It's Personal - Matthew 28:18-20

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20, NIV).

In these verses that are known as the Great Commission, Jesus articulates to His disciples their mission just prior to His ascension into heaven.

Jesus simply tasks them with the job of making more disciples. And, to accomplish this task, He said He would be right there with them (and us) to help make more disciples.

The accomplishment of the Great Commission is a process we call evangelism. We develop many strategies and programs for evangelism. But, evangelism is not intended to be as complicated a process as we make it. And, it's certainly not meant to be done only by ministry professionals such as pastors, evangelists, and youth ministers.

Jesus tasked all His disciples with the responsibility of making more disciples.

The problem with evangelism is that we somehow become more concerned about the “how to” than the “what for” of the Great Commission. With evangelism, we focus on the strategy used to present the gospel rather than on the relevance of our gospel presentation.

But to make disciples, you must present a gospel that is relevant to people’s lives, to their wants and needs.

And to present a relevant gospel that will make more disciples, the gospel must be relevant to you personally!

It's just that simple.

When the gospel becomes personal to you, then you can personalize it for others!

The best soul-winning strategy is the one in which you train and discipline yourself to become a practicing, deliberate disciple. And when you do that, then Jesus said He will be right there with you to help you, enabling and empowering you to make disciples.

While Jesus told us to go make disciples, He didn’t specify how. He didn’t mandate or suggest a particular methodology. That’s because He wanted many voices telling His story from their own particular point of view.

Jesus wants the gospel to be personal to you so you can make it personal for others.

Yes, it's personal. Jesus wants His disciples telling His story from their own unique perspective. Making it personal. Making it relevant. Making it transformative!

He wants many voices sharing the gospel. And, though we come from different backgrounds, different circumstances, different perspectives, we all have the same heavenly assignment: Make disciples!

So, make yourself into a disciple and then you can make disciples of others!

"Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him." (1 Corinthians 7:17, NIV).