Mission Impossible? When Jesus told us to, “Go, make disciples of all the nations,” did He mean it literally? Every ethnic group? How many from every people group? Did He mean everyone – all the people of the world at a certain time in history?
Great Commission Christians believe that everyone needs to hear the Gospel to be saved. This has driven missions for centuries, even since the early church. People need the Lord. People need to be saved from their sins. I hear you saying Amen! Or, I hope I do.
Despite what has been done, the amount that has been spent, the prayers prayed and the sacrifice of missionaries and believers – we seem to be losing ground, not gaining.
The population growth rate of the world is exponential, but the growth of the faith is linear. This means the gap between people being born and people being born again is widening.
Despite the internet, satellite TV and Christian radio, the gap is even wider. The real issue is that Christians have passed the responsibility to leaders, missionaries and organisations rather than heeding Christ’s command to “Make disciples!” Note that the command (not suggestion) is plural, “Make disciples!” More than one. When they in turn “make disciples” we discover that Jesus added multiplication into the Great Commission.
The world birth rates are based on multiplication while church growth uses addition. Currently it takes about 100 Christians (pastors included) to win one new convert for Christ each year.
The answer is obedience to the command. Every Christian as well as missionary organizations need to apply multiplication methodology if we want to close the gap and win the world for Christ.
Harvesters uses multiplication both within each church (disciple making) and where church planting is concerned. Each new believer is trained to be a disciple maker and every church is a church-planting church.
Are you a disciple maker? Mission Possible!