Teaching Them to Obey All Things:
A View from the Matthean Account of the Great Commission."
In Teaching Them Obedience in All Things: Equipping for the 21st Century.Edgar J. Elliston, ed. Evangelical Missiological Society Series7.Pasadena: William Carey Library,1999:32-66.

The intent of the Great Commission: we are to make disciples of all nations, not make disciples of Christians. What is a “disciple,” how does one become a disciple, and how does this relate to “discipling” and “discipleship”? In the light of the theme—“Teaching them to obey all things”—we need to ask specifically, whom are we teaching to obey what?

“Discipleship” is the on-going process of growth as a disciple. In Jesus’ distinctive form of discipleship, a disciple is always becoming more fully a disciple, which indicates that every disciple is in the process of discipleship. How does that relate to “making disciples”? In most common usage, whether in the Roman or Greek world, a “disciple” was a person who was committed to a significant master. What is a disciple of Jesus? What should we be like as disciples? Who are to be the objects of discipleship? Different answers are given to those questions today.

Prof Dr Michael J. Wilkins is APCOD 2003 Plenary Speaker.

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