Matthew 28: 18 - 20.
All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
This was spoken by Jesus just before He was to ascend into Heaven. Jesus is charging His Disciples to go and spread the Gospel (Good News), that they have learned during Jesus 3.1/2 years of earthly ministry. The charge is clear, make disciples of them, baptizing them. I want to look at this part of the passage first. It seems our churches got this backward. Jesus calls His disciples to make disciples first, and then to baptize them. Jesus spent three and a half years living, and teaching, healing, and performing miracles with His disciples, before He told them to go out and do the same. I believe the Church is too quick to baptize now days. People are allowed to be baptized before they have any kind of instruction. Before you take offense at what I just said, look at the context of this passage. Jesus talked to them for 3.1/2 years, before He commanded them to go out and do. Maybe this is why burn out of new believer's is so wide spread. Witnessing is a hard job, and you must be well equipt. Just praying over them and having one or two lessons before sending them out is not good enough. I am running out of space again, continued next post.
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