The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines "mandate" as "an official order or commission to do something." What we now call "The Great Commission" at the end of Matthew's Gospel is a mandate, not merely a friendly suggestion. While it is true that worship is our central duty, it is impossible to worship God as He deserves without a wholehearted commitment to outreach ministry. Here are a few quotes to help you understand the necessity of including evangelism in the Church's mission to glorify God in everything:
“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't.” (John Piper)
"Before he left them, he gave them that great commission which is still binding upon all his followers, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Charles Spurgeon)
"The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed" (Hudson Taylor)
"Any church that is not seriously involved in helping fulfill the Great Commission has forfeited its biblical right to exist." (Oswald J. Smith)
"Someone asked Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved? It is more a question with me whether we — who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not — can be saved." (Charles Spurgeon)
"The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time" (Carl F. H. Henry)
"Our God of Grace often gives us a second chance, but there is no second chance to harvest a ripe crop." (Kurt von Schleicher)
"Missions is the overflow of our delight in God because missions is the overflow of God's delight in being God." (John Piper)
"To belong to Jesus is to embrace the nations with Him." (John Piper)
"God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshipers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose." (John Piper)
"'Not called!' did you say?
'Not heard the call,' I think you should say.
Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face — whose mercy you have professed to obey — and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world. (William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army)
'Not heard the call,' I think you should say.
Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face — whose mercy you have professed to obey — and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world. (William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army)
"Missions is not the 'ministry of choice' for a few hyperactive Christians in the church. Missions is the purpose of the church." (Unknown)
"It is not in our choice to spread the gospel or not. It is our death if we do not." (Peter Taylor Forsyth)
“Since we do not know who belongs to the number of the predestined and who does not, it befits us so to feel as to wish that all be saved. So it will come about that, whoever we come across, we shall study to make him a sharer of peace.” (John Calvin)
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