The Great Commission Explained: Making Disciples Today
Before ascending to heaven, Jesus gathered His disciples on a mountain in Galilee and gave them instructions that would shape the next two thousand years of Christian history. This moment—captured in Matthew 28:18-20—has become known as the Great Commission, and it remains the marching orders for every believer today.
Yet despite its familiarity, many Christians misunderstand what Jesus actually commanded. The Great Commission isn't primarily about evangelism, missions trips, or church growth strategies. It's about something far more personal and transformative: making disciples.
Let's explore what the Great Commission truly means and how you can fulfill it in your everyday life.
What Is the Great Commission?
The Great Commission is Jesus' final command to His followers before ascending to heaven. Here's the full passage from Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV):
> "And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"
This brief passage contains layers of theological depth and practical instruction. Jesus wasn't merely suggesting a good idea or offering optional advice to particularly motivated believers. He was issuing a command backed by His complete authority over all creation.
The Great Commission appears in slightly different forms across all four Gospels and Acts, each emphasizing different aspects of the same mission. Mark 16:15 focuses on preaching the gospel to all creation. Luke 24:47-48 emphasizes repentance and forgiveness. John 20:21 connects the disciples' mission to Jesus' own mission from the Father. Acts 1:8 adds the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and a geographic progression from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.
Together, these accounts paint a comprehensive picture of what Jesus wants His followers to do: make disciples who make disciples, multiplying His transformative work throughout the world.
Breaking Down the Great Commission: Four Essential Elements
To understand the Great Commission explained in its fullest sense, we need to examine its four crucial components: authority, the command, the method, and the promise.
1. The Foundation: All Authority Belongs to Jesus
Jesus begins not with a command but with a declaration: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." This isn't motivational rhetoric. It's the theological foundation that makes everything else possible.
After His resurrection, Jesus possessed complete authority over every realm of existence—spiritual and physical, earthly and heavenly. He wasn't sending His disciples out as independent contractors hoping to convince people of a good philosophy. He was sending them as ambassadors of the undisputed King of the universe.
This matters tremendously when you feel inadequate for the task of discipleship. You're not operating in your own authority or depending on your own wisdom. You're participating in Jesus' mission, backed by His limitless power and sovereign rule.
2. The Command: Make Disciples
Here's where many Christians misread the Great Commission. In the original Greek, "make disciples" is the only imperative verb in the passage. "Go," "baptizing," and "teaching" are all participles that support the main command.
A more literal translation would read: "As you go, make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them."
Jesus wasn't primarily commanding geographic movement or evangelistic events. He was commanding the making of disciples—people who learn from Him, follow Him, and become like Him. What is discipleship in its biblical sense? It's an intentional relationship where one believer helps another grow in Christlikeness.
This shifts our entire perspective. The Great Commission isn't fulfilled by getting people to pray a prayer or attend a church service. It's fulfilled when we invest in people's spiritual growth over time, helping them become fully devoted followers of Jesus who can then disciple others.
3. The Method: Baptizing and Teaching
Jesus provides two specific activities that characterize disciple-making: baptizing and teaching.
Baptism represents the public identification with Christ and His people. It marks the beginning of the discipleship journey—the point where someone declares allegiance to Jesus and joins the community of faith. Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit affirms the Trinitarian nature of God and the disciple's entrance into relationship with Him.
But baptism is just the beginning. The ongoing work involves "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." Notice Jesus didn't say "teaching them to know" but "teaching them to observe"—to put into practice, to obey, to live out His teachings.
This is where many modern discipleship efforts fall short. We often equate spiritual growth with Bible knowledge or doctrinal understanding. While these matter, Jesus emphasized obedience. True discipleship produces changed lives, not just informed minds.
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4. The Promise: Jesus' Constant Presence
The Great Commission ends with a stunning promise: "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Jesus doesn't send us out alone. He accompanies us through His Spirit, providing wisdom, strength, and guidance for the work He's called us to do. This promise transforms discipleship from an overwhelming burden into a grace-filled partnership with Christ Himself.
When you sit down with someone to study Scripture, Jesus is there. When you have hard conversations about sin and repentance, He's present. When you celebrate breakthroughs and spiritual victories, He's rejoicing with you. You're never discipling in your own strength.
The Great Commission in Acts: Power for the Mission
While Matthew gives us the clearest statement of the Great Commission, Acts 1:8 adds a crucial element often overlooked: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Jesus didn't just command His disciples to make disciples. He empowered them to do it.
The sequence matters. The disciples were told to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). Without the Spirit's power, they couldn't effectively carry out the mission. The same is true today. Discipleship isn't primarily about techniques, curriculum, or programs. It's about Spirit-empowered believers investing in others.
Acts 1:8 also provides a geographic framework: Jerusalem (your immediate context), Judea (your broader region), Samaria (nearby areas different from you), and the ends of the earth (everywhere else). This reminds us that the Great Commission applies locally and globally. You don't need to move overseas to obey Jesus—start where you are with the people around you.
What the Great Commission Is Not
Before we explore practical application, it's helpful to clear up some common misconceptions about what the Great Commission means.
It's not just for pastors or missionaries. Jesus gave this command to all His followers, not a professional religious class. Every Christian is called to make disciples, whether you're a stay-at-home parent, a business executive, a student, or a retiree.
It's not primarily about evangelism. While sharing the gospel is certainly part of making disciples, the Great Commission focuses on the long-term process of teaching people to obey everything Jesus commanded. Evangelism is the beginning; discipleship is the journey.
It's not about church growth strategies. The Great Commission predates modern church growth movements by two millennia. While growing churches can be a byproduct of faithful disciple-making, Jesus didn't command us to build big churches. He commanded us to make disciples.
It's not optional. This isn't the "Great Suggestion" or the "Great Commission for Those Who Feel Called." It's a command from the risen Lord to all who follow Him. Obedience isn't a matter of personality, gifting, or preference—it's a matter of faithfulness.
How to Fulfill the Great Commission Today
Understanding the Great Commission is one thing. Living it out is another. Here's how you can practically obey Jesus' command in your everyday life.
Start Where You Are
You don't need special training, a theology degree, or years of Christian experience to begin making disciples. Jesus discipled fishermen, tax collectors, and ordinary people. He can work through you too.
Look around at your existing relationships. Who in your life needs to grow in their faith? Maybe it's a new believer who needs guidance. Perhaps it's a fellow Christian who's stuck spiritually. It could even be someone who doesn't know Jesus yet but is open to exploring faith.
The Great Commission begins with availability, not ability. When you make yourself available to invest in someone's spiritual growth, Jesus provides what you need for the task.
Build Intentional Relationships
Discipleship rarely happens accidentally. It requires intentionality—setting aside time, making plans, and committing to consistency.
This doesn't mean discipleship has to be formal or complicated. Some of the most effective discipleship happens over coffee, during walks, or in the course of everyday life. But it does need to be intentional. You need to move beyond surface-level friendships to relationships where you can speak truth, ask hard questions, and challenge one another toward growth.
How to disciple someone effectively starts with building genuine relationships characterized by trust, transparency, and mutual commitment to growth.
Focus on Obedience, Not Just Knowledge
Remember, Jesus said to teach people to "observe" His commands, not just learn about them. Your goal isn't to transfer information but to facilitate transformation.
This means your discipleship conversations should regularly move from "What does the Bible say?" to "How will you apply this?" and "What needs to change in your life because of this truth?"
Create space for honest accountability. Ask questions like "How did you do with what we talked about last time?" and "Where did you struggle to obey this week?" This kind of loving accountability helps disciples move from knowing truth to living it.
Multiply Yourself
The ultimate goal of discipleship is multiplication. You're not just helping someone grow—you're equipping them to disciple others who will disciple still others.
From the beginning, communicate that you're investing in them so they can invest in others. Model this by sharing how someone discipled you. Talk openly about how they can eventually do the same for someone else.
When you build multiplication into the DNA of your discipleship relationships, you participate in the exponential growth Jesus envisioned. One person disciples two, those two each disciple two more, and the pattern continues—multiplying impact far beyond what you could accomplish alone.
The Great Commission Is Still Great
Two thousand years after Jesus spoke these words on a mountainside in Galilee, the Great Commission remains the central mission of the Church. It's not outdated, irrelevant, or in need of updating for modern times. The command to make disciples remains as urgent and necessary today as it was in the first century.
The world needs what only transformed disciples can offer: lives that reflect Christ's character, communities marked by genuine love, and the hope of the gospel lived out in real relationships.
You don't need to move across the world, quit your job, or completely restructure your life to obey the Great Commission. You need to start where you are with the people God has already placed around you. Invest in one person. Teach them to follow Jesus. Equip them to disciple others.
That's how movements begin. That's how the gospel spreads. That's how the Great Commission gets fulfilled—one faithful disciple making disciples who make disciples.
Your Next Step
Jesus' final command is clear: make disciples. The question is, will you obey?
You don't have to figure this out alone. Thousands of believers are already using intentional tools and relationships to fulfill the Great Commission right where they are.
Start your discipleship journey today. Whether you're looking for someone to disciple you or ready to invest in someone else, take the first step toward obeying Jesus' final command. The Great Commission isn't just a historical command—it's your calling today.