What does it mean to disciple the nations as commanded by God?

In this video, Jeffrey D. Johnson explains that to disciple nations means going out and spreading the Gospel to people all around the world. It is not about converting civil authorities or redeeming every societal structure. Instead, it is about recognizing that God has a people in every race, tribe, or group. This mandate from God does not require us to seek permission from any earthly authority. It is a call to action and obedience.

Discipling the nations entails more than just evangelizing and converting people. We are called to make disciples, plant churches, and train converts in the ways of God. This involves teaching them the whole counsel of God, and not just the basics of Christian faith. Thus, the task begins with evangelism and progresses to more complex doctrines, always aiming to establish firm believers who can stand strong in their faith.

Matthew 28:19 (NKJV): 'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'

It means going. It means going, sending. It means that God has called to people from all around the world. It doesn't mean that we're trying to convert civil authorities. I'm not saying we don't seek to influence them.

Our goal is not to try to redeem the fallen world in all the societies of the world. It does mean there is a people everywhere. And we don't have to have permission to go. God's given us a demand, mandate to go. And there's no race, tribe, or people group that God doesn't have a people.

And so to make disciples, we're called to go and spread the gospel. And you can't start teaching eschatology and more complicated doctrines, which were called to make disciples and to teach the whole Council of God to the world. So it's not just get them converted and leave, it's really making disciples, just planning churches and training converts in the ways of God and to teach them all that God has commanded. But it begins with evangelism, begins with missions. So we're called to not just to sopile the converted Christians within our churches, we're called to go out and reach the unconverted world through the gospel.