From an OPC Perspective: The Great Commision and the Great Omission

From an OPC Perspective:

The Great Commission and the Great Omission

In the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20) is viewed through a strictly Reformed and covenantal lens. Rather than seeing it as a call for individualistic "decision-making" or emotional appeals, the OPC emphasizes the corporate responsibility of the visible church to make mature, lifelong disciples. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

1. Goal: Making Disciples, Not Just Converts [1, 2]

The OPC distinguishes between "evangelism" (initial proclamation) and the "Great Commission" (the whole process of discipleship). [1]

• The Main Verb: They emphasize that the primary command in the Greek text is to "make disciples".
• Definition of a Disciple: A disciple is a "learner" who is committed to a lifetime of obedience and growth in holiness, rather than someone who merely "makes a decision for Jesus".
• Goal: The ultimate end is the glory of God, with the salvation of sinners serving as a means to that end. [1, 2, 3]

2. The Central Role of the Visible Church

A distinctive OPC perspective is that the Great Commission was given to the visible, institutional church and its officers, not to individuals or parachurch organizations acting independently. [1, 2]

• Church Membership: Fulfilling the commission requires bringing people into the membership of a local church through baptism.
• Ecclesiastical Authority: The authority to baptize and teach belongs to the church. If disciples are not being added to the church, the OPC argues the Great Commission is not being fully carried out.
• Ordained Officers: While all members participate through prayer and support, the formal work of "teaching" and "baptizing" is primarily the responsibility of ordained ministers. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

3. The "Means of Grace"

The OPC believes the commission is fulfilled through the "ordinary means of grace" provided by Christ. [1]

• Word and Sacrament: Disciples are made specifically through the preaching of the Word and the administration of Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
• Teaching the "Whole Counsel": Discipleship involves teaching converts to observe everything Christ commanded, which the OPC fulfills through rigorous Christian education and catechesis. [1, 2, 3, 4]

4. Covenantal and Redemptive-Historical Focus [1]

The OPC's approach is deeply rooted in Covenant Theology. [1, 2]

• Covenant Children: Discipleship begins at home and in the church with "covenant children," treating them as members of the community of faith who must be trained in the Reformed faith.
• Great Commission Publications (GCP): To fulfill this globally, the OPC partners with the PCA through Great Commission Publications to produce curriculum that emphasizes the sovereignty of God and the centrality of Christ in the story of salvation. [1, 2, 3]

5. Foreign Missions Strategy

Reflecting its founding history (born out of a missions controversy), the OPC focuses on planting indigenous churches. [1, 2]

• Church Planting: The goal is not just social work or humanitarian aid but the establishment of self-governing, self-supporting Reformed churches.
• Ministerial Support: Unlike some denominations, the OPC typically funds its missionaries directly through its committees rather than requiring individual "fundraising," viewing the missionary as a sent officer of the whole church. [1, 2]

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In the context of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), "The Great Omission" refers to the failure of the church and its members to fully embrace the Great Commission—specifically the mandate to "make disciples" rather than just converts. [1]

While the term was popularized by author Dallas Willard in his book The Great Omission, it has been specifically discussed within the OPC through its denominational publications, such as New Horizons. [1, 2]

Key Elements of the OPC Perspective

The OPC’s engagement with this concept typically emphasizes the following:

• Disciple-Making vs. Church Membership: A primary concern is that churches often prioritize bringing people into a building and "properly Christianizing" them through membership, rather than fostering a community of learners who actively practice Jesus' teachings.
• The Responsibility of Ministers: According to articles in Modern Reformation (frequently read within OPC circles), the "Great Omission" occurs when ordained ministers fail to see the Great Commission as their personal responsibility. It happens when the God-ordained means of grace (preaching, baptism, and teaching) are no longer the priority in kingdom advancement.
• Sins of Omission: Within the OPC, failing to join a visible church is sometimes framed as a "sin of omission" because it prevents believers from obeying biblical commands like celebrating the Lord's Supper or submitting to oversight, which are essential to true discipleship.
• Confessional Integrity: The OPC view often ties discipleship to its confessional standards. There is a warning against "historical drift" that substitutes Christ's plan for simply making converts to a particular "faith and practice" without the subsequent life transformation. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Comparison of Perspectives

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Within the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) and broader Reformed circles, "The Great Omission" refers to the failure to prioritize the Ordinary Means of Grace—Word, Sacraments, and Prayer—as the primary, God-ordained method for advancing the Great Commission. [1]

From this perspective, "conquering" this omission requires a return to biblical, confessionally grounded ministry rather than relying on modern pragmatic techniques or purely intellectual training. [1, 2]

Defining the "Great Omission"

The term was popularized by Dallas Willard to describe a lack of actual discipleship—training people to actually do what Jesus commanded—leaving them with only "nominal Christianity". However, in an OPC context, the "omission" is often viewed more specifically through these lenses: [1, 2]

• Neglect of the Ordinary Means: When churches focus on "marketing" or "programs" over the preaching of the Word and the administration of Sacraments, they omit the very tools Christ provided for growth.
• Missionary-Pastors vs. Facilitators: The shift toward pastors acting as CEO-style managers rather than spiritual shepherds who prioritize the Word and prayer is seen as a major failure.
• Imbalance of Individual Duty: Some OPC theologians, like T. David Gordon, argue that the Great Commission is often misapplied to individuals in a way that neglects the specific role of the ordained church in corporate evangelism. [1, 2]

Strategies for "Conquering" the Omission

To reclaim the Great Commission, the OPC emphasizes a "confessional" and "ordinary" approach:

The Goal of Success

The OPC perspective maintains that "success" in conquering this omission is not measured by explosive numerical growth, but by faithfulness. This involves taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and trusting God for the outcome. [1, 2]

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