What do you think of when you hear the phrase, "Great Commission"? The answer might depend on your age and whether or not your were raised in an evangelical church. To a modern businessman a "great commission" is what you get after a great sale. So is the "Great Commission" outdated? Well, no and yes.
In Matthew 28, Jesus commands his disciples to "Go" (literally "as you go")and make disciples. Traditionally referred to as the Great Commission, those actual words are not in the Bible's text. The term was coined as a rallying cry to get Christians involved in Jesus' call to make disciples - and it worked. The phrase, "Great Commission" became synonymous with intentional evangelism.
Enter a new generation. Maybe unlike any generation before them, todays teens want to get involved in a cause. Facebook, the online social network, has even created a way to easily join various causes. In droves students join causes such as saving the environment, pro-life issues, or animal rights. Teens are looking for a way to make a difference. So why is it when you mention the "Great Commission" to a group of Christian teens they give you blank stares. Could it be because they are not familiar with the terminology? Are we using an outdated term for a cause that will never become outdated?
Enter Dare 2 Share. In an attempt to help teens catch the vision of Matthew 28:19-20, D2S is helping to re-brand the Great Commission -not change it or weaken in - but to repackage it in modern terminology. Students today are quick to join a cause, and Jesus' call is to not join just any cause but THE Cause. And students are responding. This weekend at the Blaze conference, our students pledged to join THE Cause of making disciples who make disciples. A generation of teens is responding to God's call to share the gospel with their friends, neighbors, and even strangers. THE Cause is spreading.
So let's all get on board with THE Cause. No matter what we call it, the command is the same - "Go and make disciples".
Monday, March 1, 2010
Re-branding: THE Cause
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Fourth Wiseman never got to see Jesus
I saw this humorous farside post on another blog.
Unknown to most theologians, there was a fourth wiseman. He was sent away for bringing a fruitcake.
Speaking of the fourth wiseman, one of my favorite Christmas movies is "The Fourth Wiseman" starring Martin Sheen. Sheen plays Artaban, a young Magus (Wise Man) who desires to follow the star to the birthplace of the coming King, against the counsel of his friends and family. Carrying three precious jewels to give to the baby Messiah, Artaban and his reluctant servant Orontes set off to join the caravan of the three other wise men. They miss the caravan, but Artaban continues the search for his King, always one step behind. Artaban spends much of his remaining wealth and all of his energy helping the poor and unfortunate people he meets, until at the end of his life he finally finds Jesus--at His trial! Has Artaban wasted his life in a foolish quest? Will he ever get the chance to present his gifts to the King?
If you can find it, The fourth wiseman is a great way to be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
A Picture of Hope
What should the church look like? Something close to this. An incredible film that might require a little bit of Kleenex.
For a larger format click here.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Examen.Me - a place to get closer to God.
Since you're reading this blog you are likely "tech savvy" and use the computer for numerous tasks. For the past few months I've been trying an online devotional tool that I can highly recommend: Examen.me. Examen.me allows the user to choose from a number of devotional choices, includes online journaling, is easy to use, and FREE!
I highly recommend you give it a try.
