Jesus commanded his disciples to make disciples and send them out to continue spreading the gospel. The author argues that churches today focus too much on programs and growth rather than following Jesus' command to train and send out disciples. The purpose of the study is to examine if churches are properly following Jesus' example and commands to advance the gospel message to all people.

1. We
Must Go
Christ’s Call
to
Disciple the World
Steve Patterson

2. Introduction: Listen, Go, Tell
Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of
the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field.”
(Matthew 9:37-38)
In our churches we are doing a great job of
teaching, preaching, and sponsoring various
programs. And that is not a bad thing! But are we
doing what our Commander and Chief – the Lord
of the Harvest - commanded us to do?
It seems as though we have been trying to
bring people in to “grow our churches” rather
than send people out to make disciples. Christ
commanded us first to teach and train – to make
disciples - then to send them out to make more
disciples.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “No soldier gets
entangled in the civilian pursuits since his aim is to
please the one who enlisted him” (II Timothy 2:4).
We are busy people doing a lot of good things, yet
sometimes we forget Who has enlisted us and
what our commands are.
The purpose of this study is to get our
church family to examine what we are doing and
to determine if we are conducting our lives the way Father wants us to.
Let us take a step back and try to focus on some teachings from Jesus and
examine His life to be sure we are following His pattern.
Most of us have a long list of things that we are doing or trying to do as believers
and followers of Christ. When we look at that list, the thing at the top should be
advancing the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Our Father created us to glorify Him and to worship Him. His desire is for “All
men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth, for there is one God and one

3. mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom
for all men” (I Timothy 2:4-6).
How are all men going to know that Jesus died for the sins of every person
who ever lived if we are not doing what Jesus called us to do?
As a follower of Jesus, I should want to be about the Father’s business. Jesus
made it very clear that He only did and said what the Father told Him. Jesus said, “But
the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what My Father has
commanded Me” (John 14:31).
Christ also said, “I have made You (God the Father) known to them, and will
continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them
and that I Myself may be in them” (John 17:26). Just as Jesus carried out the mission
that God the Father gave Him, so we should be carrying out the mission He has given us.
What an awesome responsibility Jesus has given us - to carry on what He started
thousands of years ago.
When you study the life of Jesus, you’ll discover that investing in the lives of
those disciples was an important part of His ministry. He devoted three years of His life,
spending time to talk and reason with them, using
parables and real-world teaching moments to train
them in the way they
should go.
So as we go
through this material,
let’s discover the reality
of what Jesus did while
He was here in the flesh
and what He wants us -
His followers - to be doing
until He comes back.