When the Great Commission Comes to You

I’m leaving for Japan soon. I won’t see my two-year old daughter for ten days. She doesn’t know what’s coming, but I do. That’s why I’m more purposeful with her before I go: more kisses, holding hands, and snuggles before bed. You already know the last thing I’ll say to her before I go — I love you. Why? Final words are important.  

Did you ever notice how striking the final words of Jesus are, at least in the gospel of Matthew? Yup, it’s the Great Commission. Read Mt.28:18-20 if you don’t know that is. Here’s what should surprise you after reading it though. Jesus’ final words are not about absence — but presence. Nor are they about the past — but the present and the future. Because Jesus vows to be with His disciples as they go out into the world, making disciples in His name, marking them as God’s people with the sign of baptism, and teaching them to practice His cross-bearing lifestyle.

Jesus’ final words are about more than love. They’re about a unique, missional kind of love that goes to you and then through you into the most distant parts of the world. Because Jesus isn’t done until the power of His own resurrection life reunites heaven and earth once again. Just like Jesus taught his disciples to pray during the Sermon on the Mount: May your kingdom come. May your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven (Mt.6:10).

If we’re honest, though, the Christian life often doesn’t feel like it has this momentum. It’s more ordinary than that. It seems like God has slowed down or even halted this global restoration project. Besides, isn’t the Great Commission something that heroic Christians did back then? Isn’t it for other people, who aren’t as young? Aren’t as old? Don’t have demanding jobs? Don’t have a family to provide for? Aren’t burdened by parenting? Aren’t overwhelmed by suffering? The Great Commission might be for bold missionaries but not for me, right?

I think that if we expanded our vision and imagination about the kingdom of God, we would find that God is doing surprising, beautiful, amazing Great Commission-like things through ordinary people all around us.

Here’s an example from my own life.

I’m a Campus Pastor at USC. I meet international students all the time. This year alone I had conversations with students from Turkey, Iran, Armenia, Japan, China, and India to name a few. Many of them were Hindu, Islamic, spiritual-not-religious, or atheist. For some, I was the first Christian person they had ever met. Yet they were all welcomed into the group I’m a pastor of, RUF (Reformed University Fellowship). And those were genuine invitations, because our mission statement at RUF is, “We exist for cynics, skeptics, doubters, and haters.” That’s how we paraphrase the Great Commission within our context at USC.

Here’s the point. The Great Commission was, at first, a literal sending. Now, because of global universities like USC, it’s turned into more of a receiving than a sending. It’s more hospitality, cross-cultural dialogue, and intercultural engagement than classic missions. God sent the first disciples into the world. Now He’s bringing the world to us.

And a lot of them go to USC — for real. Columbia University has the highest concentration of international students. USC has the second. Around 30% of its 21,000 undergraduate students are non-American. That’s more than 6,300 students. That percentage is even higher among its 26,000 graduate students. That means USC alone has at least 15,000 international students.

Do you see what’s happening? God is bringing the world to us. And He’s bringing them to American universities where conversations about faith are expected. For many, it’s the first and only time in their life when talking about religion is not only legal, but normal because of the deescalated academic environment. Can you imagine a more ripe setting for missions?

Here’s the best part about this. God is bringing the world to us. And campus ministries like RUF are finding, discipling, and sending these students back to their homes with Jesus. If it sounds like the Great Commission is closer than you expected — you’re right. And there’s a seat at the table for you at RUF. Because fulfilling the Great Commission always requires 3 kinds of people: pray-ers, givers, and go-ers. Right now, I’m a go-er. And I’m also looking for more pray-ers and givers. If you want to make a difference in this gospel project at USC, it’s the right time to join our RUF team. I’ve just secured a $10,000 matching grant to help fund this mission.

Here’s how you can make a tangible difference. Option #1. If you start a recurring gift of $100/month, the grant will match $1,200, the annual value of that pledge. Option #2. If you give a one-time gift of $1,000,it becomes $2,000 with the grant. That means that every new gift doubles its impact.

Those are just examples. I invite you to consider a giving plan that makes sense for you. Because every gift matters. No gift is too small. And also — no gift is too big. If you want to join Jesus in His missional love to and for the world, you can. You can find the RUF at USC giving page here. You can also follow our journey by subscribing to the RUF at USC newsletter. We send out monthly updates about our work, the students, and specific prayer requests for the ministry. When God brings the world to you through, what will you do to fulfill your role in the Great Commission?

from Ty Gregrory, RUF Campus Minister at USC