Billy Graham Crusades are Not the Great Commission

I recently heard a very passionate sermon about evangelism. In essence, its challenge was that the mission God had given us while on this earth was to communicate the gospel to people so that they might be saved and do the same thing. The preacher spent a great deal of time belaboring the so-called "Great Commission" as his primary text. This sermon reminded me of many others I've heard over the years.

Quite frankly, I think it was largely wrong.

Don't misunderstand; I do think communicating the gospel to lost people is part of the Christian's calling. But its much larger. Indeed, If you really examine the great commission, it is not a call to evangelism but to building up the church. Consider the four clauses it contains.

Make disciples (matheteuo) - I'm putting this one first because in the original text it is the key imperative and the others all connect to it. Much has been said about this; many people correctly identify it as a higher call than simple evangelism, but I'd at least propose that the best way to understand it is to look at the two components this verse lists:

Baptizing them (baptizo) - While few evangelicals get it, this is probably the part of discipling which their conception of evangelism falls into. While avoiding precise disputes about sacrament, biblically baptism was clearly a sign of a person's entering the body of Christ in its visible form. Thus, it would be accurate to say that our job in interacting with unbelievers is not simply to "get them saved", but to bring them into the church visible as fellow believers.

Teaching them (didasko) - However, bringing people into the body of Christ is only half of disciple-making. The second half is in teaching them to grow in love for Christ and the holiness which results from this. If this is not going on, then even the most impassioned evangelist is failing to fulfill the call of Scripture.

Go (poreuomai) - Lastly, the command is to go do these things. What is interesting is that, in Greek, this work could perhaps be more accurately translated "continue on your way" or, more roughly "while going on your way". Thus, this isn't simply a call to missions but to be building the church as you go about your life.

Its also worth noting that this command was given to the apostles corporately, not individually. They were expected to pursue this calling together, as part of a community of believers which already exists, rather than alone.

I feel that this is a critical distinction for two reasons. First, it deals a blow to the just-me-and-Jesus thinking which dominates Christianity today. God's call is for us to build the church, not just save individuals.

Secondly, this tends to impact how I process missions. All too often we approach missions with a short-term, soul-winning view rather than the long-term, church-building view the bible demands. In addition, it demonstrates why I think missions should primarily be done by the church. Trying to do it outside of the structure of authority and doctrine which a bible-believing church has established is a very bad idea.