One of the most important events in all of history was a meeting on a mountain near Galilee. There, a small group of men were given a global strategy for carrying God's love and forgiveness to a lost and dying world. On this mountain these men received that greatest challenge ever given to mankind by the greatest Person who ever lived, concerning the greatest power ever revealed and the greatest promise ever recorded. I refer, of course, to the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He gave to His disciples and through them to us.

He said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20 New International Version).

But to whom did Christ give the Great Commission? Jesus gave the Great Commission not only to His 11 remaining disciples, but also to every one who has believed in Him through the centuries. Therefore, every Christian should be vitally and continually involved in helping to fulfill the Great Commission as a way of life.

Somehow we have gotten the idea that the early Christians were different from us—that they possessed a quality of life to which we cannot attain. But it is a fact of history that the people to whom Jesus gave His Great Commission were common, ordinary, working people plagued with the same weaknesses that we have. The only difference between most of them and the majority of us is that two outstanding things had happened to them: They had complete confidence in a resurrected Lord triumphant over death, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Both of these things should also be true of us, and each believer today should help fulfill the Great Commission.

Why?

First, Christ commanded us to do so. No true believer can take His order lightly. The problems in the world that are threatening to engulf humanity can only be solved through faith in Christ and obedience to His commands. If we take our Lord seriously, we must dedicate ourselves fully—time, talent and treasure—to the fulfillment of the Great Commission, not out of a sense of legalistic duty, but out of love and gratitude for what Christ has done for us.

Second, people are lost without Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6, NIV). That may sound narrow and intolerant, but that is what the Lord Jesus said, and Jesus Christ is God! Do you really believe that people without Christ are lost? Has it occurred to you that some of your family, friends, neighbors and associates who do not know Christ are spiritually lost? The Word of God is emphatically clear: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12, NIV).

Third, people everywhere are hungry for God. In some cases, thousands pray and receive Christ in a short time. For example, on one occasion when 10,000 Koreans at a Leadership Training Conference in Seoul went out to share Christ, more than 16,000 people prayed and received Christ. Around the world, tens of millions have indicted salvation decisions after viewing the JESUS film in their languages.

Fourth, there is an urgency to complete the task while the doors of opportunity are still open. If ever you plan to do anything for Christ and His kingdom, do it now before the harvest ends. The Great Commission is our Lord's idea, and only He in His sovereignty and omniscience knows when and how it will be fulfilled. However, since He gave us the command and has promised to equip us to do His will, we must assume that He intends us to fulfill the Great Commission in each generation.

You can start by praying in faith that God will guide you in developing your personal strategy to reach your immediate area of influence for Christ. You do not have to design your own strategy; you are simply discovering the plan that God has already designed.

Next, make lists of specific people whom you wish to tell about Christ. Consider specific groups in your life and develop a strategy to reach each one. Begin with your family. Remember that in your home, more than in any other place, your life will be your testimony. Trust God continually to fill you with His Spirit so that your actions—the fruit of the Spirit—will bear witness to what Jesus has done in your life.

Then plan how you can reach the people with whom you work or interact daily. Seek out those whom you know are Christians, and ask them to join with you in reaching your office. In your church, make yourself available to your pastor. Offer to teach Sunday school, and especially to be a part of the evangelism team. Encourage other members of your church to develop their own strategies.

Invite your neighbors for an evangelistic coffee or tea or dessert, or start a neighborhood evangelistic Bible study. Tell your friends what Christ has done in your life and that He can do the same for them. Pray for those with whom you want to communicate the gospel. Then tell them of God's love and forgiveness and give them opportunity to receive Him.

This call to action may sound hard. Perhaps this thought was in Peter's mind when he said to Jesus, "We've given up everything to follow you." And Jesus replied, "Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything—home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or property—for love of me and to tell others the Good News, who won't be given back, a hundred times over... All these will be his here on earth, and in the world to come he shall have eternal life" (Mark 10:28-30, The Living Bible).

That Jesus' promise has been fulfilled in the lives of all who seek first Christ and His kingdom has been attested to times without number—not always in material things, but in rewards far more meaningful and enriching.

Adapted from the Transferable Concept: How You Can Help Fulfill The Great Commission, by Bill Bright (1921-2003), co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Campus Crusade for Christ. All rights reserved.

ACTION POINT - The Next Step >List five Christian friends or family members, whom you would like to train to share the gospel. Or, if you lack confidence in doing that, ask a mature believer to disciple you and prepare you to begin discipling others.