The Neglected Great Commission

Evangelism is heavily associated with announcing and proclaiming the gospel. Both Western evangelical and Eastern Orthodox Christians have—for the most part—favored this view of evangelism. In The Neglected Great Commission, author Rev. Dr. Gabriel O. Akinbode describes what evangelism means and further discusses the Great Commission that Jesus Christ gave to his disciples, to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. Strengthening the faith of Christians, Akinbode offers a host of information on spiritual awakening. He: • traces a brief history of the commission from the beginning and how it was passed from generation to generation; • identifies the essentials of evangelism; • delves into the scriptural pattern of evangelism and divides it into two parts, namely mass evangelism and personal evangelism; • reveals the urgent need to reach the young people with the gospel that the harvest is plentiful, the laborers are few, and time is short; • describes how the Great Commission was neglected; • lifts up the benefits that can be achieved through obedience to the Great Commission; and • advocates for all believers to rise up and embrace the Great Commission. The Neglected Great Commission communicates that the power of Jesus is available to save, heal, deliver, and use you for God’s glory. There is a reward in serving the Lord.

After His resurrection, Jesus gave His followers a mission: to go to all the nations and make disciples. What does this Great Commission mean? How are disciples made? And does every Christian have a role to play? In this booklet, Dr. R.C. Sproul explores the Great Commission by defining key terms such as the gospel, evangelism, missions, and discipleship. Dr. Sproul explains that disciple-making requires much more than just sharing the gospel, and two thousand years after Jesus' commission, this mission continues. The Crucial Questions booklet series by Dr. R.C. Sproul offers succinct answers to important questions often asked by Christians and thoughtful inquirers.

This book is an exposition of the significance of the Great Commission of Christ for Christian life and how it to be properly obeyed. It emphasizes the sovereignty of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, over this Commission and the rightful place of the Church as His People in its fulfilment. It addresses the biblical, theological, and ministerial, facets of the Commission. The core of this Commission is being disciples who make disciples for Christ by the Spirit and the Word of God. Obeying the Great Commission is not only the focal task of the Church but the way the Spirit transforms believers to be like Christ and grow towards His fullness. It exposes many misconceptions and misapplications that have seriously hampered the fulfilment of this Commission and how to treat them. It shows the principles and the core processes that are required for its proper realization.

A collection of essays by Southern Baptist leaders on the biblical, theological, and practical matters relating to their convention's Great Commission Resurgence initiative.

Jesus' Great Commission is one of the key pillars of the church's evangelistic work and has been the guiding principle for missionaries throughout church history. In 40 Questions about the Great Commission, scholars Daniel Akin, Benjamin Merkle, and George Robinson unpack the meaning, history, theology, and practical applications of Jesus' command to go and make disciples. Ideal for personal or group study, this volume will reignite your passion for evangelism while answering key questions like:

• Where do we stand in relation to fulfilling the Great Commission?
• How do baptism and teaching relate to the Great Commission?
• What is the meaning of "I am with you always, to the end of the age"?
• How does the Old Testament relate to the Great Commission?
• What is the special contribution of each Gospel's version of the Great Commission?
• What is the responsibility of the local church to the Great Commission?
• What are some mobilization resources that can help churches and individuals to become Great Commission focused?

Other highlights include an overview of some of the great evangelists and missionaries in church history, and a collection of notable quotations on the Great Commission, ideal for teaching and preaching.

"40 Questions About the Great Commission is an indispensable text for any pastor, professor, or student who cares about the Christian mission. In it, a biblical scholar, missiologist, and seminary president join forces to answer every question you've ever asked—or never asked—about our Lord’s parting commission to his disciples. Substantive, lucid, and compelling." --Bruce Ashford, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

"The church has one job. It is called the Great Commission. Every Christian soldier should know the who, the what, the why, and the where of the marching orders left by our Lord and Commander-in-Chief, and this book does just that in an engaging and encouraging way. Read it and then get on with it!" --James Merritt, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"This book is a succinct and at the same time wide-ranging exposition of the commission of Jesus given to the disciples and thus to the church to proclaim the gospel far and wide. The authors elucidate the meaning of key passages in Scripture and thus present the geographical scope, the theological content, and important historical parameters of the mission of the church. This book deserves to be read by every Christian believer committed to the glory of God in all the world and to the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ." --Eckhard J. Schnabel, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

Most Christians know and understand that we are to seek to reach the lost around the world. Yet, Christ's command to us is more specific and calls us to a higher standard of involvement with the peoples of the world. He has called the church to make disciples of all people groups and to teach them to observe all He commanded us (Matthew 28:18-20). In recent years mission agencies and missionaries have increasingly shifted away from discipleship and teaching toward an emphasis upon evangelism and church planting—many to the exclusion of any other field activity. While evangelism and church planting are essential components of a biblical missions program, they are not sufficient for the complete task to which we have been called. Reaching and Teaching examines the task Christ gave in the Great Commission and redefines the task of missions from that which is currently prevalent. It surveys missions strategies and methodologies that have increasingly replaced Christ’s Great Commission instructions even as they have sought to fulfill it. It is a clarion call to return to the biblical task of reaching and teaching the nations for Christ’s sake.

Jim Griffith and Bill Easum draw from decades of personal experience in planting new churches and consulting with supervisors and planters in new church starts. They have condensed their vast experiences down to ten points that account for the great majority of failures among church planters. For each point, the authors provide examples of the particular mistake and ways to avoid it. They speak in special sections to coaches and supervisors, showing them how to work with church planters to avoid the mistakes. The ten mistakes point in most cases to plans made on the basis of past experiences or unrealistic models that do not fit either the particular church planter or the mission field where the church is planned. the church planter must take the initiative to do God's work as directed by the Holy Spirit, not copy a religious superstar's methods or approach the works as defined by outside sources.