My wife Jean and I have served as missionaries in several countries. We were just one very small part of the missions movement that has been ongoing since the beginning of the Christian church.
Many Christians are familiar with the biblical basis for missions: the Great Commission, Jesus’ final instruction to his disciples before he ascended into heaven. But did you know there are actually five Great Commissions. Each of the four gospels ends with one and the book of Acts begins with one. I list them here: “Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, Good News Bible) “Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all mankind.” (Mark 16:15) “This is what is written: the Messiah must suffer and must rise from death three days later, and in his name the message about repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47) “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.” (John 20:21) “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 2:8) These five statements differ slightly but they have one common theme: missions is about disciples making more disciples in every country of the world. The commission was a mandate to preach the good news of forgiveness of sins through believing in Christ, to be signified by baptism and obedience to his teachings. Jesus gave a strategy for doing this: start local (in Jerusalem), reach out to nearby places (Judea and Samaria), and don’t stop until you’ve reached the ends of the earth. The power to do this great task would come from the Holy Spirit.
In summary: Jesus’ final instruction to his disciples was to become disciple-makers. They were to launch a worldwide movement of disciple-makers. That movement was continued through the history of the Christian church: disciples making disciples who will make disciples, who will… and so forth.
Has that global movement happened? Has the gospel been taken everywhere to everyone? The answer to that question includes both geography and generations. Within one hundred years, by the time that first generation of disciples died, the gospel had been preached throughout the Roman Empire from Spain to India. That rapid expansion was an amazing beginning! During the past 1900 years the gospel has been carried around the globe so that there are now Christians in every country of the world. But the task is still not finished. Around the world today there are many teams of missionaries continuing the mandate Jesus gave.
As I said, Jean and I were one small part of this worldwide missionary movement. In each country where we served, we were part of teams of missionaries who together reached out to make disciples by preaching, baptizing, and teaching those who would become the next generation of disciple-makers after us. From the ministry in Liberia, there are now several pastors and witnesses continuing to make disciples in Africa and in the United States. One of those African-born leaders now serves as a pastor in New York state and his son is pastoring a church in Lawton. That is exciting!
From the ministry in Bangladesh, one of our students just graduated from a seminary in the Philippines and she will be returning to Bangladesh to teach at the seminary where we taught. That is also exciting!
And from our time teaching at a university in China, there are now new believers in various parts of the world. One of the students who attended a Bible study in our apartment recently graduated from a seminary in Philadelphia and will be continuing as a teacher. Another student currently hosts a Chinese podcast speaking to thousands of Chinese people every week.
The goal of missions is making disciples who will become disciple-makers. Jesus gave this commission five times, indicating that he must have thought missions was very important! It still is.
Greg Giles is a published author, who, along with his wife Jean, has embraced the call to serve and teach around the globe. Their life together has included missionary work in Liberia, Bangladesh, teaching in China, and raising a family in Bemidji, Minnesota. Between global travels and local commitments, including serving as superintendent of Corn Bible Academy and their current part-time roles at Corn Heritage Village, the Gileses have found “home” in many places; yet, they now happily reside in retirement in Cordell. Please visit his website at reflections-on-wisdom. com.