“Go and Make Disciples”: How Every Christian Participates in the Great Commission—Near, Far, and Everywhere in Between
When Jesus gave the Great Commission—“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19)—He wasn’t assigning a task to a heroic few. He was inviting the entire church into a shared mission. Some would travel far. Many would stay close. All would participate.
Jesus clarified this in Acts 1:8:
“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
This is not a ladder to climb. It is a map of concentric circles—beginning at home and radiating outward as the Spirit leads. The early church lived this beautifully. Some traveled. Many stayed. All contributed.
And the same is true today.
Jerusalem: Disciple‑making begins at home
Jerusalem represents the people closest to us—family, friends, coworkers, neighbors. Scripture highlights believers who discipled right where they lived:
- Mary, mother of John Mark, opened her home for prayer and refuge (Acts 12:12).
- Priscilla and Aquila discipled Apollos through personal, relational teaching (Acts 18:26).
- The Samaritan woman brought her town to Jesus simply by sharing her story (John 4:28–30).
These believers never crossed a border, yet their faithfulness shaped the early church.
Disciple‑making begins with the people God has already placed in our lives.
Judea: Disciple‑making through community and local networks
Judea represents our broader region—our extended relationships, local churches, and community influence.
Examples include:
- Lydia, whose home became the first church in Europe (Acts 16:14–15, 40).
- The Philippian church, which partnered with Paul financially and prayerfully (Philippians 4:14–18).
- Barnabas, who strengthened new believers and encouraged the church (Acts 11:22–26).
These believers discipled through generosity, leadership, and community-building.
Their ministry reminds us that disciple‑making is not limited to preaching. It includes hospitality, encouragement, and financial partnership.
Samaria: Crossing cultural and relational boundaries
Samaria represents people who are near but different—culturally, socially, or historically. Jesus intentionally included this circle because disciple‑making often requires crossing boundaries.
The early church modeled this:
- Philip preached in Samaria (Acts 8:4–8).
- The Jerusalem believers supported the Samaritan revival (Acts 8:14–17).
Disciple‑making in Samaria looks like reaching across divides, building bridges, and welcoming those unlike ourselves.
It is mission through courage, humility, and compassion.
The ends of the earth: Supporting and participating in global mission
Not everyone traveled with Paul, but many made his journeys possible.
Scripture honors these “ends‑of‑the‑earth partners”:
- Phoebe, a patron who supported Paul and carried the letter to the Romans (Romans 16:1–2).
- Priscilla and Aquila, who hosted churches and risked their lives for Paul (Romans 16:3–5).
- The women who supported Jesus financially (Luke 8:1–3).
- Unnamed supporters who provided food, lodging, and protection (Acts 17:5–9; 21:8).
The apostles went because others stayed, prayed, funded, encouraged, and opened doors.
Financial support is not a footnote to mission. It is mission.
The value of short‑term mission trips
Short‑term mission trips—whether one week or one month—can play a meaningful role in the Great Commission when done with humility, partnership, and long‑term vision.
They can:
- Strengthen long‑term missionaries
- Encourage local churches
- Provide practical help and resources
- Build cross‑cultural understanding
- Expose believers to global needs
- Inspire long‑term commitments to prayer, giving, or future service
Short‑term trips are not the whole mission, but they are a real and valuable part of it. They allow believers to step briefly into the “ends of the earth” circle and return home with renewed purpose for their Jerusalem and Judea.
When the nations come to us: Immigration and the Great Commission at our doorstep
Global migration has created a new missionary reality: many who arrive in the United States come from places where Christian witness is restricted or nearly absent. Some belong to unreached people groups that few missionaries can access.
This means that Christians who remain in their hometowns can participate in global disciple‑making without crossing a border.
Biblical precedent:
- Ruth, a Moabite immigrant, becomes part of Christ’s lineage.
- Diaspora Jews become bridges for the gospel (Acts 2:5–11).
- Persecuted believers spread the gospel as they fled (Acts 8:1–4).
Today, international students, refugees, and immigrants live within reach of believers who may never travel overseas. Hospitality, friendship, and service become powerful forms of mission.
The ends of the earth are now next door.
The importance of personal missionary relationships
Supporting missionaries through your church is commendable and deeply biblical. But there is something uniquely powerful about having a personal relationship with a missionary or missionary family—someone you know by name, pray for intentionally, communicate with regularly, and support financially if possible.
When you know a missionary personally:
- Your prayers become more focused
- Your giving becomes more joyful
- Your understanding of global mission deepens
- Your sense of partnership becomes real
And if you don’t know any missionaries personally, consider contacting a reputable sending agency. Introduce yourself. Ask if there is a missionary or family who needs prayer partners, encouragers, or financial supporters. Build a relationship. Learn their story. Let them learn yours.
Mission becomes personal when missionaries become people, not categories.
Pastoral Conclusion: A Benediction for a Church on Mission
At the end of the day, the Great Commission is not a competition between those who stay and those who go. It is the shared heartbeat of a people who belong to Jesus—each of us carrying a corner of the mission in the place God has planted us.
Some will go overseas for a week and return with a heart enlarged by what they saw.
Some will go for a lifetime and plant their lives in another culture.
Some will go across the street with a casserole and a prayer.
Some will go to their knees, interceding for those who travel farther than they can.
Some will go to their bank account, offering sacrificial generosity that keeps missionaries on the field.
And some will go to a sending agency and say, “Introduce me to someone I can pray for and support.”
In the Hippocratic Party spirit, we might say this:
The church is healthiest when every part of the body practices its calling without pretending to be another limb.
The missionary does not look down on the accountant.
The accountant does not dismiss the missionary.
The short‑term team does not apologize for going briefly.
The long‑term worker does not apologize for staying long.
Each circle of Acts 1:8—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth—needs the others.
So may you go—wherever “go” is for you.
May you welcome the nations God brings near.
May you support those who travel farther than you can.
May you disciple those already in your path.
May you offer your gifts, your presence, your prayers, your generosity, and your courage.
And may the Spirit who empowered fishermen, tentmakers, businesswomen, widows, immigrants, encouragers, and apostles empower you as well.
For the mission belongs to Christ.
The power belongs to the Spirit.
And the privilege belongs to all of us.
Amen.