Great Commission, Great Compassion: Following Jesus and Loving the World

by Paul Borthwick, Paul Borthwick

Go and do. Jesus commands it, and the world needs it. Word and deed go together. One without the other is not enough. We follow Jesus into all the world, and we follow his example in all we do. Mission mobilizer Paul Borthwick shows how proclamation and demonstration of the gospel go hand in hand. God gives us the Great Commission, Matthew 28's call to go wherever Jesus sends us, making disciples and proclaiming good news to all nations. And we become people of his Great Compassion, Matthew 25's vision for treating others as we would treat Jesus himself, caring for the needy and living justly. Borthwick offers practical ways for us to live out the Great Commission and Great Compassion in every sphere of our lives. Holistic discipleship means learning and looking, praying and giving, welcoming the stranger, simplifying our lives and standing with and for others on God's behalf. Small steps can make a big difference in the mission of God. Will you answer the call?

208 pages, Paperback

First published December 6, 2015

About the author

Paul Borthwick is senior consultant for Development Associates International and teaches global Christianity at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), a Master's of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry in Cross-Cultural Studies, also from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. In addition to his numerous books, Paul’s articles on the topics of youth, missions, and discipleship have appeared in such Christian publications as Decision, REV, Leadership Journal, Evangelical Missions Quarterly and GROUP. He contributes often to Discipleship Journal. Through his speaking, writing and resource ministry, Borthwick works to mobilize others to participate in world missions. Borthwick is an active speaker and teacher, having taught courses at Gordon College, Africa International University (Nairobi), Alliance Theological Seminary (Manila) and Lanka Bible College (Sri Lanka), plus a guest faculty position at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Previously he served for more than twenty years on the staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts, first as youth pastor and then as minister of missions. Borthwick is the author of Western Christians in Global Missions, How to Be a World-Class Christian, Six Dangerous Questions to Transform Your View of the World, A Mind for Missions, and other books and Bible studies. He and his wife Christie have been married since 1979 and they live in Lexington, Massachusetts, when not traveling internationally.

Reviews

[Katie Kirschenmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense, challenging, convicting, inspiring and makes a lot of good points. We need to be in it for God's glory and go the places that are the hardest and the darkest. That's where God's light shines the brightest. And Jesus is truly King of kings and Lord of lords. Trust Him, He is in control and able to still any wave of doubt. World missions is all out war but thank God Jesus has triumphed and in Him, we too, are victorious!

[Steven radford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Defining what it means to be Christian

This was a great review of what we as Christians are tasked with from a world view. Very inspirational read. I would recommend this book to all those dedicated to a life of discipleship.

[Anthony Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I found this book a decade ago. It is essential really 200 or so pages of practical, every day application of life as a great commission worker in your own life, wherever you are. Recommended for every Christian.

[Alli Ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are part of a ministry or at all consider yourself to be a person of faith, go read this book right now if you haven't .

[Anna Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great practical look at being a part of the Global church!

[Patrick Shuman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing new necessarily but a great, condensed resource for how to live at a Christian

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read a book by Paul Borthwick, but nineteen years ago I promised I would. I was at Urbana, a large Christian missions conference hosted by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship every three years or so. A man stood outside the auditorium giving out copies of Six Dangerous Questions to Transform Your View of the World. He gave me a free copy of the book on condition that I would read it. A voracious reader even then I promised I would, but on my flight out of Illinois, my book bag lay open under my seat spewing its contents across the floor of the plane. I got home without the book (and I lost several others as well). I did skim the book's contents in my local Christian bookstore, but I never really read it.

9780830844371Dear anonymous IVCF staff member, I just made good on my promise to read a Borthwick book, albeit a different one. Great Commission, Great Compassion is Borthwick's new book and it is . . .great. Borthwick teaches at Gordon College and is an author and consultant who has written on Christian mission and worldview. Great Commission, Great Compassion explores how we in the church are called to go and do--to both share the good news of the gospel and to care for the hurting, the wounded and marginalized. Too often books about mission vacillate between the poles of gospel proclamation and active service. Borthwick helps us pursue both these aspects of Christ's mission.

Borthwick's book divides into two parts. Part one examines the biblical foundations for living out the gospel and making disciples. Chapters two through four look at Jesus' Great Commission through the lens of five sending passages: Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24: 45-49, Acts 1:8 and John 20:21-23. From these passages Borthwick demonstrates that we are sent by the Christ who has all authority, and we are sent with the asurance of God's power through the Holy Spirit's presence with us (51). In chapters five and six, Borthwick challenges us to live into the the Matthew 25 imperatives as we feed the hungry, slake the thirst of thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the prisoners. He challenges us to memorize 1 John 3:16-18, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (68). With this as the test of our devotion, that we love with both words and speech, and action and truth.

Part two explores 'lifestyle imperatives' for living out this great commission and compassion. Borthwick challenges us to commit to Kingdom Mission in our personal choices, develop an ongoing posture for learning and discovering on how to serve and share well, cultivate eyes to see needs and opportunities, pray for the world, welcome strangers (i.e. reconciliation, response to immigrants and LGBT community), live simply and generously, pursue justice and mission within community, and get out of our comfort zones. Additionally, an appendix describes "One Hundred Ideas for Great Commission, Great Compassion Outreach" (193-198).

I really enjoyed this book. Borthwick combines a close reading of the New Testament call to go and do with personal stories of outreach and mission. He also has lots of suggestions for living out this kind of witness. But don't let the breadth of this book scare you. I appreciated Borthwick's practical insights and thoughtful approach. I found this book inspiring with lots of ways to dig in and live deeper into a lifestyle of witness and service. It makes me wish I read that Borthwick book years ago. Sorry again, InterVarsity guy.

I recommend this book for personal reading, but I think it will be particularly fruitful for book study or church small group which dreams of pursuing a more active and embodied witness. There is no 'discussion guide' in the back of the book, but attention to each chapter would like spark conversation. There is a lot of good stuff here. Five Stars:★★★★★

Note: I received this book from InterVarsity Press in exchange for my honest review.

[Pastor2112 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borthwick has provided a helpful resource to call the church to commitment to Christ's mission of compassionate service to world. He exposes our "affluence of choice" in North America - the poor do not have such a luxury - and invites us to commitment to Christ's work. The New Testament calls believers servants, workers, laborers, stewards, and ambassadors. He exhorts us to "compassion permanence" - not quickly forgetting the work we are called to do when emotions run dry. Finally, he invites us to give sacrificially. He writes, "if our economic standard of living is no different than our nonreligious neighbors, we’re not being generous enough." This is a great book to remind us of the church's high calling. I close my brief review with a simply daily prayer Borthwick offers: "In response to all that you have done for us, Lord, may the commission that Jesus gave us send us into the world today, and may the compassion that Jesus demonstrated shape the way we see and treat the people we meet."

[Karl Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Commission, Great Compassion is an excellent book that combines theological insights, personal stories and practical applications in an easy to read, engaging manner on the issue of integral mission. I have been involved in integral mission/wholistic ministry for more than 15 years, and found several insights that I will incorporate into my teaching on this issue. I was also challenged personally. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in how we can effectively combine the declaration and demonstration aspects of the Gospel.

[Peg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. It gave me a new perspective on the great commission. Jesus said to go. The author simplified it by saying, as you go. That made it more practical for me. I can move toward the people God puts in my path and I can "be who I am, say what I know and give what I have."- Eric Jones Its really that simple. The author gave a list of ways to get involved in my Jerusalem, my Judea and my Samaria. A great resource.

[Becky Durstenfeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for those who are serious about following Jesus.

[Nathan Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. More practical than theological, but still biblically sound. Included some really helpful suggestions on what it would look like to be kingdom minded.

[Kiana Verhoestra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a good reminder! I feel like I have heard all these things before but I love his take on the Great Commission and being reminded that we can take steps to fulfill that right in our own neighborhood, reaching out to all the nations. We all have a part in fulfilling this great plan God has for the world.