Martin Wickens

The Missionary Manifesto, by G. Campbell Morgan, takes a detailed look at the commission given by Christ to believers to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.

Morgan goes into great detail and covers aspects of the commission which have not been brought to my attention before. His book has 6 chapters:

1. The Fourfold Commission
2. The Commission According to Matthew – The Authority of the King
3. The Commission According to Mark – The Evangel of Creation
4. The Commission According to Luke – The Witnesses
5. The Commission According to John – The Remission of Sins
6. The Fourfold Resource and Responsibility

In the accounts of the Great Commission Morgan writes of the church’s Deposit, Debt and Dynamic. The Deposit speaks of what Christ has done or has given to us. The Debt speaks of what the believer owes in light of the deposit. The dynamic explains the ability or opportunity God gives to fulfill our debt.

For example, in Matthew’s account of the commission we see:

• Deposit – The Claim of Christ that He has been given all authority
• Debt – The church’s debt, then, is to go in Christ’s authority and make disciples
• Dynamic – The dynamic is Christ’s promise, “I am with you”

The book closes with this apt summary,

“For the fulfillment of the Lord’s missionary commission we must be loyal to His Kingship, have fellowship in the suffering of His service, depend upon the Spirit of His gift and abide in the full tide of His life.”