Day 26: Doctrine Shapes Mission

Scripture Reading:

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘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 the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” – Matthew 28:18–20, LSB

The church’s mission is not man-made. It is given by Christ, grounded in His authority, and carried out through His Word. The Great Commission shows that doctrine shapes mission in three essential ways:

1. Mission flows from Christ’s authority. Jesus begins with, “All authority has been given to Me.” Mission is not optional, nor is it man’s idea—it is commanded by the sovereign Lord. John Calvin noted, “The gospel is not given for private speculation but to be openly proclaimed, that it may bring salvation” (Commentary on Matthew 28:18).

2. Mission centers on making disciples. The command is not merely to go but to make disciples—learners who follow Christ. This involves teaching, which is inherently doctrinal. To make disciples without doctrine is impossible. Doctrine provides the truth that shapes obedience.

3. Mission depends on Christ’s promise. Jesus assures His presence until the end of the age. Doctrine teaches us that mission is God’s work, empowered by Christ and His Spirit. We are not left to accomplish it by our strength.

When the church forgets doctrine, mission drifts into vague activism or humanitarian aid without the gospel. But when doctrine guides mission, the church proclaims salvation in Christ, baptizes believers, and teaches them to obey all He has commanded.

Louis Berkhof wrote, “Missions are not a human enterprise but the execution of God’s plan of salvation through the church” (Systematic Theology, p. 587). Doctrine ensures that mission is not about us but about God’s glory among the nations.

Beloved, mission without doctrine is empty; doctrine without mission is stagnant. Together, they bring life to the church and salvation to the world.

Personal Reflection

1. How does Matthew 28:18–20 show that mission is rooted in doctrine?

2. Why is teaching essential to disciple-making?

3. What dangers arise when the mission is separated from the doctrine?

4. How can your church strengthen its mission by deepening its doctrinal convictions?