The Great Commission
(Matthew 28:18-20) dominates most of our mission motivation. We always place
our emphasis on obeying the command to “Go and baptize.” And “Discipleship”
just becomes a task in the process. Unfortunately, many of our mission fields demonstrate
our failure in providing adequate discipleship.
We assume discipleship
means discipling individuals one at a time. Recent literature on missions by
several missiologists says that we are called to disciple “nations.” “Nations”
does not just mean ethnic communities or people groups, it also means political
nations. We see this emphasis when we read the whole of the scripture and not
just the Great Commission as rendered by Matthew.
Abraham was called to be
a blessing to the “nations.” Israel
was chosen to be a blessing to other “nations.” Joseph’s interpretation of
Pharaoh’s dream brought all of Egypt
and other nations to follow God’s instructions during the great famine.
Prophets were commissioned to proclaim God’s word to the “nations.”
God judges and blesses
nations. God even used other nations to bring judgment on Israel. Our God
is the ruler of all the nations. Esther influenced a whole nation. We are
called to disciple whole nations. It is in this context that we should see our
mission.
America is not the only nation God is concerned about. America is not
the only nation in the world. We need to go to the ends of the earth. America
has always been an influence in the nations of the world in economics,
politics, media, and technology and even in spirituality.
Does our mission strategy
involve discipleship of other nations or are we still talking about discipling
one individual at a time? We need a paradigm shift in our understanding of
God’s mission of discipling a whole nation. We need to influence the whole
society in its areas of influence like in arts, sports, entertainment, business
& economics, education, media and governance.
We need to disciple a
whole nation in the “way of the Lord.” Abraham’s call was not to just to follow
God, but to bless other nations so that they can follow the way of the Lord.
How many of us have received that calling? Discipling a nation requires us to
reach out to the influencers – the middle class.
Discipling a nation does
not mean just individual conversions, but leading a whole nation, community or
society in the “way of the Lord.” Paul was seeking to disciple the whole Roman Empire and so he strategically placed himself in
various cities. Paul’s ministry brought people from high places: synagogue
rulers, city council members, people from the royal families, several leading
business men and women, and even a philosopher in Athens – a member of the Areopagus.
We need only 5% of the
population as a critical mass to become a catalyst to bring change. Discipling
nations have nothing to do with the numbers game. If we serve to transform those
who have influence, a whole nation can be discipled to acknowledge Jesus as
Lord.
Let us together disciple
whole nations!
--Russ Sharrock
Check out our website HERE to see how you can be a part of our team to reach India with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
