The days before Christmas can be a tiring season of preparation, planning, shopping, and wrapping. But I think as we prepare for the Christmas celebrations, dinners, travel, and gift giving, it’s equally important that we pause and prepare our souls for Christmas.

During this time of year, it may be easy to forget that the bigger purpose behind Bethlehem was Calvary. But the purpose of the manger was realized in the horrors of the cross. The purpose of his birth was his death.

Or to put it more personally: Christmas is necessary because I am a sinner. The incarnation reminds us of our desperate condition before a holy God.

Several years ago WORLD Magazine published a column by William H. Smith with the provocative title, “Christmas is disturbing: Any real understanding of the Christmas messages will disturb anyone” (Dec. 26, 1992).

In part, Smith wrote:

Many people who otherwise ignore God and the church have some religious feeling, or feel they ought to, at this time of the year. So they make their way to a church service or Christmas program. And when they go, they come away feeling vaguely warmed or at least better for having gone, but not disturbed.

Why aren’t people disturbed by Christmas? One reason is our tendency to sanitize the birth narratives. We romanticize the story of Mary and Joseph rather than deal with the painful dilemma they faced when the Lord chose Mary to be the virgin who would conceive her child by the power of the Holy Spirit. We beautify the birth scene, not coming to terms with the stench of the stable, the poverty of the parents, the hostility of Herod. Don’t miss my point. There is something truly comforting and warming about the Christmas story, but it comes from understanding the reality, not from denying it.

Most of us also have not come to terms with the baby in the manger. We sing, “Glory to the newborn King.” But do we truly recognize that the baby lying in the manger is appointed by God to be the King, to be either the Savior or Judge of all people? He is a most threatening person.

Malachi foresaw his coming and said, “But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.” As long as we can keep him in the manger, and feel the sentimental feelings we have for babies, Jesus doesn’t disturb us. But once we understand that his coming means for every one of us either salvation or condemnation, he disturbs us deeply.

What should be just as disturbing is the awful work Christ had to do to accomplish the salvation of his people. Yet his very name, Jesus, testifies to us of that work.

That baby was born so that “he who had no sin” would become “sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” The baby’s destiny from the moment of his conception was hell—hell in the place of sinners. When I look into the manger, I come away shaken as I realize again that he was born to pay the unbearable penalty for my sins.

That’s the message of Christmas: God reconciled the world to himself through Christ, man’s sin has alienated him from God, and man’s reconciliation with God is possible only through faith in Christ…Christmas is disturbing.

Don’t get me wrong—Christmas should be a wonderful celebration. Properly understood, the message of Christmas confronts before it comforts, it disturbs before it delights.

The purpose of Christ’s birth was to live a sinless life, suffer as our substitute on the cross, satisfy the wrath of God, defeat death, and secure our forgiveness and salvation.

Christmas is about God the Father (the offended party) taking the initiative to send his only begotten son to offer his life as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, so that we might be forgiven for our many sins.

As Smith so fitly concludes his column:

Only those who have been profoundly disturbed to the point of deep repentance are able to receive the tidings of comfort, peace, and joy that Christmas proclaims.

Amen and Merry Christmas!

 

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Welcome back to the continuation and conclusion of my interview with Danny Akin, the president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Read part one of the interview here.

Danny, what single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your effective use of time?

You have to take control of your calendar or your calendar will take control of you. However, I must confess to being a disaster in this area! I far too often say yes when I need to say no. I do say no more often than I used to, but according to my wife and those around me, I still do not say it enough. I think in this context we must understand the difference between that which is good and that which is best. As painful as it may be, sometimes we need to say no to good things that we might say yes to the best things. This principle guided me as a dad of four sons. I believe God honored my efforts in this area, imperfect as they were.

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your leadership?

The best counsel I ever received is to surround yourself with people who are more gifted than you and better than you in the areas of their expertise. In other words, find people who complement you in terms of strengths and weaknesses. Too many leaders are insecure, and therefore they feel the need to be wiser, smarter and more competent in every area. No one, however, is that good. I have found it to be of inestimable value to surround myself with people who are so much better than me in the areas of their responsibility. Surround yourself with good, godly, talented men, and then release them to do what they do well. Let me add, I am always concerned more about character than I am expertise. Men can be trained to do a job. However, their character and commitment and devotion to Christ is something that comes from within. It is a matter of the heart.

Where in ministry are you most regularly tempted to discouragement?

I am the type of person who is not easily discouraged. In fact, I tend to go into depression once a year and when I do I go and take a long nap, sleep for several hours and then I always feel better! However, I am discouraged to see so many men in ministry fall to sexual and financial temptation. It continually breaks my heart. But, it is a good reminder that I am not above those things as well, and therefore I need to guard my life carefully both in terms of thought and action to see that I do not become a casualty to the attacks of the flesh and the evil one.

Do you exercise? If so, what do you do? If not, why not? (Please be specific.)

I do exercise though I have recently had a severe operation and have struggled to get back into a routine. I walk and run and, while I do, I listen to Christian music and good preaching. My goal is to walk/run an hour a day at least five days a week. I can readily confess that when I do I feel so much better. It is simply a lack of discipline at this particular moment that has kept me from getting back into the habit that I have followed now for many, many years.

Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?

I do not play sports anymore, but I am a massive football, basketball and baseball fan. I love to pull for the Georgia Bulldogs in college football. I also am a fan of North Carolina and Kentucky basketball. I also enjoy pulling for the Dallas Cowboys in spite of …! I do take great delight in watching the Redskins, Steelers, Patriots, Yankees, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan and USC lose. In fact it is a glorious day when all of them chalk up a loss on a given Saturday. I of course despise the Florida Gators, being a Georgia fan, but I must confess to a great love and admiration for their quarterback Tim Tebow. He honors the Lord through his athletic ability and giftedness.

What do you do for leisure?

Not much! I walk, read and hang out with my wonderful wife, Charlotte, who loves to watch movies and a few particular TV shows. I can always find her ready to watch a flick. She is especially fond of the old black and white movies, and though that is not my first impulse, she has helped me develop an appreciation for many of those classics. I am also a big fan of a few TV shows, in particular 24. In fact I warn my students that during the spring, they should not seek to contact me on Monday nights between 9 and 10:00pm, as I will be unavailable!

If you were not in ministry, what occupational path would you have chosen?

If I were not in ministry, I do not know what I would be doing. God called me into the ministry on a mission trip on an Indian Reservation in Sells, Arizona, in 1977. I have never looked back, nor have I ever considered doing anything other than preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and seeking to be used by our Lord to build His church and take the gospel to the nations. If I were not in ministry, I guess I would be dead. That is certainly my hope and prayer for if Jesus tarries His coming, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

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It’s not every day you meet a seminary president who blends a scholar’s mind with a missionary heart and a love of sports. And somewhere between leading Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Wake Forest, NC), writing books, traveling the world to preach the gospel, training the next generation of pastors and missionaries, and watching ESPN, my friend Danny Akin took a few moments for an interview.

Thank you for your time, Danny. Please describe your morning devotions. What time do you wake up in the morning? How much time do you spend reading, meditating, praying, etc.? What are you presently reading?

People who know me know that I am not a morning person! In fact I think a good morning starts around 9:00. However, I normally get up around 6:45–7:00. My morning devotion is very brief but it fits who I am. I will pray to the Lord three specific texts of Scripture: Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20 and Philippians 1:21. I ask the Lord that these Scriptures in particular would guide my thoughts and actions throughout the day. Further, I am wired in such a way that in the morning I engage the Lord in normal conversation as I am preparing to leave the house and go to whatever responsibility I may have. So there is conversation taking place over about an hour’s period of time. Some days that conversation is far more intense. I do not have a particular book that I am reading for morning devotion other than the Bible. I readily confess this is not an area of strength for me as I see things. It is an area of perpetual struggle.

What book(s) are you currently reading in these three categories: (a) for your soul, (b) for pastoral ministry, or (c) for personal enjoyment?

Currently I am reading several books as is usually the case. I have been reading a biography on the wonderful missionary Henry Martyn. Nothing has fed my soul like missionary biography. I am also reading the newest book by Tim Keller entitled Counterfeit Gods, as well as a book on the wonderful Baptist preacher and theologian John Broadus. I am almost always reading a book on 1) missionary biography and 2) theology and 3) biblical studies. I have just finished reading Mark Dever and Michael Lawrence’s superb book on penal substitution and Mark Driscoll’s forthcoming book on doctrine. Both books were food for the soul as well as theologically informative. These are the kind of things that I read.

Apart from Scripture, what book do you most frequently re-read and why?

I have reread many times Francis Schaeffer’s book How Should We Then Live. It radically transformed my way of thinking about the Christian life when I was a Bible college student, and I continually return to it for great encouragement to my soul and mind. I also have read repeatedly The Anabaptist Story by William Estep. These faithful brothers whose lives were cut short have always been a challenge and encouragement to me so I have returned to this work on a number of occasions. Perhaps no book has been more of a blessing to me than To The Golden Shore, the biography of Adoniram Judson. Each time I have read the book my soul has been lifted and my heart convicted with respect to my pathetic service to our Lord Jesus. Judson and his three wives are real heroes of the faith. My admiration for them cannot be put into words.

When you finish a book, what system have you developed in order to remember and reference that book in the future?

I mark every book that I read with both a highlighter and a pen. Then when I reread it, I am able to move through it more quickly, though sometimes I see new things the second time through that I missed the first time! I do not have any detailed system of referencing a particular book. Usually, I am able to recall what is there and go back to it. If it is something I deem especially significant, I will make a copy of that particular page and file it. I always reference any item so that I know the source. This is very important with respect to sermon notes. Of course, the books that I have forgotten, I have forgotten!

If you could study under any theologian in church history (excluding those men in Scripture), who would it be and why?

That is a very good question. I would love to have studied under Calvin but lived next door to Luther! I think Calvin would have been such a great blessing to my mind as well as my soul, while Luther would have kept me balanced and laughing! I would love to have sat under Augustine. What an incredibly brilliant mind. And of course, I would have benefited greatly to have studied with Jonathan Edwards or the Princeton theologians like Hodge, Warfield and Machen. I would also love to have studied under James Boyce and John Broadus. The fact is each of these men has greatly impacted my life through their writings. What an incredible privilege it would have been to actually have conversed with them and sat under their instruction in person. Perhaps in heaven, something like that will take place.

What single piece of counsel (or constructive criticism) has most improved your preaching?

I would say that being open to critique and criticism is the most important counsel I have received and could pass on. I am often fond of saying in my preaching classes, “What you say is more important than how you say it, but how you say it has never been more important.” What we say, the content exposition and theology of Scripture, must be of first importance. However, in the age in which we live, how we say it is crucially important. I believe it is a sin to make the Word of God boring. Therefore, we should both have something to say and we should say it well.

What books on preaching, or examples of it, have you found most influential in your own preaching?

Let me answer this question in this way. I believe good preachers listen to and read great preachers. My own personal approach to preaching has been greatly influenced by both the preaching and the writings of men like John MacArthur, Bryan Chappell, Ramesh Richard, Adrian Rogers, Jerry Vines, Paige Patterson, John Piper, Alistair Begg, and Steven Olford. Their books, other writings and preaching have greatly shaped and influenced my own approach to the assignment of biblical proclamation. Each of these men has contributed significantly to my life in that regard. The fact is I have more than 5,000 cassette tapes and CDs of the preaching of these men. I continually go back to them for nourishment for my soul as well as insight in how to approach the biblical text. Let me add that in recent years I have been blessed by the preaching of Matt Chandler, Mark Dever, Mark Driscoll, C.J. Mahaney, James Merritt, David Platt and Robert Smith.

To be continued in part two...

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Kevin DeYoung recently responded to my interview questions. That interview was posted in two parts (here and here). As promised I wanted to add a third post to tell you about Kevin’s books.

I really like Kevin’s books. I think he is one of the finest young authors in the church today and I recommend all of his books. Here they are:

Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be (with Ted Kluck). My introduction to Kevin-the-author. This is the best critique of the emergent movement written for a popular audience that I have come across.

Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion (with Ted Kluck). This book is on the short list of my favorite books on the importance and value of the local church.
 
Just Do Something: How to Make a Decision without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, etc. On the topic of seeking guidance from God in the decisions of life, this book is the best I am aware of. It also has the longest subtitle since the writings of the Puritans.
 
Freedom and Boundaries: A Pastoral Primer on the Role of Women in the Church. Excellent argument for—and celebration of—the complementarian position of gender roles in the church.

The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism. Kevin’s latest work is scheduled for release in April. Doubtless this will be the finest book I will have ever read on the Heidelberg Catechism. It will certainly be the first.

 

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Today on his blog Kevin DeYoung posted C.J.’s most valuable reads of 2009. Read about C.J.’s picks here.

 

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Video is now online of Dave Harvey’s message “The Pastor’s Mission: What Makes the Great Commission Great?”, recorded at our 2009 Pastors Conference. In this message, Dave gives an overview of our missiology and how we seek to apply it in the U.S. and abroad.

Below are the video and an outline of the message (with timestamps).

The Pastor's Mission from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

Message outline:

Introduction [0:09]

Five reasons the Great Commission is great:

1. Our commission is great because it starts with the finished work of Jesus Christ. [9:07]

2. Our commission is great because it extends to the church. [14:30]

3. Our commission is great because Christ provides the strategy:

Strategy 1: Planting local churches [20:15]

Strategy 2: Sending apostolic ministry [26:08]

“Does Sovereign Grace Ministries want to play a part in reaching unreached people groups?” [31:48]
 
Three lessons learned from our international ministry experiences: [32:46]

Lesson 1: The strategy of relocating westerners to non-western countries seems to have more weaknesses than strengths. [33:18]

Lesson 2: The strategy of investing in indigenous leaders seems to be working. [35:00]

Lesson 3: The Pastors College strategy seems to be working for expansion. [37:25]

4. Our commission is great because we can all participate. [39:40]

5. Our commission is great because it comes with the promise of God’s enduring presence. [54:00]

Conclusion [57:15]

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Welcome back to the continuation and conclusion of my interview with pastor and author Kevin DeYoung. Read part one of the interview here.

Kevin, what single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your effective use of time?

I am always struggling to use my time well. I do a lot, but I think in the midst of doing a lot I hide a lot of laziness. The best counsel I received was to take a Sabbath. It is really true that God will give us grace to accomplish more in six days than in seven if we trust him enough to rest.

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your leadership?

I’ll give you three things I’ve learned or heard from others: (1) Except in the rarest of circumstances, don’t move ahead unless you’ve worked to get your other leaders on board. (2) You are the pastor for the whole church, not just for the group that likes you the most. (3) Remember how Jonathan Edwards got fired: don’t think that writing good papers to prove your point is sufficient for casting a vision or getting your goals accomplished. Leadership is about your relationship with others.

Where in ministry are you most regularly tempted to discouragement?

Of course, it can be discouraging when people criticize you or forget how you’ve cared for them. But honestly I am most discouraged by the coldness of my affections, my selfishness, and my shortcomings as a pastor.

Do you exercise? If so, what do you do? If not, why not? (Please be specific.)

I exercise more in the 7-8 outdoor months in Michigan. From April-mid November, I run regularly, probably 4 times a week (usually 3 miles) during the summer and once or twice a week in the spring and fall. During the winter I run sparingly. I really like to exercise (running, swimming, push-ups, whatever), but I don’t do it as much as I’d like.

Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?

I like almost any sport. I like to play ultimate frisbee (even if C.J. says it’s not a sport) and basketball. I follow college basketball and college football (Spartans), NFL (Bears; what a dismal year), NHL a little (Blackhawks), and MLB the most (White Sox).

What do you do for leisure?

Play with my kids, go out with my wife, read, write, watch sports.

If you were not in ministry, what occupational path would you have chosen?

Something in politics or academia.

Kevin, thanks for the interview (although it grieves me to see ultimate frisbee in the same sentence as basketball!).

Seriously though, thank you in particular for the time you have devoted to writing. You have served us well with your gift. I want as many people as possible to read your stuff. That is why I promote your books wherever I go.

In fact, your books will be the topic of my next blog post.

Thank you, my friend!

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Tiger Woods wants his privacy back.

He wants the media entourage to disappear from his life.

He wants to be left alone so he can manage his personal problems in private.

Not a chance.

The story began unfolding in the early hours of last Friday when he crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a tree and a fire hydrant near his Florida home. He refused to speak with the police about the incident, raising curiosity about the circumstances. The story has now escalated into allegations of marital infidelity, and that generated a blog post from Tiger that stated, “I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart.” This statement by Tiger has led most to believe that the allegations of infidelity are true.

Hunted by the Media

As expected, the allegations of adultery involving a public figure are attracting a media pile-on. This is a big story with a big audience and it’s a story that will not disappear soon. Tiger Woods is being hunted by the media.

But let us make sure we do not join the hunt. A Christian’s response to this story should be distinctly different. We should not be entertained by the news. We should not have a morbid interest in all the details. We should be saddened and sobered. We should pray for this man and even more for his wife.

And we can be sure that in the coming days we will be in conversations with friends and family where this topic will emerge. And when it does, we can avoid simply listening to the latest details and speculations, and avoid speaking self-righteously, but instead we can humbly draw attention to the grace of God in the gospel.

Hunted by Sin

But Tiger is being hunted by something more menacing than journalists. Tiger’s real enemy is his sin, and that’s an enemy much more difficult to discern and one that can’t be managed in our own strength. It’s an enemy that never sleeps.

Let me explain.

Sin Lies

The Bible in general, and the book of Proverbs in particular, reveals an unbreakable connection between our character, our conduct, and the consequences of our actions. These three are inseparable and woven by God into His created order.
                                              
Deception is part of sin’s DNA. Sin lies to us. It seeks to convince us that sin brings only pleasure, that it carries no consequences, and that no one will discover it. Sin works hard to make us forget that character, conduct, and consequences are interconnected. And when we neglect this relationship—when we think our sins will not be discovered—we ultimately mock God.

Sin Hunts

We’ve all experienced it: Sin lies to us. We take the bait. And then sin begins to hunt us.

One commentator on Proverbs articulated this truth like this: “The irony of a life of rebellion is that we begin by pursuing sin…and end up being pursued by it!….You can ‘be sure your sin will find you out’ (Num. 32:23).”[1] In other words, sin comes back to hunt us.

In light of this fact, sin is an enemy Tiger can’t manage. He can’t shape this story like he does a long iron on a par 5. Tiger doesn’t need a publicity facelift; Tiger needs a Savior. Just like me. And just like you. And if by God’s grace he repents and trusts in the person and work of Christ, Tiger will experience the fruit of God’s promise that “whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

Conclusion

Tiger cannot intimidate this enemy like he can Pebble Beach or any of the field of professional golfers. And there is no privacy he can claim from this enemy, regardless of his resolve, his silence, or the name painted on his yacht. It’s likely Tiger only perceives the press hunting him out of a vain “curiosity about public figures.” But Tiger is being hunted and hounded by a far greater foe: the consequences of his sin.

And this story should humble and sober us. It should make us ask: Are there any so-called “secret sins” in my life? Is there anything I have done that I hope nobody discovers? Is there anything right now in my life that I should confess to God and the appropriate individuals?

And this should leave us more amazed by grace because there, but for the grace of God, go I.

---

[1] John A. Kitchen, Proverbs (Fearn, Scotland: Mentor, 2006), 294–295.

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I first met Kevin DeYoung in the pages of his book Why We’re Not Emergent (Moody, 2008). Somewhere around page 50 I became his fan. Since that time I’ve also had the privilege and joy of becoming his friend.

Kevin is the senior pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan, and the author of four books (more on his books in a forthcoming blog post). I asked him 14 questions on topics like books, devotions, preaching, and sports, which he was happy to answer.

Meet my friend Kevin DeYoung.

Kevin, thank you for your time! Please describe your morning devotions. What time do you wake up in the morning? How much time do you spend reading, meditating, praying, etc.? What are you presently reading?

We have four small children so my sleep pattern is somewhat dependent on how (if!) they all slept. But usually I wake up between 6:30-6:45, a little later if it is my day off (Monday), or if I had a late meeting the night before. On average I spend about an hour in morning devotions. I start by reading 5-10 pages of some classic Christian book (The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment at present). Then I sing a Psalm. Then I read 3-4 chapters from the Bible. I’ve used lots of different reading plans. Right now I’m using a plan that gets me through the whole Bible once a year and Psalms/Proverbs twice. I am in the minor prophets right now. After reading, I work on some Scripture memory, the second half of Romans 12 at the moment. Finally I spend about 25 minutes in prayer, often on a walk if it is not too cold outside. None of these segments take too terribly long, so I’m usually done in an hour or a little more.

What book(s) are you currently reading in these three categories: (a) for your soul, (b) for pastoral ministry, or (c) for personal enjoyment?

For my soul: The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs; Forerunner of the Great Awakening: Sermons by Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen edited by Joel Beeke; Letters of John Newton

For pastoral ministry: Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth by Alistair McGrath; Mortal Follies: Episcopalians and the Crisis of Mainline Christianity by William Murchison; The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson; commentaries on Mark

For personal enjoyment: Macbeth; The Predictioneer’s Game: Using the Logic of Brazen Self-Interest to See and Shape the Future by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita;
Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design by Stephen C. Meyer

Apart from Scripture, what book do you most frequently re-read and why?

I’ve read Calvin’s Institutes several times. I try to go back to it every few years. The theology is rich, passionate, biblical, and ministers to my soul. I see new things every time I read the Institutes. Plus, Calvin, especially in the Battles translation, is easier to read than Jonathan Edwards and many of the Puritans.

When you finish a book, what system have you developed in order to remember and reference that book in the future?

Sadly, I have no system in place. I’ve tried a few different times to implement something, but I didn’t stick with it. If I see an article in a magazine or journal that I like I’ll make a copy and put it in my files (arranged by topics). But for books I just underline, write in the margins and hope I remember where things are later.

If you could study under any theologian in church history (excluding those men in Scripture), who would it be and why?

That’s a hard one. I could learn a lot from so many—Augustine, Calvin, Edwards. But I would pick John Newton. He was not the most prolific theologian, but I figure I can always read Luther or Owen today, but I can’t get the man John Newton. He seems so wise, balanced, and godly. He would make a great mentor, especially for a pastor. A close second would be Irenaeus or one of the other Church Fathers, just because they were not far removed from the Apostles.

What single piece of counsel (or constructive criticism) has most improved your preaching?

If people walk away from your sermons and think you are really smart, you probably have preached a bad sermon. At first I thought it was good if people were impressed by my learning, but now I see that wowing people with my studies is exactly the wrong thing to do. Along these lines, I’ve heard Earl Palmer say that he aims at the high school junior or senior in his sermon. This makes sense to me. A high school senior is used to thinking (we hope) and can handle new ideas and concepts (we hope), but we should not assume he has a deep background in the Bible and theology. That’s a good target audience.

What books on preaching, or examples of it, have you found most influential in your own preaching?

The best book on preaching is Preaching and Preachers by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. John Stott’s Between Two Worlds is a close second. Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students is also one of my favorites.

I have benefited from listening to many preachers, including: John Piper, Alistair Begg, Tim Keller, Mark Dever, C.J. Mahaney. I don’t think most sermons read very well in print, but Martyn Lloyd-Jones and J.C. Ryle are notable exceptions.

We will pick up here in part two of my interview with my friend Kevin DeYoung.

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I’m one of those guys who responded to an altar call at a concert. I shot to my feet so fast I got dizzy…and I was already a Christian! The altar call was for radical Christians; believers who would risk life and limb to become missionaries and take the gospel to faraway lands. Being radical for Jesus sounded like a great career move to me, way better than my minimum wage job. So I stood! I stood up to be counted, stood tall for Jesus, stood ready to leave that night for the radical life.

The tug on my pant leg came just above the knee. It was my new bride. I had, ummm, momentarily forgotten about her. She was still seated and not a little confused. Stow the passport—this needed to slow down a bit. Eventually God showed us that we should be seated in a church before we could stand for missions. So we joined a church, and it was there we discovered that God’s mission to the world—the Great Commission—doesn’t sidestep the church but actually involves the church. That’s part of what makes it a GREAT Commission.

Our commission is great because it recruits the church.

The Great Commission is given to the disciples, not just as apostles who walked with Jesus, but as representatives of the church (Matthew 28:16–20). Sure, the apostles received it (v. 16), but the church has to finish it.

Why would I say that? Three reasons:

1. Look at the target of the Commission: “make disciples of all nations” (emphasis mine). Is it possible that these eleven men could circulate to “all nations”? The obvious answer is “uh-uh.” It’s evident that other people—a lot of people—are in view here. But that’s not the only reason.

2. Think about the duration of the Commission: “to the end of the age.” The eleven may have been special, but they certainly weren’t eternal. That means the “you” referenced in verses 20 and 21 refers to people beyond the eleven. Christ is talking to the church as well.

3. But also look at the application of the Commission: If Acts and the rest of the New Testament chronicle the disciples’ understanding and application of the Great Commission, local churches seem to emerge as the fruit, focus, and fuel of missions.

Much of the telling of missions history reveals a different understanding. Many pages are filled with stories of exceptional missionaries—amazing men and women who made incredible sacrifices and demonstrated heroic faith. They portray the work of God through individuals, but only in exceptional cases do we see the centrality of the church in missions.

But our commission is great because it flows not just to the eleven but to the entire church. John Piper said, “It was given not only to the apostles for their ministry but also to the church for its ministry as long as this age lasts.”*

Remember, the eleven got it; the church finishes it.

Our commission is great because it results in the church.

The origins for church planting are seen in the shadows of Matthew 28. Just think about the ingredients of the commission itself. “Go. Make disciples. Baptize. Teach.” That’s explosive stuff.

It’s funny. Often in evangelicalism, the Great Commission is reduced to just a couple of menu items. It’s like a buffet—a commission buffet—where we spoon ourselves the portions that appear most appetizing. A little going and baptizing? Oh yes, that sounds delicious. Teaching and making disciples? Hmm, I think I’ll pass. Takes too much time…sours the stomach a bit.

But hold on. As Christians, we’re supposed to embrace the full scope of Matthew 28. After all, going without making disciples is an aborted commission. Baptizing without teaching is birth without growth. If my mission strategy is to relocate to Latin America or Asia to preach the gospel, I may be godly and well intentioned, but I may only be “going” and maybe “baptizing.” That’s a commendable commission, but not a complete commission. To fulfill the Great Commission we must reach for all of the ingredients of Matthew 28.

Think about how the Great Commission was applied in the New Testament. Missions in the New Testament was about churches and church planting. It was profoundly church-centered. That’s why Paul was sent from local churches and received into churches. It’s why his labors resulted in churches and his letters were addressed to churches. It’s why the aim of missions was never to separate from the church, but to result in the church.

For our commission to be great, we must have more than preaching good news. We must be creating new communities—local churches! And that takes time and patience. At that concert when I responded to the altar call, I had collapsed the commission down to “going.” How grateful I am that God revealed the whole picture and showed me the extraordinary link between the mission and the church.

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Dave Harvey leads international expansion and church planting for Sovereign Grace Ministries and is based in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. For more information about the Sovereign Grace church-planting process, click here.

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* John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2003), 160.

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