The Great Commission

         Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis, and this is “Multiply,” the podcast

that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

Across Africa, tourists talk about the Big Five. These are the five species of

megafauna that they want to be sure to see: Elephants, Rhinoceroses, Lions,

Leopards and Buffaloes.

When I think about the whole message of the Bible and its teachings, I talk

about the Big Three. These are three broad commands that I want to be sure to

obey. For me, these are the Big Three:

Micah 6:8 is known as the Micah Mandate: He has shown you, O man,

what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love

mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 22:36 – 39 is the Great Commandment, “Teacher, which is the

greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God

with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the

first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor

as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 28:18 – 20 is the Great Commission: “Then Jesus came to them and

said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go

and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and

of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have

commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I want to obey these commands more than all others. Don’t you?

When we obey these three biblical commands, we experience an abundant life

just as Jesus promised. When we obey these commands, our life is filled with

meaning and purpose. We draw near to God. Our character becomes more like

his character. Our love grows. We bless others, and we are blessed.

The ministry of Village Church Planting is designed to fulfill the Great

Commission. We are committed to making disciples of Jesus. We intentionally

teach our disciples to obey all that Jesus commanded. When we say we work so

that there will be a church in every African village by 2050, we are committing

ourselves to the fulfilment of the Great Commission. We recognize that healthy

churches are the primary community that God uses to make disciples. When we

say “A church in every African village by 2050,” we are saying that we want

every village to be full of disciples who know, love, and obey Jesus.

And so we pray, “Here am I, Lord, send me.” We get training so we can

understand the Gospel very well. We develop skills to share the Good News and

to teach people to obey Jesus. We engage with people and call them to live as

followers of Jesus in the fellowship of a local church.

VCP is all about fulfilling the Great Commission. I am so glad that you have

chosen to go in the power of the Holy Spirit to make disciples of all nations.

You are on a good path; don’t quit!

This has been “Multiply,” and I’m Dean Davis asking, who will you share this

Encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #TheGreatCommission

#VillageChurchPlanting