Discover the true meaning of repentance in prayer in the Christian faith. Find out how it can bring joy and freedom in your life.

Repentance is the key to connecting with God and finding a life of freedom. Repentance is about realizing that we do not have the strength within ourselves to live a holy life. That we will never be able to obtain that strength through our own means. And that we are all in need of Jesus Christ.

He DOES have that strength to help and He draws nears to us when we ask Him (Psalm 34:18).

You may wonder how we can start praying with an attitude of repentance.

Below is a brief outline that will hopefully help you approach prayer in a way that will change your life.

Ecclesiastes 5 tells us to approach God with few words and rather go before Him to listen than to speak. This is because we need to be aware that His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).

He is infinitely more loving, kinder, and trustworthy than we are.

Hearing what He has to say to us first allows us to receive instruction from the ultimate architect of creation. While God absolutely loves to hear our concerns, we are reminded that it is better to listen for His loving voice. Rather than beginning our prayers with a list of requests and demands, we listen for Him first

A preacher once wisely said that it is not so much each individual sin that we commit that needs to be listed in our prayer, but rather the much wider concept that we are sinful by nature.

In other words, rather than listing each sin committed throughout the last week, we can rather confess to God that our thoughts, actions, and emotions are naturally drawn towards the sinful and that we cry out for His help to be transformed in our thoughts and actions so that we can live more holy lives. Even the greatest missionary of all time struggled with sin (Romans 7:18-25) and cried out to God for help in living a pure life. 

When you think of repentance, you may imagine yourself whipping your back and beating yourself down about how sinful you are.

The good news is that repentance is much, much more joyful than that. Yes, our sin is horrific. Our tendency to do evil is to be despised. But the simple reason why repentance is more joyful than self-loathing is that your attention is on Christ’s perfection and forgiveness, rather than your own shortcomings.

The difference between the agony of loathing yourself and the joy of true repentance is that true repentance keeps your focus on God, not yourself. You are only a point of reference for seeing why God is worthy of our praise. You are not the focal point. Look to Him, and you will experience true joy and freedom!

The reason why focusing on Christ gives us a joyful perspective of repentance is because all of our sins, which come with a penalty of death, have ALREADY been paid for by the horrific death of the perfect, sinless messiah, Jesus Christ. His sacrifice paid for our sins (John 3:16).

The gift of Christ dying for our sins is a free gift. However, like any gift, it needs to be received. We are invited to accept the gift of Christ’s forgiveness, but until we receive it, it does not become part of our story. The key to accepting this gift is our own repentance. It is only by acknowledging our sin that we can see our need for a savior and embrace the gift of His salvation.

With a better understanding of what repentance is and how it applies to us, we can look at how we should pray. Jesus’ disciples asked him directly and he gave them a detailed prayer to use in Luke 11.

An important part of this prayer is the phrase “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”

In order for our repentance to be effective, we need to choose to forgive others that have wronged us. Knowing that everybody has sinned and we are all in need of salvation can help us to forgive others. Forgiving others is not an emotion. We may be struggling with anger, bitterness, or disgust at how someone else has treated us, and choosing to forgive them may not relieve those emotions, at least not immediately, but we still need to make the decision to forgive them.

Speak it. Declare it. Ignore your feelings for a moment and make the choice to forgive, so that you can live in freedom. You forgive so that you can live in freedom, regardless of whether or not the other person accepts the forgiveness offered to them.

When you pray, declare out loud for yourself that you realize you cannot earn God’s glory, you need God’s forgiveness through the death of His son Jesus Christ, and you accept Jesus into your heart. Invite Him to live in your heart forever, so that by His strength you can pursue a life of holiness.

Conclusion

Repentance is traditionally seen as an agonizing self-despising, but it is actually intended to be a joyful experience, where we see our own shortfalls and embrace Christ’s perfection to set us free from our own sin.

When you see repentance in that light, you can eagerly find more things in your life that you can confess to God as stopping you from obtaining His glory, and find joy in the truth that Christ has set you free!

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near to reach least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet, Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. 

We live in a time when many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and practical training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their nations and cultures. 

Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you want a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Read on to discover how to be a powerful ambassador for Jesus and learn how to spread the Gospel effectively!

Ambassadors have a very significant role. They represent the country in a foreign land. While a president may be the head of a nation, meeting with heads of other nations, an ambassador is the representative of that nation in a foreign country. 

The Bible calls us ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). This means that, while He intercedes before the Father for us (Romans 8:34), we represent Him, bringing the kingdom of God to those around us who do not know Him yet. 

When we become Christians, we take on the responsibility of sharing the good news with others. This should be our primary focus and personal joy. As followers of Christ, we ought to be consumed with a zeal for thinking up new ways to share the Gospel.

The central message of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ came to earth to rescue sinners. Our role is to help others find their way to Christ. We cannot lead people to make the right choice; we can only point them in the right direction and, with hearts filled with love for them, try and convince them why Christ is the answer to their deepest hunger and emptiness.

Jesus says that His burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). This means that we don’t need to exhaust ourselves to the point of burnout trying to find the right way to evangelize. Simply reaching out to others, telling them that God loves them and sacrificed everything for them, is a great start. The Bible and involvement in a Spirit-led church and community are also vital as people navigate the nuances of their faith.

Negative experiences with Christians are a significant factor in many people abandoning their faith. When discussing matters of faith, it’s best to do it with an open mind and a kind heart.

If you approach others with kindness and the desire to share your beliefs, you could find that they are more receptive. 

Sharing your beliefs openly and honestly in everyday situations is vital. There’s no need for a manual or blueprint for sharing the Gospel. The question, “Can I talk to you about Jesus?” can be an icebreaker.

Don’t assume anything about someone who avoids conversation with you. You can’t pressure someone to talk to you by raising your voice or trying to force them to.

Establishing credibility with others is essential before they open up to you meaningfully. Your patience will be rewarded.

Preaching to others is where some believers’ true colors start to show. They become “spiritual” and never question anything, worry about anything, or commit sins.

A person with such a high level of spirituality apparently cannot accept that they have a lot to learn about the perspectives of those who are not like themselves.

Sadly, not enough Christians today dare to tell it like it is. Some people are fearful that others will judge them negatively if they tell the truth.

Honesty is generally regarded as admirable. Christians gain more credibility when they stop seeing individuals as numbers or “sinners” and start treating them as whole beings.

As you grow in your own faith, take time to consider how you can share the exciting things you discover with others. A vast majority of Christians have not put enough thought into their faith. If you read the Bible, pray, and learn about Christianity, you’ll realize that you, too, have a lot to say about God and the Good News.

An evangelist’s message should constantly focus on God’s grace and love, which resulted in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Christians need to remember that evangelism is not a one-and-done job. Trust that God will rescue those you care about as you try to convince them that Jesus is the way.

It may be highly satisfying to serve as an ambassador for Jesus and share His Good News with people. Remember that you are a representative of Jesus Christ and His message. Sharing your faith with others, engaging in missionary activity, and living a life that exemplifies Jesus’ teachings are all effective ways to further the spread of the Gospel.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near to reach least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet, Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. 

We live in a time when many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and practical training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their nations and cultures. 

Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Biruk is a church planter in Ethiopia.

His local cluster of churches uses our Global Disciples approach to equip disciple-makers to go out and plant churches among least-reached people. And recently, they added our small business training to give their church planters a means of support and a tool for sharing Jesus Christ.

Biruk finished the business training with a clear vision for reaching people with the Gospel. He started a tailoring business, rented a machine, and [began] sewing for people in his community.

One day, a woman came up whose daughter was possessed by demons.

Biruk prayed for her, and the daughter was delivered by the power of Jesus.

The mother was so grateful, she helped Biruk find a place for his business. A space that he could also use for the new church!

When a local drug addict heard the message of Jesus, he put his faith in Christ. The Lord freed him from his addiction, and he was discipled by Biruk. He’s now a leader in the new church, an outspoken witness for Jesus. And Biruk helped him develop a shoe-cleaning business to support himself.

Biruk thought this was a good start but he had a vision for more.

So, he built a team of disciples to take the Good News of Jesus to other least-reached communities. They planted 4 churches! And before he moved on, Biruk made sure that each new fellowship had a trained leader.

When he took his tailoring business to another community, he set up shop in the market and began sharing the Gospel as he worked.

He met several people who were caught up in witchcraft or possessed by evil spirits. When Biruk prayed for them in the name of Jesus, the demons were expelled, and the Holy Spirit came in power!

In just one day, 70 people put their faith in Jesus!

Biruk has now handed off leadership for this fellowship to another church planter from his small business training…and he’s ready to move to the next community.

He’s a man on a mission—using his small business to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian missions organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

God is moving all over the world.

He’s empowering people in many places, using hundreds of languages, to reach those in need of the life-changing message of the Gospel.

At Global Disciples, we’re privileged to serve those taking the Good News among least-reached people.

Yet, it’s hard work. It comes at a price.

Those taking the light of Jesus Christ into places where spiritual darkness has been firmly entrenched for thousands of years will often do so at a great personal cost.

There is a cost of evangelism. Are you willing to count the cost?

Recently, several program directors in South Asia reflected on the difficulty of sharing the Gospel and the opposition that they face as they seek to equip other followers of Jesus as disciples and church planters.

Pastor D* said, “In my area, there is tension, and conflict with the Buddhists.

Already seven pastors or evangelists have left because it is so difficult. I worry for the new believers who may not know how to stand in their faith.”

Pastor D explained that sometimes the local Buddhist monks would create trouble. When a visiting evangelist came to share the Gospel, he was arrested and put in jail, maybe for up to two years.

Pastor D led an outreach and said, “In the evening, we showed the Jesus film in their language. But some officials came and gave us a hard time, so we didn’t have the freedom to share more. Many village leaders don’t like Christians. From time to time, the officials take us for questioning, and it’s difficult work.”

Another pastor works among a people group that has resisted the Gospel.

He said, “There are many villages where there are no Christians. And if someone becomes a Christian, the local village leaders take all their belongings—everything! So, it’s very hard for them to consider putting their faith in Jesus. Pray for these villages and this people group.”

Reaching the least-reached with the Good News of Jesus is hard work. It comes at a price.

But God has faithful servants around the world who are willing to pay the price, and fulfill His mission, no matter what difficulties they face. Praise God!

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian missions organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Read how God is spreading His message through faithful believers in Chad. Let their courage inspire you today!

A few years ago, God opened the door for Global Disciples to provide training for church clusters in the nation of Chad, in North Africa.

While only about 56 percent of Chadians claim to be Muslim, Islam is the dominant influence in government and trade.

Of the 148 people groups in Chad, nearly two-thirds of them are unreached with the Gospel.

It was exciting to see this door open.

And God has brought multiplication, good local leadership, and opportunities to reach the least-reached. Recently, the training directors for Chad and neighboring Niger got together an Annual Equipping Event and shared their stories.

A director named Pascal talked about the first training program. He said, “We had 14 participants and during the outreach, over 400 people came to faith in Christ, and we planted 6 churches.”

But he found the second year more challenging.

Another 14 participants were registered but only 6 showed up for the training. Pascal says, “This was not ideal but my brothers in the Lord encouraged me to start anyway.” And when it came time for outreach, Pascal said, “The Lord guided us to different areas, and with these six people, we saw 540 people turn to Christ and three churches that were birthed. We baptized many…and it was all because of the transformed lives of these six people!” Praise God!

Bekou also directs a discipleship-mission program. He said, “In our second year, we had thirteen complete the training and we went to the south of Chad for outreach. It was evident that many people were in need of the Word of God. During the outreach, more than 500 people placed their faith in Jesus Christ.”

Bekou said, “We also shared the Gospel with one imam—a local Muslim leader—and he responded by asking us to plant a church in his region! When I witnessed this, I realized this is no time to be shy. We must be full of courage and share the Gospel always!”

Have courage, share the Gospel—that’s true for each of us. And let’s rejoice and pray for God’s continued work in the nation of Chad.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian missions organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

A leader in his large Angolan church, Ezra enjoyed a fulfilling ministry, a home with good schools for his children, and a decent income. With help from Global Disciples, he was also equipped to develop leadership training for local believers.

Ezra studied the leadership material at home too, with his wife and children. During a lesson on leadership and the family, God spoke to Ezra’s heart.

He said, “As we were praying, God told me I couldn’t continue as a leader in a big congregation when souls were perishing in the least-reached place of my nation. God even gave me the name of a village He wanted to send me to!”

He was shocked – this would change everything in his life! He shared this message with his wife….and to his surprise, she agreed!

“I told my relatives too,” Ezra said, “and everyone was against this idea. Why would I leave a good place, a good salary, and take my family off to a place where I don’t know anyone?”

Then he told his church leaders. They released him from his position and while they stayed in fellowship, they would no longer support him financially. It was a test of obedience and commitment, but with his family, Ezra trusted the God who called him and moved to the village God directed him to.

As his family settled into their new surroundings, they started a small fellowship in their home. And as Ezra began sharing the Gospel, God did His work.

One example, of God’s work, was Aldo. He was a drug addict, and part of a gang responsible for killing several people. Influence by drugs, Aldo got into a fight with his own nephew and with a machete in his hand, threatened to cut off his head! Nobody had the courage to step in and stop him.

But as he witnessed this, Ezra started to pray. He boldly went up to Aldo and begged him to drop the machete. Aldo did.

“I went back to Aldo a few days later,” Ezra said, “when he was no longer under the influence of drugs and I shared the Gospel with him. He accepted Christ and was baptized several months ago.”

Many other young people in the community saw God transform Aldo’s life and they also accepted Christ.

The Lord continues to honor Ezra’s obedience. The family fellowship has grown in a church plant with 50 adults and many children as the church continues to share the gospel.

More than half the adults work in local government and they’re people of influence in the community. “We have been there almost two years,” Ezra shared, “and the Lord has done wonderful things!”

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian missions organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Praise and worship are two significant words found in the Bible.

They both refer to our expression of adoration for our God and Father, yet have significant differences.

Understanding these can give you a great opportunity to learn to connect with God, through His Jesus, in a new and exciting way.

In Christian circles, praise and worship typically refer to singing. While singing definitely plays a significant role in expressing praise and worship to God, the meanings are even deeper than merely singing.

Praise refers to lifting God up. It is the joyful recounting of what God has done for us. Praise and Thanksgiving go hand in hand as thank God and offer appreciation for who He is. Praise is the acknowledgment of all the wonderful, righteous deeds of God. He is worthy of praise (Psalm 18:3).

Praise can be presented as an uninhibited, overflowing, joyful, and even boisterous recounting of the goodness of God.

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
…in His mighty heavens.
….for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to [the abundance of] His greatness.
Praise Him with trumpet sound;
…with harp and lyre.
Praise Him with tambourine and dancing;
….with stringed instruments and flute.
Praise Him with resounding cymbals;
….Him with loud cymbals.
Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
– Psalm 150:1-6

Is anyone among you suffering? He must pray. Is anyone joyful? He is to sing praises [to God].
– James 5:13

Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,
And do not forget any of His benefits
– Psalm 103:2

Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our [gracious and majestic] God;
Praise is becoming and appropriate.
– Psalm 147:1

O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us lift up His name together.
– Psalm 34:3

Worship refers to humbling ourselves to God and is costly. We are made to Worship and the question is not whether we are going to Worship or not but rather who are what are we going to worship? Worship is the act of losing yourself in the adoration and admiration of another. To truly worship we need to be in a place of complete submission to the will and word of the Lord. Worship carries a weight of reverence and awe and throughout scripture is often coupled with the act of bowing our heads and kneeling as a physical representation of surrender to who God is and submitting everything in our lives to His authority (Psalm 95:6).

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
Tremble [in submissive wonder] before Him, all the earth.
– Psalm 96:9

Jesus replied to him, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’”
– Luke 4:8

My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.
– Psalm 51:17

Ascribe to the Lord the glory and honor due His name;
Bring an offering [of thanksgiving], and come before Him;
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
– 1 Chronicles 16:29

But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
– John 4:23-24

In daily church life, songs that are more upbeat are typically referred to as praise songs, while quieter, more reflective songs, have come to be called worship songs. This is likely because during faster, louder songs to the Lord, we dance, raise our hands and often look up (similar to how the ancient worshippers did – 2 Samuel 6:14-22).

By contrast, when the music is slower and quieter, we may tend to lower our eyes (even closing them), bow our heads, and kneel. It is rare for a worshipper to dance excitedly during a slower worship song.

It is true that these are not absolute rules. Many worshippers bow their heads, kneel, and deeply reflect on Christ during upbeat songs. Conversely, it is not unheard of for some worshippers to jump, dance, and shout during a slow worship song. Indeed, many worshippers will look up when the music is slow and reflective.

Surely the reason why these two terms are used in this way is that the typical way for believers to behave during faster songs is with an attitude of praise, while the slower melodies bring a sense of worship. Either way, the similarities between these two styles of connecting with God is far more significant than their differences.

Whether we are praising God in our music and lives, or worshipping Him, both praise and worship serves the purpose of drawing us into His presence, helping us to become aware that He is there and how much more significant He is than the problems we currently face in our lives.

Through lifting Him up and lowering ourselves, we are bringing every part of our lives, physical, mental, and emotional, under His authority as we declare with our voices and actions that He deserves all honor and praise as we pour our adoration onto Him.

While praise and worship are both done during singing to Jesus Christ, they should be done with everything we do in life. Far more than simply singing songs, we should make our every action an act of praise and/or worship to God Almighty.

The Bible tells us that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).

Our praise and worship involve us connecting with God.

While we can tend to go about our daily lives, either giving occasional thought to Him or, even worse, no thought to Him at all, living a life of praise and worship helps us to make Him a frequent part of our lives. We may not always succeed at doing this, but deliberately praising and worshipping Him as often as we think of it makes a significant impact on our mission to submit all that we have to Him.

Some simple tips can help us to bring praise and worship into our daily lives. Firstly, we can deliberately take on an attitude of thankfulness in situations that we encounter (Phillippians 4). Choosing to thank God for what we have and what we face leads automatically to praise.

Secondly, talking to Jesus like the real friend He is, not just with please and thank you, but talking to Him about our favourite food, our likes and dislikes, what we would like to do that day, and how exciting the soccer game was, reminds us that He is with us in everything we experience.

Finally, examining ourselves and what we do, asking the very important question, “Does this honor God?” builds a habit of praise and worship. Doing this, and making the necessary changes to make sure every part of our lives does honor him, helps convert our lives into acts of praise and worship.

When Christians talk about praise and worship, they typically mean the fast and slow songs during the church service. However, these songs and how they are sung are only an outward expression of the complete act of worship, which is done inside of us and how we live.

Praise and Worship is an attitude of the heart. It is possible to do all the religious outward motions yet miss the whole point of what praise and worship actual mean.

Giving complete control over to God is the goal, and honoring Him is the path to that goal.

Are you interested in a discipleship-focused, church-planting organization in Canada? Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near to reach least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet, Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time when many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

We often talk about God’s faithfulness in leading, guiding, and providing for the work of mission. And His faithfulness to those he calls to take the Gospel to the least-reached.

These stories build our faith and our trust in Him.

The testimonies of those who reflect God’s faithfulness through their lives and ministry is an encouragement to us all. It’s easy to see they are children of the Father, because they follow His example by being faithful to Him, to His calling, and to His mission.

Those stories can inspire us to be faithful too.

Shaan has one of those testimonies.

He currently directs a discipleship-mission program, launched with the help of Global Disciples, in South Asia. He’s in a setting where followers of Jesus are very much the minority and often face tremendous opposition.

“When I came to faith in Jesus Christ,” Shaan said, “I was the first person in my village to accept Him as my Savior.

But this was unacceptable to my people.

I was physically tortured, and the villagers even threatened to kill me.”

Yet despite these challenges, Shaan remained faithful to the Lord and sought to bring even more people to faith in Jesus.

“Thirteen people came to the Lord from my village,” he said, “And in the neighboring villages. And after this, persecution became even more severe for the church members.”

Even today, living in his community is very difficult. Often the local shops will refuse to let him or his family buy the groceries they need, so it means traveling a long way to another community where they don’t know him and won’t refuse his business.

Shaan sees these obstacles as an opportunity to live in faithfulness.

He’s training others to be faithful disciples who are willing to share the Gospel in whatever the place or circumstances that God will lead them to. And his heart goes out to his own neighbors and community who need to know Jesus who can give them new, abundant, and eternal life.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian missions organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

A few years ago, Kofi was ready to give up.

He is a church leader in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, he found himself discouraged and frustrated with his ministry. He was only seeing limited results.

“I was about to leave all my ministry engagements,” he said.

“And then I came to a Global Disciples Directors training.”

The Lord began to move in Kofi’s heart and mind, changing his attitude and renewing his call to reach others with the Gospel.

Kofi said, “I shared my situation with one of the Global Disciples staff members, and he prayed for me. My life and my attitude changed; I was strengthened to serve the Lord for the rest of my life.”

Kofi returned to his church responsibilities renewed in mind and spirit. And he began a discipleship-mission training program with the help of Global Disciples. As he trains and sends out disciple-makers and church planters, he sees God moving others’ hearts too.

‘This year, 99 people came to salvation in Christ,” Kofi said. “We have baptized 77 of them, with more to come. Since we began, more than 450 people have received Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord. And we have planted 16 new fellowships of believers!”

What joy for Kofi—and for us—to see the change in his life and in the lives of so many others.

On the other side of Ethiopia, Yonas is also seeing God at work. He leads a discipleship- mission training with a focus on reaching a Muslim-dominated region. It’s just the second year of the program—Yonas reported that over two thousand people heard the Gospel of Jesus. He said, “Two hundred and six accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, and 65 of them have been baptized so far.”

He also saw God heal a prominent Muslim, known by many people in that region. This demonstration of God’s power and compassion has opened doors, and as a result, many Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus.

Praise God for touching the hearts of these men and empowering them to equip and send out disciples of Jesus who are multiplying disciples—not only in Ethiopia but around the world.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian missions organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Evangelism should be the lifestyle of every disciple of Jesus.

In truth, compassion toward all human beings is part of our calling and enables us to see the lost through the eyes of Jesus to lead them to Him.

Evangelism is preaching the Gospel and taking care of new believers to lead them into maturity.

We can better understand Evangelism and Compassion and how it relates to the Church and our lives by exploring the following;

The Great Commission is recorded in Matthew 28:18–20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-47, John 20:21, and Acts 1:8. Its great because of its size that covers the entire world; it is great because of the time period given to finish the work—until the end of this earth; it is great in its importance because one’s response to this command will determine that person’s destiny of hell or heaven. It is the most important and urgent message that every human being needs to hear.

Jesus Christ is the one who gives this commission. He introduces Himself as the one who holds the supreme authority. The supremacy of the Lord Jesus is mentioned in Matthew 20:18: “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth.” It is the declaration of the greatest winner. We should be convinced of the power and authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9-11). As His Church, we have received this power (Ephesians 1:18-21); we have to exercise this power and authority in fulfilling this mission (Acts 13:6-12). We travel, preach, teach, and fulfill all of the commands of Jesus with this authority. We are authorized to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Luke 8:1).

Why do we need this authority?  While fulfilling the Great Commission, we are entering Satan’s domain. He is the ruler of this world, the god of this age. The whole world lies in his grasp. We are attempting to snatch souls from him, and we have no power or authority to do so apart from Christ. Satan will not let them go without a fight which, in our own strength, we are utterly incapable of winning. We can’t compete in that arena with fleshly weapons.

The eleven disciples are the initial recipients of this commission. There cannot be the argument that they will be the only people. The work continues until the close of this age. Even after the eleven disciples died, the Gospel did not reach the end of the earth.

The work cannot be done through just eleven people. The book of Acts records that many people who were not the original eleven (like Paul, John Mark, Luke, and Silas) were also part of the work. They were commissioned by the Holy Spirit to do this work.

Today, this commission is handed over to us, but we often need to be assured that it is for us. We must remember that the anointing of the Holy Spirit is an appointment for this mission. We must call this Gospel our Gospel (2 Timothy 2:8). Sometimes it is dangerous to fulfill the commission without this personal conviction (Acts 19:13-16). As mentioned in Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still commissioning each of us to fulfill this task (1 Peter 2:9-10).

This commission is great in size and purpose. We are commissioned to preach to all the nations (the people groups of this earth). No one is to be left without hearing the Gospel. It also covers a time span to the end of this age. The second coming of Jesus is very much connected with the fulfillment of this task (Matthew 24:14).

The task includes preaching to the whole world. Everyone has to hear the Good News of the Lord Jesus and make a decision. We are commanded to baptize the believers in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. This includes teaching the new believers everything that Christ taught us. The goal is to make disciples of all nations. Each and every activity of disciples of Jesus should be a partial fulfillment of this command.

The incarnation of Jesus was to inaugurate His everlasting Kingdom that consists of all peoples who put their trust in Him. The ultimate God wants to see everyone from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue come to worship Him (Revelation 7:9-10). God does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). Even those who do not accept this Gospel will one day declare Jesus as the Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).

“I will be with you . . . even to the end of this age.” Unlike any other human authorities, the unusual promise this Commissioner gave is that He will be with us. We go out with the presence, promise, and power of Jesus. “I will never leave you” is the promise of Jesus (2 Timothy 4:17; Mark 16:20).

Jesus, the Lord of the Harvest, stands with us to guide us, protect us, and strengthen us. He always wants us to be co-laborers with Him (1 Corinthians 3:9). The awareness of the presence of the Lord with us should help us to lead a personal life of integrity and holiness. Constant walking with the Lord Jesus will help us to grow into His likeness (Ephesians 4:15).

What would it cost us? The primary call of Jesus was to come and receive (Matthew 11:28-30). But those who decided to follow Him must make a serious decision (Matthew 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-36; Luke 14:26-27). When we decide to go into all the world, that will involve our whole lives (Luke 10:3).

Jesus is the best example of one who gave His own life for others, and the followers are expected to become martyrs if needed. The fulfillment of the Great Commission would cost everything that the saved ones possess on earth.

The history of the church is filled with stories of those who laid down their lives for the cause of fulfilling this commission. It is worth investing anything and everything that we have for the kingdom of God.  Jim Elliott said, “He is not a fool who gives up all that he cannot keep with him forever to gain something that he can keep with him forever.”

What is the reward? God accepts whatever we respectfully offer to Him. He does this to return it to us as a reward. He wants whatever we do in fulfilling this Great Commission to be rewarded. Jesus promised that even one glass of water given in His name would be recorded and rewarded (Matthew 10:42). The reward is in both this world and in the eternal life to come. Jesus reminds us of many eternal rewards we receive from Him (John 12:25-26; 2 Timothy 2:12). The Bible advises us to consider our great reward (Hebrews 11:26; Hebrews 10:35; Hebrews 12:16). 

Everyone who invests their time, energy, material blessings, influences, and God-given talents for any activity in the kingdom of God will be rewarded. It is not just a salary or a payment but a reward. Somebody once commented that those who fulfill this great commission receive a great (huge) commission!  Those who build God’s kingdom on earth will be part and parcel of this Kingdom. Jesus, the coming King and the Judge of the whole creation, is going to establish His everlasting kingdom. Those who invest in this generation will reign with Him forever. If we love Jesus, we will keep His commandments, especially the Great Commission. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “No eyes have seen, nor ear heard nor mind can imagine what God has prepared for those who love him.” The final Day of Judgment will reveal our reward (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

Even after 2000 years, the Great Commission given by Jesus our Lord is still incomplete. Let us commit our lives to see the fulfillment of the heart cry of Jesus accomplished. Think of Jesus blessing the five loaves of bread and two fish, and His feeding of the five thousand. He calls us and gives us the bread and the fish in our hands. What shall we do? We feed the people in the front rows. Everyone who sits in the front rows receives the food several times. Those who are sitting in the back rows are still waiting. Those who received the living bread, the Gospel, are receiving it again and again while the unreached remain unreached. What will be the feeling of Jesus who blessed and gave the bread to all who are seated?

We need to make disciples and finish the work in our generation.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!