God has given His church one mission—what we call “The Great Commission.” Part of our duty as leaders in the church is to keep the focus and fuel the fire in the local church for world evangelization. It is easy to be diverted into many good things, and miss the great task.
Jesus said that before His return to earth to reign, all nations would hear the Gospel (cf. Matt.24:14). In this passage, we see the fulfillment of the promise. With or without us, the Good News will be proclaimed, but woe to the pastor and the church who fails in commitment to this assignment!
A church with no passion for evangelism and missions will be a church that declines and dies. The lights will be turned out and the doors locked for a final time—picturing the spiritual reality that happened long before. Such a church closed its doors to bringing in the lost. The members did not go into the highways and hedges, inviting people to the Bible banquet (cf. Lk.14:15-24). The house of God became empty, when He desired it full! The call came ringing over the restless waves, “Send the Light! The Blessed Gospel Light!” The church folk were too busy arguing about trivial matters, instead of proclaiming Jesus. The light was turned out in that church.
Preacher, you cannot do all the evangelism needed in your community, but you can be a model. Our Gospel-driven lifestyle can inspire others. In our preaching, we must continually exhort the people to obedience. You can equip them by training them and taking them with you in soul-winning. Do not allow the Great Commission to become the grave omission!
