Education the Last Frontier in Missions

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In this post I like to expand on the subject of education being the last frontier in mission. However, before expound on the matter we need to understand the place of education in Jesus command to his disciples, the Great Commission. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 28:19-20, Jesus gives the following instruction to his disciples; the same command applies to us:

“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 teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of age.” NIV

There are two commands in this passage. The first is to go disciple nations and the second is to teach them to obey, but teach them to obey what? Teach them to obey Jesus’ command of love God and love others. Jesus says in the Gospel of John: “If you love me, keep my commands”, and “my command is this: love each other as I have loved you.” 

Learning is central to discipleship because to be a follower of Jesus, a disciple, one need to learn to obey. Without obedience there is no learning and without learning there is no disciple. The essence of the Gospel is to lean to obey. When you learn to obey you can teach others to obey. Is it possible to teach other obedience without having obedience? Sure it is possible, but the teaching will lack authority, which was the difference between Jesus and the teachers of the law. 

The paradox of our time is: There are more people today that obey Jesus command of love God and love other than in any other time in history, at the same time that there are more people that do not know and do not obey Jesus commands than any other time in history. 

The challenge before us is to disciple, educate, those who believe to obey Jesus commands. Therefore, education is the last frontier in mission because there are countless followers of Jesus who need to learn to obey, who need a mature follower of Jesus to teach them to love God and to love others.

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