To whom is Matthew 28.19 addressed ('Go and make disciples of all nations...')?

[Xenia Rose]

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."



I am trying to understand the Orthodox conceptualization of evangelism. I have been Orthodox for a small number of years now after livng most of my life as a protestant.

I am on a staff of a forum site that is ecumenical. A group of fellow staff people talk often about how all staff should be reaching out to the "nonChristians" to share the gospel with them. I am always a bit uncomfortable when this comes up myself. I believe in sharing my understanding of Christ with others Christian or not, but only if they are interested, not to bully them or push the subject.

I didn't always have this view. I was once trained in weekend seminars how to lead people into the "sinners prayer" or "prayer of salvation" by Baptists or Pentecostals. I know how to evangelize the way these staff are talking about... but I don't want to. It just seems to be to be not part of Orthodoxy.

But I don't know if it is a part of Orthodoxy or not. I might be making an assumption about this.

My Priest and I have discussed this a few times as I struggle with encouraging people to go to a local church but don't push just the Orthodox Church. He understands that I am dealing with protestants who have left the protestant church. He knows I would encourage an Orthodox to go to confession and get back to church in a canonical Orthodox church.

[James H.]

Good question. Thanks Xenia... I shall watch from afar :)

[Herman Blaydoe]

There are many ministries, "evangelism" is but one aspect, and there are many ways to evangelize that do not involve getting into other people's faces. In this instance, our Lord was speaking directly to the Apostles, to whom specific ministries had been assigned.

As the Apostle Paul writes in Corinthians 12:27-35 (NKJV): Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

He then goes on to tell us about the one thing we all certainly DO share: Charity (in some translations, Love in others).

St. Seraphim of Sarov puts it more simply: Attain the Holy Spirit and thousands around you will be saved.

Are we ALL commanded to knock on doors, preach on street corners, or lead people in "sinner's prayers"?

No.

Again, the Apostle Paul simply tells us to be ready at all times to defend the hope that is in you. And of course we are all to practice charity/love; to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the sick, visit the prisoner, welcome the stranger, in whatever capacity God makes available to us.

St. Mary of Egypt, whom the Church holds up as a great example for us all during Great and Holy Lent, did nothing more than go into the desert and repent, she only met ONE PERSON who was already in the Church, and yet her story has echoed down the centuries and touched the lives of countless people, simply by doing nothing more than what St. Seraphim advises.

There are MANY ministries. We all have one or more, but they are not the same, like any body, the Church has many parts, some more prominent than others, but all equally important. Seek God, first and foremost. And as you draw closer to Him, that HOPE that St. Paul talks about will become more evident, and people will, indeed, challenge you to defend it, and ministry happens.

Or so it seems to this bear of little brain.

Your servant,
Herman the Pooh

[John Charmley]

Dear Xenia, Dear Herman,

It is, of course, addressed to each of us, and each of us will do it as we can according to the gifts He has given us and the opportunities that come our way.

A once famous British politician, Enoch Powell, who was also a devout Christian of traditional Anglican bent, was once approached by a street evangelist who asked whether he had been 'saved'. Mr. Powell, in good old-fashioned English fashion attempted to avoid engaging in such a discussion, but, upon being pressed, admitted that he had been 'saved'. When the evangelist asked why, in that case, he was not singing, dancing, praising His Lord and passing the word on to others, Mr. Powell responded: 'because it was such very close run thing that I don't like to boast about it.'

We are all sinners, and if we do what He told us in Matthew 22:37-39
37 Jesus said to him, `You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it: `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'' we shall do what He tells us in John 13:35 - which is probably the best evangelising we can do.

In Christ,

John

[James H.]

thanks pooh :)

That helped me a lot. I don't know if the OP has more questions though.

James

[James H.]

I can see what you're saying in general. However, I don't see how the Matthew verse quoted in the OP applies to everyone. Obviously we aren't all called to baptize unless Oriental Orthodoxy is different in this aspect (but I would bet large amounts of money that it's not different... but I'm not a betting man ;))

James

[Trudy]

Xenia,

For far too many years, more than I can count, I carried guilt because I believed I was not obeying the command you cite in St. Matthew's Gospel 28:19. Never have I been a person who would knock on someone's door with Bible in hand to ask, "Do you know Jesus?" or "Are you saved?" Especially since I am one who surely doesn't know God and question my salvation on a daily basis! Thus why, like many, I am a struggling Orthodox Christian woman! Therefore, how can I ask someone else the question?

My quick retort to those who would push me on the issue would be, "You bring them in and I'll raise them up in the Lord!"

Since coming in to the Orthodox Church almost 3 years ago, I have spoken to my spiritual father about this issue. I asked him if it would be alright to return to my former attitude while a Roman Catholic, that being, my Faith and love for God is a deeply personal and private matter. Thus I pray, fight my passions and inner tortured thoughts and should someone ask me a sincere question, I would be happy to respond as God allowed.

To do more, in my mind, would be a bit arrogant on my part. God knows the sinner that I am.

In Christ,
Athanasia (Trudy)

[M.C. Steenberg]

Never have I been a person who would knock on someone's door with Bible in hand to ask, "Do you know Jesus?" or "Are you saved?"

Good.

INXC, Matthew

[Father David Moser]

It is, of course, addressed to each of us, and each of us will do it as we can according to the gifts He has given us and the opportunities that come our way.

I both disagree and agree with the above. This commandment is addressed, I think, not to each of us, but to all of us. The commandment is addressed to the Church, the Body of Christ, and all who are within her. We are not individually commanded to go to the ends of the earth and preach (which is the error of many protestant groups - my baptist relatives are great examples) but rather the Church of which we are a part is commanded, and thus there are those who are "on the front lines" and those who support and those who come after and build on the foundation laid by the first (harvesting where others have sown) and so on. This then leads to my agreement in that we all act "acroding to the gifts He has given us". Our Lord does not leave us here all alone, but incorporates us into His Body, His Church where we are surrounded by others, where we struggle with everyone else towards the working out of our salvation. Are all eyes or ears or fingers - no - each of us is given a place by God and we work out our salvation for the common good.

Fr David Moser