carry out the Great Commission in and through our everyday lives, whatever our various assignments and callings might be.

In making the personal decision of whether to hire out or carry out the Great Commission, we would do well to make two basic observations.

First, Jesus said the greatest and most important commandments are to love God with everything in us, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. (Mark 12:29). These Great Commandments compel us to action, and to carrying out, rather than hiring out, the Great Commission.

Second, we are hard pressed to find any Biblical examples of someone subcontracting their Great Commission responsibilities. Jesus did not say, "You will pay someone else to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." He did not say, "Go do something else, and be grateful the television evangelists are getting it done…" No such loopholes were present in our Lord's Great Commission instructions.

Yes, we support the work of missionaries and ministers, but the Great Commitment of a JourneyMan hardly ends there. Every JourneyMan is called to love, serve and influence others, sharing his faith and hope in Christ. In this way, a JourneyMan carries out his Great Commitment at home, at work and in his community - making a difference, seven days a week.

See all Seven Commitments of a JourneyMan