The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is a confessional Southern Baptist seminary that endeavors to be a Great Commission seminary. The language of our mission statement explicitly expresses this Great Commission desire:

Under the lordship of Jesus Christ, the mission of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is to be totally committed to the Bible as the Word of God, to the Great Commission as our mandate, and to be a servant of the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention by training, educating, and preparing ministers of the gospel for more faithful service.

Our mission statement prioritizes what Jesus prioritized. Our focus is God’s Word, God’s mission, and God’s church. Much has been written about our commitment at Southern Seminary to the Bible as the Word of God and our role in serving the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention. However, I want to emphasize the Great Commission as our mandate here in this article. The Great Commission is at the heart of the Christian faith and thus must be at the heart of Southern Seminary. Following his resurrection, Jesus gathered his disciples and gave them a commission from a mountaintop in Galilee. This commission changed the course of human history. Jesus commanded his followers to “go . . . and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19 ESV). In the final moments before his ascension, Jesus could have instructed his followers on a variety of matters, but he chose to give the Great Commission task to his disciples. Therefore, the Great Commission was an urgent priority for Jesus and his followers, and it remains an urgent priority for Southern Seminary in the twenty-first century.

The Great Commission as Mandate

The Great Commission is a mandate. It is a directive from Jesus himself and a call to action for every believer. Followers of Jesus are commanded to engage in the Great Commission as they follow Christ in the world. The Great Commission transcends geographical boundaries and cultural barriers. It is a universal call to spread the message of redemption, hope, and salvation to the ends of the earth. The Great Commission is the means by which Christ-followers are able to actively participate in God’s overarching mission of redemption and reconciliation in the world.

At Southern Seminary, we are committed to training and preparing the next generation of pastors, missionaries, and church leaders to engage in Great Commission work here and around the world. The Great Commission reminds us that every follower of Christ has a part and role to play in God’s mission. Every student, faculty member, and staff member in our campus community has been redeemed and reconciled to join God in his mission of redemption in the world. Thus, the Great Commission is a mandate for Southern Seminary and provides clear instruction regarding the primacy and urgency of evangelism, discipleship, and church planting.

The Great Commission — A Mandate for Evangelism

At the core, the Great Commission is a mandate for evangelism. It compels believers to proclaim the gospel message urgently, boldly, and unapologetically. Timothy Beougher, Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth, argues, “Within the word evangelism, we see the word evangel, meaning ‘good news.’ The evangel which lies at the heart of the Christian faith is the good news about who God is and how he has provided reconciliation for sinful humanity. So, evangelism is to announce the euangelion, the good news.”

Therefore, the duty and responsibility of the church is to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, every tribe, and every people. At Southern Seminary, evangelism is a core component of our entire curriculum. Every student is required to take an evangelism course and to learn how to faithfully and effectively share his or her faith. We have groups of students who regularly go out into our city and community to share the gospel message. It is of the utmost importance that all students understand the centrality of evangelism in the Great Commission. Furthermore, evangelism is the starting point for faithful discipleship, which is at the center of the Great Commission.

The Great Commission — A Mandate for Discipleship

Jesus’s final commission to his followers from a mountainside in Galilee contained one imperative command: Go and make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19). Thus, the heart of the Great Commission is the mandate to make disciples of God among all nations. All of God’s people are commanded to make disciples. There are no exceptions to that command and commission. Christianity is not for spectators. All of God’s people have been saved and empowered by the Holy Spirit to make disciples.

Disciples are to teach, demonstrate, and model to new disciples what it means to obey and embody the commands of Christ. Therefore, Southern Seminary labors to train students to study and teach the Scriptures, to grow in personal and spiritual formation, and to be actively engaged in local churches as the primary place where discipleship takes place. Our commitment to discipleship in our curriculum and courses also results in an emphasis on the importance of the church and church planting in the Great Commission task.

The Great Commission — A Mandate for Church Planting

Throughout the New Testament, Paul and the apostles are concerned with planting and establishing local churches. The focus of the Bible is not on building orphanages, providing clean water, or working toward eliminating global hunger. While those are all worthy endeavors and merit the commendation and attention of Christians, the focus throughout the New Testament is on strengthening and establishing local churches in places where Christ is not known or worshiped. The primacy of church planting is most clearly seen through the ministry and missionary journeys of Paul in the book of Acts.

At Southern Seminary, we believe that God’s primary instrument to accomplish the Great Commission is the local church. Local churches have been ordained by God, commissioned by Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to function as salt and light in the world. Therefore, a natural aim of Great Commission work is to see churches planted and established around the world that are biblical, Christ-honoring, and healthy for the glory of God. The mandate of the Great Commission at Southern Seminary inevitably results in an unwavering focus on evangelism, discipleship, and church planting.

The Great Commission — A Mandate for a Great Commission Seminary

Today, there are more than eight billion people in the world. Practically, this means that billions of people are being born, living their entire lives, and dying without ever hearing the good news of Jesus Christ. The realities of lostness and the goodness of the gospel demand a renewed emphasis and focus on the Great Commission today. God is using Southern Seminary to equip a new generation of Christians to love God, love the Bible, and be committed to the Great Commission.

In an increasingly global and urban world, Great Commission training and preparation is essential for any institution that desires to make a truly global and eternal impact. Since 1859, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has been committed to the cause of the Great Commission. One day, King Jesus will return, and those who are united with him in salvation will dwell and reign with him forever. Our mandate as a Great Commission seminary is to faithfully obey the commission of Christ to share the gospel and make disciples of all nations until he returns.