How Best to Execute the Great Commission

June is typically a month of “going forth.” School is out, we pack up the kids and take off for summer vacations. Many of us attend weddings. And of course there are always summer camps, mission trips, and vacation bible school.

Jesus’ final command to his disciples comes in Matthew 28:19: 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. It is known as the great commission.

In different parts of the world, we are seeing very different results or effectiveness in achieving this directive. Last month we had an episode titled “Don’t Give Up on the Church” with Dr Timothy West which was was focused on the attrition we have observed in church attendance in America since 2000.

This month we have Bob Van Der Ploeg, a longtime friend and associate of Dr West and CEO Disciple Technologies on to discuss “Wresting With the Great Commission.” As a tech dude, Bob decided to query Chat GPT on the model most commonly used in churches today in America and contrast it with what he calls the “Jesus Model” of the first century church when Christianity exploded across the world. In effect, we had ChatGPT on as a second guest and closed the episode with a query on which model would be most effective in achieving the great commission.  A fascinating exercise that you may find very interesting yourself.

My second guest is a night time UPS truck driver who grew up with a severe stuttering problem.  For many reasons, he wrestled mightily with feeling worthless for much of his life.  But God has done a tremendous work in and through him, rewarding his complete faithfulness with tremendous reach, giving away over 1.3 million bibles to the poor and lost.  His name is Paul Stege and his story is sensational!  He is achieving the great commission through his total devotion to helping others discover the living word of God! This is one episode that you do not want to miss.  All of us struggle with feeling worthless at some point in our lives and Paul’s story is so uplifting as a simple testimony of obedience and dying to self.

My friend Dwight Edwards recorded a fantastic YouTube video for Toolbox Ministries that I wanted to add as a bonus in this newsletter.  It’s called Two Minute Toolbox because the stories are succinct and powerful at no longer than two minutes. Very meaningful message using a geographic illustration from the Holy Land which we all have been seeing maps of on the news all month.

Please share this newsletter or any of these episodes with friends or family that you think might be wrestling with similar issues or have them visit my website at www.thesavagepath.com to explore for themselves.   The entire purpose of the podcast is to help others feel like they aren’t alone in struggles that are actually quite common to us all and to glorify God in how he helps us to overcome them.  Lastly, I am always eager to hear from my listeners directly through my email: david@thesavagepath.com

In Christ,

David L Savage