Matthew 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This week we are shifting our focus to praying for our church. “Why did you name the church ‘Commission Church’?” I’ve been asked this question so many times over the last three years. It’s a great opportunity for me to share about our vision if the question comes from a non-Christian. Yet, it baffles me how many Christians don’t know what the great commission is. Each of the four Gospels describes Jesus commissioning His disciples, showing us how important the commission really is. 
In a 2018 Barna study, 51% of churchgoers said they were unfamiliar with this term. Only 17% of respondents said they knew the term and the Scripture associated with it. I’m really wondering how many in the 17% obediently follow it. Has it become the forgotten commandment?
These three verses contain a declaration, a command and a promise from Jesus.
The declaration is, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” It’s followed up with these four commands; preach the gospel to all nations and people, work miracles in Jesus’ name, baptize new believers and disciple those who receive Christ. The promise is “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
As we pray for the forward vision of the year, let’s be faithful to this vision and refuse to be deterred by the distractions of the enemy. I pray that we will continue to be a church that carries out the great commission.
Alan and Sherine have an amazing word for us as they give us some practical tips on how we can be carriers of this vision.
Resources:
Download Prayer Guide
If you missed the message on Sunday, Pastor Ashish spoke about the importance of praying first. I strongly suggest that you go listen to it as we begin this 21 day fasting and prayer. Let us resolve to always PRAY FIRST in everything we do. Listen to the message HERE
Here is a Worship Playlist you can listen to – 21-Day Fasting Playlist
