Ask any believer if all Christ followers should obey the Great Commandment—to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself—and the answer will almost certainly be, “Absolutely.”

But when asked if all believers should obey the Great Commission—to make disciples of all nations—the responses become mixed.

“God can’t be calling every Christian to move overseas to be a missionary, right? Then doesn’t that mean that some, if not most, believers are exempt from the Great Commission?”

If your mindset has looked anything like these responses, you’re not alone. Many Christians struggle to see how all believers can participate in the Great Commission.

However, these responses assume that obeying the Great Commission is limited to one path. There are many ways believers can reach the world with the gospel, opening the door for Christ followers to make disciples of all nations.

The Believer’s Role

Everyone who calls on the name of Jesus and places their faith in Him is saved. All believers are adopted into God’s family and have the privilege of being called His children (John 1:12-13). But we have other names, too.

“‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’” -Acts 1:8, emphasis added

Jesus calls His disciples “witnesses.” A witness is someone who has personal knowledge of a fact or event and can testify to its truthfulness.

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” -2 Corinthians 5:20, emphasis added

Paul calls believers “ambassadors.” An ambassador is an official representative or messenger of someone else.

Followers of Jesus are witnesses to the saving work of Jesus and are His ambassadors wherever we go—even to the ends of the Earth. All believers are called to be ready to give a defense (1 Peter 3:15) and proclaim the excellencies of the Lord (1 Peter 2:9). But are all called to be overseas missionaries?

The answer is no.

Consider Paul’s words to the church in Rome.

“But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.” -Romans 15:23-24

Paul hoped to stop in Rome on his way to his next mission field. He did not ask the Roman believers to join him; he wanted them to assist him in his journey. Paul understood his calling to be a missionary, but he did not assume that every individual Christian should be a missionary. Some are called to stay and be faithful where they are.

But notice how Paul’s words do not excuse believers from participating in the Great Commission. Though not everybody traveled with Paul, he asked his brothers and sisters in Christ to assist him in his task, including praying for him and supporting him financially.

The Great Commission is for all believers, whether they go to another nation to share the gospel or stay home and support those who do. Each person’s role is different, but no believer is exempt from this crucial mission. It will take an army of laborers—missionaries, prayer warriors, financial supporters—to accomplish the Great Commission.