Mission: To Make Disciples of All Nations

Overview

A vision is a description of the future. A mission defines the task we seek to accomplish. The resurrected Christ gave his people a clear mission: to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18–20). It is the central task that directs the church’s life until the end of the age. This mission drives and sustains our vision to start, strengthen, and multiply churches at every level of church life envisioned by Jesus and his apostles.

Jesus described this mission in multiple ways across eight Great Commission passages—Matthew 28:18–20; Mark 13:10; 14:9; Luke 24:44–49; John 20:21–23; Acts 1:8; 22:21; 26:16–18. Each emphasizes a different aspect of making disciples, yet together they form a unified picture of what he sends his church to do. Put simply, the mission is to make disciples of Jesus of all nations.

A Broad Sense or a Narrow Sense of Mission?

The mission of the church can be defined in either a broad sense or a narrow sense. While the broad view addresses many biblical responsibilities, we believe it ultimately misses the clarity and focus Jesus intended when he commissioned his apostles.

A broad definition of mission often includes the motivations and responsibilities that rightly shape the Christian life—loving God and loving people, helping others follow Jesus, serving the poor, transforming society, and caring for creation. These are all good and essential expressions of Christian obedience. Yet if “mission” is expanded to include everything Christians value and do, the category itself loses clarity and usefulness. Though Christians are called to honor Jesus in every area of life, this broad approach makes it difficult to identify the specific task Jesus gave the church. When different leaders define mission in different ways, confusion multiplies, and we risk passing on confusion to the next generation rather than a shared mandate.

For this reason, we adopt a narrower definition of mission: a clear task or objective, something we are specifically sent to do. Put simply, we ask, “What did Jesus directly commission the apostles—and through them the rest of the church—to do after he left the earth?” The New Testament’s answer is clear: to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19), a mission that includes both evangelism and discipleship. Because our goal is to help people make disciples of Jesus ten generations from now, we want every believer to be able to clearly and succinctly pass on Jesus’s mission to the next generation (DeYoung & Gilbert, What Is the Mission of the Church?, 15–63).

One Commission from Jesus

There are not multiple commissions from Jesus. There is one commission from Jesus, which he revealed to his disciples at different times and places, with varying emphases.

Jesus’s mission for the church is what he sends us into the world to do—to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). How wonderful it would be if all Christians embraced that mission for their lives in light of that passage! As we will see, there is much to say about making disciples of Jesus. As followers of Jesus Christ, who received universal authority from his Father, we do not have the freedom to determine the mission for our lives. Instead, we must align ourselves with his mission for his people, rather than asking him to bless our self-centered pursuits.

We organize and discuss the Great Commission passages below based on the books of the Bible in which they appear: (1) Matthew, (2) Mark, (3) Luke, (4) John, and (5) Acts. The goal of this document is not to study each passage in detail. Instead, our goal is to gain a comprehensive overview of Jesus’s mission. With that in mind, we conclude this lesson by summarizing the mission of the church.

1. Matthew: Make Disciples of All Nations

18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18–20)

The resurrected Jesus revealed to his disciples his universal authority, which had been given to him by the Father after his death and resurrection (v. 18). With that authority, he outlined the Great Commission: the command to make disciples (followers of Jesus) of all nations (v. 19). The process of disciple-making involves going into the world, baptizing believers in the one name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (v. 19), and teaching them to observe everything Jesus commanded (v. 20). This mission is sustained by Jesus’s abiding presence with his people “to the end of the age.”

2. Mark: Proclaim the Gospel to all Nations

“10 And it is necessary that the gospel be preached to all nations.” (Mark 13:10)
“9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done [anointing Jesus with perfume] will also be told in memory of her.” (Mark 14:9)

In its broadest sense, the gospel is the good news that God has acted to save his people (Isa. 40:9–11; 52:7–10; 61:1–3). More specifically, it is the good news that God has intervened to save his people through Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1). At the start of his ministry, Jesus announced, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). When Jesus spoke of the gospel being proclaimed to all nations (Mark 13:10; 14:9), his disciples could not yet grasp its ultimate content—his death and resurrection. After his death and resurrection, however, the heart of the gospel became clear: Jesus died for our sins and God raised him on the third day to save sinners (1 Cor. 15:1–4). This is the gospel we are called to proclaim everywhere, to everyone.

3. Luke: Proclaim Jesus’s Death and Resurrection, Repentance, and Forgiveness

44 He told them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 He also said to them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead the third day, 47 and repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high.” (Luke 24:44–49)

After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and opened their minds to understand how the Old Testament Scriptures pointed to him (vv. 44–45). These Scriptures foretold that the Messiah would suffer and rise on the third day (v. 46). They also foretold the proclamation of “repentance for forgiveness of sins” in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem (vv. 47–48). This mission would not depend on their strength but on the power of the promised Holy Spirit, whom Jesus told them to wait for in Jerusalem (v. 49).

4. John: Sent by Jesus, Empowered by the Spirit, Granting Forgiveness

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 22 After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21–23)

The resurrected Jesus came to his disciples with words of peace (vv. 19, 21). Just as the Father had sent Jesus into the world, Jesus now sent them into the world (v. 21; cf. Matt. 28:19; John 17:18). To prepare them for their mission, Jesus breathed on them and gave them a preliminary gift of the Spirit, pointing forward to the fuller outpouring at Pentecost (v. 22; cf. Acts 2). Their mission centered on announcing forgiveness of sins through Christ, so that those who believed would be forgiven, while those who rejected the message would remain in their sins (v. 23; cf. Luke 24:47).

5. Acts: Serve and Witness to Jesus by the Holy Spirit

“8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
“21 He said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ” (Acts 22:21)
“16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:16–18)

Before ascending to the Father, Jesus promised that his disciples would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, enabling them to be his witnesses—beginning in Jerusalem, extending through Judea and Samaria, and reaching the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Later, Jesus appeared to Saul (Paul) and appointed him as a servant and a witness of the risen Lord (Acts 22:21; 26:16). Paul’s commission was clear: to open eyes, turn people from darkness to light, and from Satan’s power to God, so that through faith in Jesus they might receive forgiveness and a share among those who are sanctified (set apart) by faith in Jesus (Acts 26:17–18). The book of Acts shows how this Spirit-empowered mission spread outward in ever-widening circles.

Continuity Across the Great Commission Texts

When we look across the Gospels and Acts, we see not multiple missions but one mission described from different angles. Each writer highlights a distinct emphasis, yet all converge on the same task:

Matthew highlights the task—make disciples by going, baptizing, and teaching.
Mark underscores the scope—the gospel must be proclaimed to all nations.
Luke focuses on the content—repentance and forgiveness through Jesus’s death and resurrection.
John stresses the authority and power—as the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sends his disciples, empowered by the Spirit.
Acts provides the pattern—Spirit-filled witnesses moving outward from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

Together, these perspectives give us a rich, unified picture of Jesus’s one Great Commission.

What is Jesus’s Great Commission?

Jesus commissioned the church to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19), which is the heart of the Great Commission. By the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; John 20:22; Acts 1:8), we are sent as his witnesses to carry out this mission:

go into all the world, to all nations—beginning where we are and moving outward to the ends of the earth (Matt. 28:19; Mark 13:10; 14:9; Luke 24:47; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 22:21; 26:17);
proclaim the gospel—the good news of Jesus’s death and resurrection to save sinners (Mark 13:10; 14:9; Luke 24:46, 48; Acts 1:8, 26:16);
proclaim repentance (turning from sin), trust in Jesus, and the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’s name (Luke 24:47–48; John 20:23; Acts 26:16–18);
baptize new believers in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19); and
teach all believers to obey Jesus’s commands (Matt. 28:20).

Viewed together, this is the mission of the church—what Jesus sends us to do. He is present with us, guiding and empowering us until the end of the age (Matt. 28:20).

Not only do we need all Christians to immediately identify the mission as “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19), but disciples must also know each part of the Great Commission: going, proclaiming Jesus’s death and resurrection, calling for repentance and faith, baptizing, and teaching obedience. This clarity is vital because alternative mission statements—such as “to love God and others” or “to know Christ and make him known”—though true and good in part, can subtly distract from the specific commission Jesus gave. When we lose sight of its concrete components, we risk reducing the mission to a vague aspiration rather than the Spirit-empowered task that drives the church’s life and growth.

Competing Missions

Even though Jesus gave his church one clear mission, we are often distracted by competing ones. These substitutes are not always bad—many are well-meaning, even biblical in part—but they become distortions when they take priority over making disciples of all nations. Churches may pour their greatest energy into social programs or political influence, treating these as more urgent than the Great Commission. Individuals may chase career success, entertainment, or family activities that consistently pull them away from engaging their networks for Christ. These pursuits become dangerous when they replace the mission Jesus gave us.

The danger is subtle: we may affirm Jesus’s mission with our lips while giving our lives to other agendas. When that happens, the Great Commission is reduced to one cause among many rather than the central task that shapes everything else. The result is busyness without fruit, activity without clarity, and ministry that drifts from its biblical center. To remain faithful, we must examine our priorities, repent of rival missions, and realign ourselves with the mission Jesus entrusted to his people.

How Can We Actively Participate in the Mission?

Since Jesus’s mission for the church is to make disciples of all nations, then every believer and every church has a part to play. Here are practical ways to engage:

Turn Away from Competing Missions: Lay aside distractions, selfish ambitions, and rival agendas—any personal mission that compete with Jesus’s mission.
Commit to Jesus’s Mission: Intentionally embrace making disciples as our Jesus-ordained calling, recognizing it is central to the Christian life, not optional.
Get Equipped for Jesus’s Mission: Grow in knowledge, skills, and boldness through evangelism, discipleship, and leadership training.
Give to Jesus’s Mission: Faithfully give our time, talents, and resources so the gospel advances through the church locally, regionally, and globally.
Pray for Jesus’s Mission: Pray for others to hear and believe, and pray for ourselves to demonstrate gospel clarity, wisdom, and boldness in witness.
Love in Accordance with Jesus’s Mission: Demonstrate God’s love to others through acts of compassion and service that reflect Jesus’s heart for the world.
Share in Accordance with Jesus’s Mission: Boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus’s death and resurrection, inviting others to repent, believe, be baptized, and follow him.

A Call to Clarity and Courage

Christians desperately need clarity. Without it, we confuse the central mission with good but incomplete alternatives. The mission is not “loving God and others,” “serving the poor,” or “transforming society”—all of which are important. Nor is it “knowing Christ and making him known,” a beautiful aspiration but too vague to capture the specific task Jesus gave. Scripture defines the mission with precision: to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19). This involves going, proclaiming Christ crucified and risen, calling for repentance and faith, baptizing new believers, and teaching them to obey everything he commanded. When we blur or deviate from this commission, we lose the very clarity Jesus intended for his church.

Christians also need courage. Without it, we shrink back from saying what the mission is—and what it is not. Many competing mission are appealing—knowing Christ, social activism, or even numerical church growth—but none of these is the mission. Courage is the resolve to lovingly but firmly correct distortions, insisting on the fullness of Christ’s commission. Courage is also the persistence to keep teaching the true, complete mission even when it is unpopular, inconvenient, or costly, so that the next generation inherits the real task Jesus entrusted to his people. When courage falters, counterfeit missions take root and flourish.

With both clarity and courage, the church stays aligned with Jesus’s command. Clarity defines the task; courage ensures we pursue it in the face of opposition or confusion. Satan delights when either is missing—when clarity dissolves into vagueness or courage collapses into silence. But when God’s people embrace both, the mission is neither hidden nor distorted. It shines with conviction: to make disciples of all nations, until Christ returns and the work is complete.

Questions for Reflection and Action

What initial comments or questions do you have about what you read—whether something you found insightful, challenging, or confusing?
How would you summarize the main teachings of this document in your own words?
What are the negative consequences when the church fails to teach and apply these truths?
What common misunderstandings, distractions, or rival habits keep Christians from living out these truths?
How do these truths support and shape the church’s vision to start, strengthen, and multiply churches?
Which of the suggested practices or applications do you find most encouraging, challenging, or thought-provoking—and why?
What is one way you or your church could put these truths into practice in the coming weeks?