Discovering the ‘who’ in go and make disciples

What defines you? 

For some it is status or a title – doctor, pastor, or director. People can draw a strong sense of accomplishment from attaining goals that were once only dreams. This can take the form of how much money, how much privilege, how many possessions we have accumulated in life. The bumper sticker really says it all – “Whoever dies with the most toys, wins.” 

As the Texas Baptists Great Commission Team, our identity is found not in the “what” of ministry, but the “who.”

People continually ask the question, “How do you define discipleship?” Even in the Christian realm, we can become sidetracked into verbiage that deals more with accomplishments and accumulation than with relationships. Any time that our best expression of being a disciple contains heavy amounts of “what” and small amounts of “who,” we are off the path we should be traveling on. 

The Great Commission Team combines the ministries of discipleship, evangelism and music & worship, responding to any and every request from Texas Baptists churches to assist them in helping their communities to know the who of the Gospel – Jesus Christ.

Discipleship

Central Baptist Church in Carthage called on the Great Commission Team to help them train the ministers, leaders and teachers in their church. 

Several churches in the Carthage area came together for a Saturday emphasis, focusing not on what kind of resources the churches used, but on encouraging local church leaders as they embrace their personal role in the Great Commission “teaching them to obey.” There was a great turnout of people of all ages and CBC Carthage expressed a desire for this to become an annual event.

Evangelism

Life Church of San Antonio has seen God at work through Pastor Victor Rodriguez and the 4xFour evangelism training that his church received from the Great Commission Team.

Pastor Rodriguez and his church leaders began praying in the fall of 2016 and preparing to implement the training they received, and within a matter of months, the church put it into effect.

Members of the congregation were asked to identify four people who did not know Christ that God placed on their heart. They wrote the names on two cards–one for themselves and one to place on the church walls. The members then committed to pray for their four people and invest in their lives, possibly even sharing coffee or a meal.

“It was an overall emphasis that the congregation was devoted to from January through April,” Rodriguez said. “I thought it was a good, simple strategy that culminated on Easter Sunday.”

That Sunday, the church leased out a nearby school gymnasium to accommodate the 1,000 people in attendance–twice the usual attendance of 500-600. Twenty-three people were baptized that day!

Music & Worship

When the Singing Men of Texas traveled to Ukraine recently, their goal was twofold. Present inspiring music that would touch the hearts of the people in every city through concerts large and small. But, even more, to share the Gospel message in a clear way through music and preaching. 

In nine concerts, they saw a total attendance of more than 13,000 with over 2,000 people signing cards indicating a positive response to the Gospel. 

As part of the Great Commission Team, our prayer is that we can entice you toward the “who.” Our heart’s desire is that we will be telling His story using opportunities that encompass Discipleship, Evangelism, Music & Worship and more.

The real fun of doing what we do is seeing the faces of church leaders light up when the content of what we present goes past the head and lands squarely in their heart. Once you get to experience that in a personal way – as a consultant, teacher, minister, leader – it defines you.  

“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, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

To learn more about the Great Commission Team, visit texasbaptists.org/greatcommission.