Many of you know and appreciate the pastors and deacons of PFBC. But did you know that we have so many other incredible servants out here on the prairie? Below are the PFBC Committee Members, serving you and our church family this year. Please be in prayer for these folks as they serve…

Audit Committee:

Darwin Carroll

Klint Gingerich

Decorating Committee:

Cheryl Bohn

Kendra Gingerich

Worship Music Committee:

Darwin Carroll

Lori Carroll

Will Luers

Lisa Van Der Molen

Constitution Review Team:

Braden Carroll

Jess Caster

Edwin Luers

Rosemary Luers

Jackie Morgan

Phil Parsons

Aline Schipper

Some Miscellaneous Positions:

Nursery/Child Care Coordinator – Heather Cotner

Head Usher/Director of Security – Jerry Dunbar

Church Librarian – Aline Schipper

IRBC Messenger – Pastor Tim

Food Fellowship Coordinator – Nancy Wilson

This is the second part of a two part series looking at the diversity, depth, and divine promise of the Great Commission. In part one, several Great Commission passages were listed in chronological order. It was observed that it was given in an incremental and repetitive manner to impart the importance and each instance highlighted a specific emphasis and mandate. 

Now, in part two, this article is going to synthesize the passages to have a more robust view of the task and some practical next steps to be better equipped to fulfill the mandates of the Great Commission.

You can read part one here.

But as a recap from part one, check out this image…

On a practical level, how does this help us?

The individual emphasises provide clarity in seeking to pursue fulfilling the Great Commission…

1. The Model (John 20:21) – We are to look to the Lord Jesus for our model of ministry. Jesus has a pattern laid out in the New Testament for engaging in the task given by the Father.
2. The Magnitude (Mark 16:15) – Jesus continues the narrative of the Old Testament that the knowledge of God’s glory is to cover the earth as the water covers the sea. He clearly indicates that it is to go into all the world and into all creation. Stopping short of that goal is settling for less than a biblical vision of the Great Commission.
3. The Method (Matthew 28:18-20) – Jesus had spent his 3 year ministry investing in a few. Not only does Jesus tell us that He is our model, but he is emphasizing the method of making disciples, baptizing, and teaching obedience… to all nations.
4. The Message (Luke 24:46-48) – Jesus wanted to ensure that the message His disciples were carrying was clear and concise. We are to carry a message of repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus… to all nations.
5. The Means (Acts 1:8) – We can not do this in our own power. Any attempt to fulfill the Great Commission without the power of God through His Spirit is more about the individual and his/her pride and self-glorification than the glory of God to all nations. Walking out the Great Commission is really about walking boldly in the Spirit carrying the message of the gospel to the whole world, making disciples as Jesus modeled.

This should help you see the diversity and depth of the Great Commission, but what about the divine promise?

Jesus in his Olivet Discourse gives the reader a glimpse into the end of times. In Matthew 24:14, we see not a commission, but a divine promise… 

Matthew 24:14 (ESV)

14  And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 

John writing about the heavenly vision sees the fulfillment of this divine promise… 

Revelation 7:9-12 (ESV)

9  After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

10  and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

11  And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

12  saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 

So what now? Let’s come back to the 5 ‘M”s…

1. Model – Do you know Jesus’ model of ministry? A helpful tool that many have recognized in the gospels (and the Book of Acts) is the 4 Fields of Kingdom Growth. Learn more about it here.
2. Magnitude – Do you have a vision for all peoples and all nations? Here are some resources that will grow your vision and understanding of unreached people groups and the status of the world.
3. Method – Do you have a method that is simple, reproducible and teaches people to obey all the commands of Christ. Several people find a simple 3 part pattern of discipleship to be a great tool to make and multiply disciples. Learn more here.
4. Message – Do your church members (all of them) have a simple, reproducible, clear and concise gospel presentation? If not, check out this gospel tool. 
5. Means – You can grasp all of the other parts, but if you miss the Power of the Spirit you’ve missed the point. God throughout history has been in the business of making His name known. Now we live in the age of the Spirit. Lets walk in the power of the Spirit. If you’re looking for a practical teaching to help you understand how that looks. Check out this book.

Would you take the next step? Start with viewing your ministry through these five emphasizes and evaluate the work according to what Jesus has called his disciples to be about!

The Great Commission is a common phrase in most evangelical circles. Although, in a recent study by Barna Group, when asked of church goers, “Have you heard of the Great Commission?” 51% said no. And 25% said yes, but “I can’t recall the exact meaning”.

This is an alarming statistic, but we should have known this. The fruit of this statistic has been playing out in the decline of Western Christianity for decades. When asked about the content of the Great Commission, most people will reference Matthew 28:19-20 or quote a portion of it.

“Go therefore 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 observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Mt. 28:19-20 ESV

This is a great Great Commission passage. Although, this provides a narrowed focus of the task Jesus left us. To overcome the lack of knowledge of the Great Commission among church goers, church leaders need to expound on the diversity, depth, and divine promise that is in the Great Commission. (See pastor, I just alliterated for you…)

The purpose of this two-part series is to show you the diversity, depth, and divine promise of the Great Commission. In doing so, it will show that there are actually several Great Commission passages that were said by Jesus at different times. Each Great Commission passage also has a specific mandate and emphasis. Part one will list the passages with some contextual background. Part two will help the reader synthesize these passages to have a more robust view of the task and some practical next steps to be better equipped to fulfill the mandates of the Great Commission.

Here are five Great Commission passages listed in biblical order:

• Matthew 28:18-20
• Mark 16:15
• Luke 24:44-49
• John 20:21
• Acts 1:8

You may be familiar with these passages above. It’s a common assumption that each of the passages are really the same message recorded differently by each of the gospel writers. However, these passages were actually all given at different times over the 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. You will also discover that the biblical order of the gospels doesn’t provide the chronological order. The passages once viewed separately and in sequential chronological order provide some great insight to the task of the Great Commission. 

Let’s look at the passages in chronological order and make some observations.

1. John 20:21 ESV

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.'”

Where was it spoken? Jerusalem

When was it spoken? Night of the resurrection (v19)

Who originally heard it? 10 disciples (v24)

What was the mandate? “So I am sending you” (v21)

What was the emphasis? The Model (v21)

2. Mark 16:15 (ESV)

“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.‘”

Where was it spoken? Jerusalem

When was it spoken? 8 days after the resurrection

Who originally heard it? 11 disciples (v14)

What was the mandate? “Go into all the world…the whole creation” (v15)

What was the emphasis? The Magnitude (v15)

3. Matthew 28:19 ESV

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

Where was it spoken? Mountain in Galilee

When was it spoken? Likely 11-14 days after the resurrection

Who originally heard it? 11 disciples (v16)

What was the mandate? “Make disciples” (v19)

What was the emphasis? The Method (v19)

4. Luke 24:46-48 ESV

“And said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.'”

Where was it spoken? Jerusalem

When was it spoken? Day of the ascension (v50)

Who originally heard it? 11 disciples (v33)

What was the mandate? Proclaim “repentance and forgiveness of sins” (v47)

What was the emphasis? The Message (v47)

5. Acts 1:8 ESV

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Where was it spoken? Mount of Olives

When was it spoken? Moments before the ascension (v9)

Who originally heard it? 11 disciples (maybe more) (v13)

What was the mandate? “You will receive power” (v8)

What was the emphasis? The Means (v8)

The contextual clues show us that Jesus expressed the expectation of his followers to carry on His ministry. He, also, provides a repetitive and incremental communication of information, where each instance highlights a specific mandate and emphasis. 

So, what now?

In Part 2, we’ll look at synthesizing these passages and further defining the diversity, depth, and divine promise of the Great Commission…

Earlier this week, my Mom and Dad came up from Florida to visit me here in Iowa. In full honesty, they were actually here to visit with their grandkids, especially their newest grandson, Derrick. But still, I think they enjoyed seeing me and my wife as well.

Being from Florida, my parents practically froze to death out here on the prairie with our temps being in the upper 40’s. I assured them that this has been the warmest weather that Iowa has seen in months, but with their bodies use to the balmy temps of the Florida panhandle, my factual perspective was met with comedic skepticism. I mean, how could the 40’s of Iowa be considered warm when they had just come from the land of sunshine with the temps in the upper 70’s and 80’s? Perspective is key.

You know, the same is true with our evangelism endeavors…Perspective is key. Often, we communicate the Gospel message in ways that are factual, but the way we present the information falls on deaf ears. Why is that?

Well, as I was talking with my Dad (a chaplain at a men’s home in Pensacola, FL), he revealed something fascinating. He mentioned that different personality types often hear the Gospel message in different ways. When we force one style of the Gospel message on the hearer, we are often met with frustrating results. My Dad explained that there are three main personality types, with three main ways of looking at life, and that we should strive to communicate the life-saving message of the Gospel in line with each of these unique personalities…He explains that…

There are those who view life as a “puzzle to be figured out.” These are people that see other people (and life itself) “as mysteries to be solved.” On the positive side of the equation, such people tend to be wowed and amazed by life and often become our scientists and doctors. On the negative side of the equation, such people tend to be very skeptical, scared, and isolated from others. Such people need the Gospel explained to them through the lens of “puzzle” or “mystery”. For instance, they need to be told that the God who loves them and wishes to redeem them is a God who can never really be figured out and His ways, though wonderful and amazing, are often very “mysterious…”

Then there are those people who view life as a “battle to be won.” These are people that see other people (and life itself) in terms of “enemies or allies.” On the positive side of the equation, such people tend to become our societal heroes, our soldiers and law enforcement officers. But on the negative side of the equation, such people can become our society’s criminals, abusers, or manipulators. Such people need the radical message of the Gospel to be explained to them in terms of the “spiritual battle” that rages all around us. For instance, these folks need serious illustrations in your Gospel presentation to them of the awfulness of sin, the darkness of the world, and the glorious Light of the World that has conquered and won the battle over sin and Satan.

Then, finally, there are those people who view life as a “gift to be given away.” These are people that see other people (and life itself) as an “opportunity to serve.” On the positive side of the equation, such people tend to go into the helping professions and become clergy or social workers. On the negative side of the equation, such people can become enablers, controllers, or abusive leaders. Such a personality type needs the message of the Gospel explained through the lens of a “gift.” For instance, they need to be told how much God gave to them and how loving He is to all of us who “call upon the name of the Lord…”

Interesting, is it not? At the very least, it gives you cause for pause. Now, I want to be crystal clear, these personality types are not Gospel-gold. These are merely categories of perspective to help you as you navigate the difficult waters of sharing your faith with your family and friends. So, I would challenge you (like my Dad challenged me), which personality type are you? Are you primarily the “puzzler”, the “battler”, or the “gifter”? And which personality type are you actively sharing the Gospel with right now? Are you the “battler” personality trying to share the Gospel with a “gifter”? Perhaps you’re a “puzzler” trying to share the Gospel with a “battler”? The point is this, we should strive to be like the Apostle Paul, who said, “Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law – though I myself am not under the law – to win those under the law. To those who are without that law, like one without the law – not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law – to win those without the law. To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits” (1 Cor. 9:19-23).