At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus commissions his disciples. He says,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:18-19
A Universal Call
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) is a universal command to each and every disciple rather than a special invitation. Not all calls are universal. The call to live a celibate life, for example, is a special call. Jesus says of this call, “He who is able to receive this, let him receive it” (Matthew 19:12). However, the call to make disciples is a universal call.
Every one of us is expected to take his place in the mission of the church in fulfillment of this command. Some will do much and some less but each one of us can do at least one thing, introducing his “neighbor” to Christ. That is called personal relational evangelism.
But the question that follows is: “How can you introduce your friend, relative, or co-worker to someone they can’t see and hear? By relying on authority – and consequently strength and grace.
This authority is already given to you by the Lord Jesus Christ, and is the same authority he received from his Father in Heaven. He says:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”
See related articles on Person-to-Person Evangelism:
- Seek the Seeker, by Mike Shaughnessy
- Person to Person – A Practical Approach to Effective Evangelism, by Jim Berlucchi
- Sharing Good News Without Fear or Shame, by Brendan Murray
- Everyday Evangelism – Being Open and Natural, by Jim Berlucchi
- The 24/7 Disciple Challenge, by Tadhg Lynch
- Building Evangelistic Bridges and Community Environments that Lead People to Full Life in Christ, by Jim Berlucchi
- The Reluctant Evangelist: A passage that explains why many don’t respond to the Good News, by Steve Clark
- Tear the Roof Off for Them! by John Hughes
Top image credit: Photo of Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from Bigstock.com, © by Dmitry_Islentev, stock photo ID: 103463807. Used with permission.
Jean Barbara is a coordinator from the People of God Community in Beirut, Lebanon. He served as the International President of the Sword of the Spirit from 2009 to 2024.