Living the Commission

by Joshua Bland

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” American church culture has often interpreted the process of going as primary in the Great Commission, found Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB). While this is not a bad thing, we perhaps have missed part of the original meaning: the Greek word here rendered “go” is not a command, but a participle. By shifting our emphasis to the sole command to disciple, we are actually afforded a greater amount of freedom to be the witness of Christ in the world.

Think of it this way: it takes time to prepare for international missions. To pack up one's life and move to another people group for the purpose of sharing the news of Jesus Christ is a large commitment of time. Mind you, this is a noble cause. But it is not the only mission field which is available to us. It also takes time to go to school, to work 40 hours a week, to shop at Walmart or Kroger, and to survive the daily grind. This may not sound nearly as glorious as moving to an exotic land for the Gospel, but there is the same need and hunger for the Gospel in these situations as there is elsewhere.

How then do we live the Great Commission? A more literal interpretation of this command is: “As you are going, make disciples.” Have you seen the beautiful freedom afforded here? As you go to work, make disciples. As you shop for groceries, make disciples. As you study for school or spend time with your family, make disciples. The command to make disciples is supplemented by the phrases regarding baptizing and teaching. Baptism serves as a visible symbol of new life in Christ, and teaching means that the journey does not end here. Once someone chooses Christ, we as disciples have the commitment to continue helping that person to grow. Given the exact same situation, you and I may make disciples differently because we are different people.

You have gifts which I lack; the reverse may also be true. This flexibility allowed by the Great Commission seems to foreshadow the announcement made by Paul: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7, NASB). Because we are different and have been differently gifted, we are able to disciple in different ways.

Despite our differences, our goal must be the same; ours is the message of the cross, that salvation is only available through Jesus Christ. As announced by Christ, “No man comes to the Father except through Me.” While I write these few thoughts online, you may be verbally telling someone of what God has done in Christ to demonstrate His love for them. Or perhaps you are showing with your actions what it means to be a Christ follower. And God is using us both for His glory.

The Intersect

by Joshua Bland

Recently I have been re-watching the television series Chuck. I started watching a few years ago and never finished it; now, with the help of Netflix, I have started from the beginning. For those of you who do not know about the show, let me sum it up:

Chuck is a tech-smart slacker working at the Nerd Herd (the show's equivalent of the Geek Squad). He is sent an email by an old associate that contains an encrypted government supercomputer, which is downloaded into his brain. The show follows Chuck's life and relationships as he learns to live with the Intersect.

After having a marathon of episodes during a recent bad weather day, 2 Corinthians 5:17 came to my mind: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." Jesus talks throughout the Gospels, particularly that of John, about the coming of the Holy Spirit. We see this happen in Acts, given as a sign of our redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14).

While the scene of Acts 2 is certainly compelling and powerful, the aftermath is equally important. The Holy Spirit transformed the lives of the disciples, equipping them to share the Gospel in their communities, to endure persecutions, and to spur one another on in faith, discipleship, and works.

While all analogies fall short, notice this one: the Holy Spirit is to the disciple what the Intersect is to Chuck. Without it, he could not function properly or successfully in increasingly daunting situations. Without it, his life would never be what it could be; his full potential could not be realized. Even with the Intersect, episode after episode shows Chuck messing up or failing in some way; we will do the same with the Holy Spirit in us. When failure occurs, there is opportunity for redemption and maturity that can come from it. However, if we choose (or continue to choose) to ignore the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can not be the sons and daughters, disciples, ministers, and evangelists that God has called us to be.

Welcome to the Landing

by Joshua Bland

This blog from Ouachita River Fellowship will be used to edify and encourage the family at ORF and the Church throughout the world. Our posts here will also be able to be used for evangelism and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our pastoral team will be contributing to this blog. I'm Josh, the pastor of digital ministries at Ouachita River Fellowship, and I will be doing much of the writing throughout. Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts or questions.

You will also get to hear from Thomy, our teaching pastor, Wade, our children and youth pastor, and Jef, our worship pastor. Along with these, occasionally you will hear from other writers and leaders within the family of ORF.

Our mission is to lead others into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. It is our prayer that this be another venue of this mission, and that we are able to join with you in your own discipleship and evangelism.

I shall close this first post by quoting the apostle Paul in Romans 15:13: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

We've quite the journey ahead of us as we pursue Christ! Until next time...