Is Jesus’ message that Christians should “go and make disciples” a calling or a mandate?

The Great Disconnect: Reclaiming the Heart of the Great Commission in Your Church, Barna’s newest study conducted in partnership with Mission India, reveals misconceptions and inconsistencies in how U.S. churches perceive and approach missionary work. This article zooms in on Christians’ and pastors’ beliefs about who bears responsibility for the Great Commission and how it should be carried out.

85% of Pastors View Missions as a Biblical Mandate Matthew 28:18–20 is one of the biblical records of what is commonly referred to extra-biblically as “the Great Commission.” It has been cited as a driving force for evangelism or missions work. In it, we read, “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” In recent years, Barna has learned that churchgoers lack awareness of this passage—a trend that holds steady in The Great Disconnectresearch, with 53 percent of practicing Christians having heard of the Great Commission.

Further, new Barna data reveal Christians may find exceptions in Jesus’ parting command; they tend to believe missions is a calling for some (51%), not a mandate for all (25%). On the other hand, the vast majority of pastors (85%)—regardless of denomination—says missions is work that all Christians participate in. This is a profound difference, with pastors nearly doubling practicing Christians and more than tripling Christians in general with their agreement that missions is a mandate for every Christian.

Both leaders and churchgoers must unpack why this gap exists. Pastors  could lean in to better understand and shape how  congregants interpret missions. Does their participation mean donating money, praying, educating, evangelizing, relocating or something else?