Mt28

The local church is the context for making disciples. To not believe this is to believe that the first disciples didn't understand the great commission!

Clearly, Jesus commanded His disciples to "Go and make disciples." We call this command the Great Commission. We would not know Jesus today if they had not fulfilled that command. But never forget the context in which the disciples believed disciples should be made. Context is critical, if not essential! The context for disciple-making is the local church.

To "make disciples" outside of the local church is like raising children outside of a family! We all know and believe that healthy children are born and raised inside the context of a God-honoring family. It is God's intentional design. The same is true for His spiritual family! Spiritual children are to be raised within the context of God's people…the local church.

To not place a high value on church is to totally misunderstand the Great Commission.