The Great Commission
The Solution...
Build On the Base!
How can we go "Forward Together" and meet the unprecedented challenges of our changing times? Build On the Base!
How can we go "Forward Together" and reach the communities, cities, and countries in our world with the transforming message of liberty and the new life in Jesus Christ? Build On the Base!
How can we go "Forward Together" in total obedience embracing the full range of the missional mandate clearly set forth in Holy Scripture? Build On the Base!
Our base is The Great Commission.
The Great Commission reveals the heart of God for the world. "It influences all the Church does: how we worship, how we train leaders, and how we do social ministry" (Chuck Lawless and Thom S. Rainer).
"Fulfilling the Great Commission, 'go and make disciples of all nations,' is the supreme purpose of the Church and must guide the entire mission, establish the priorities, and coordinate all activities." (Donald McGavran).
In the formative years of the Church of God we experienced dramatic growth. This success was directly linked to "the freshness of our anointing, the eagerness of our witness, and the genuineness of our testimony." The Great Commission was at the forefront of ministry.
The Great Commission was our priority! Everything we did orbited around the Commission—"preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere" (Mark 16:15 NLT).
Today we face the challenge of getting a "new grip" on our "first love" and a "new commitment" to the fivefold message of The Great Commission:
- The PASSION of God—John 3:16
- The PROCLAMATION of Christ—Matthew 28:19-20
- The PATTERN to Follow—Luke 24:46-49
- The PRICE of Obedient Service—Luke 10:3
- The PERIL of the Times—John 4:34-37
The second phase of our three initiatives, The Great Commission, will lead the family of the Church of God worldwide in "Building On the Base!" A spiritual, prayer-anchored plan has been developed to involve every local church and every member.
The plan was introduced at the two symposiums on The Great Commission. All of the essential material will be available in a Power Kit. The support materials are featured here on the website and are available through Pathway Press via Pathway Bookstore Online.
Here are the three steps we would like for you to take in "Building On the Base"—The Great Commission.
- Prayer—Our first thrust, Prayer, is an ongoing emphasis. It undergirds the base! The materials prepared for Prayer—The Heartbeat of the Church offer a structure for a total church prayer ministry. Guide local prayer leaders in developing teams to begin now to pray for the outreach effectiveness of The Great Commission initiative.
- Participation—The goal is for every Church to be an active partner. Since the mission of the church is The Great Commission, we can all join hands in this endeavor to advance the cause of Christ. The emphasis can be launched in your church between October—December 2009, or January—February 2010. The materials can be used on Sunday evening, Wednesday evening, Sunday school classes, and small groups. Sermon resource material is also available.
- Power Kit—The Power Kit contains the basic materials to sponsor an aggressive teaching and outreach emphasis. It is important to involve every member. You can do this by stressing that each family needs a Study Guide and a Devotional Guide.