Don’t Forget the Great Commission When You Counsel
November 10, 2026
November 10, 2026
Abstract: Nick Gardner reminds pastors of the usefulness of the Great Commission when they counsel church members. Jesus gave the church the task of making disciples, which involves applying his teaching to the sin and suffering of his people. In the midst of trials, disciples of Jesus need to be reminded that their Lord and Savior has all authority in the universe and promises to be with them to the end of the age.
John walked into my office again. His head was hanging low. He felt lonely and betrayed by his friends again. Susan was in my office talking about how her boss, a church member, was not easy to work with. David and Joanna were grieving as their wayward child was making poor choices.
What do all of these have in common? These are Christians who are suffering and need help. They have been let down, they have been hurt, and they need the Great Commission.
The Great Commission? That’s right. Pastor, when you sit across from someone who is suffering from their own sin, from the sin of someone else, or from living in a fallen world, don’t forget the Great Commission. In Matthew 28:18–20, we read,
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Remember that the disciples were not exactly brimming with confidence around the time that Jesus spoke these words to them. They had just been:
The Great Commission, then, is for fearful, doubting, weak, disbelieving disciples, who need to be reminded of Jesus’s power and authority. Here are four reasons to remember these parting words from Jesus as you counsel members of your church through suffering and sin.
Echoing Daniel 7:13–14, Jesus makes the startling claim that the entire cosmos belongs to him and is subject to his governing power. This includes the suffering and sin of his people. And this sovereignty comes from his victory over sin and death, for he is the one who healed diseases, hurled out demons, humbled boastful men, and humiliated death. Jesus’s sovereignty is good news because of how he earned it: through his perfect obedience, substitutionary death, and triumphant resurrection. This is the truth you hold out to suffering saints: Christ is ruling and will subdue all their enemies.
The authority of Jesus over heaven and earth also includes his authorization of you as a pastor to care for his sheep. As Harold Senkbeil notes, “We have no authorization to do ministry apart from our Lord Jesus. That means we care for the souls entrusted to us according to his express purpose and will.”11 .Harold Senkbeil, The Care of Souls: How to Cultivate a Pastor’s Heart (Lexham Press, 2019), 98.
But Jesus isn’t only sovereign over your life; he is sovereign over everything. Suffering has the power to shrink our world from being God’s grand theater of redemption to being more like our walk-in closet of personal suffering. The Great Commission helps us remember that our suffering is not ultimate or all-powerful, as it serves God’s greater purposes in the world. So, pastor, present this bigger picture of God’s supreme authority in your counseling.
Biblical counseling is about growth and maturity as a disciple of Christ. Whether someone is struggling with a miscarriage or a besetting sin, the goal is for them to “remain steadfast under trial” (Jas. 1:12) in order that they may one day “see God” (Matt. 5:8). The Great Commission reminds us that every pastoral interaction is an opportunity to stir up others to faithfulness to Jesus, no matter the circumstance. So, brothers, make every effort to build up the body of Christ, especially in your counseling.
Jesus instructs his doubting and wavering and fearful disciples to “teach [others] to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20), so we should follow suit. Wise application of the teaching of Scripture is balm for the soul and the primary means of Christian growth (Eph. 4:15). The Great Commission is not only concerned with what happens on the mission field or in the pulpit, but also with what takes place in the pastor’s study and on the counseling couch.
Jesus assures us, “I am with you always” (Matt. 28:20). The feeling of God’s absence and the misunderstanding of his providences are common ailments among suffering Christians. If we’re honest, most of us have probably questioned God’s favor or love when something goes awry in our lives. The Great Commission reminds us that Jesus will be with us “until the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20), at which point we will be with him. Even now he is present with us by his Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45; Gal. 4:6) and in the gathered assembly (Matt. 18:20; 1 Cor. 5:4). So encourage your people by reminding them of Jesus’s faithful presence amidst their suffering.
And remember, this promise of his presence also applies to you as one who shepherds in his name:
When you console, Christ consoles. You do nothing at your own volition, but you serve the Lord who sends you. You are merely his sheepdog, serving his directive will and extending his work among his beloved sheep and lambs: comforting broken hearts, lifting the unbearable load of their own sins, and soothing their wounds from sins committed against them.22 .Ibid., 134.
Pastor, your people need the truths of the Great Commission as you shepherd them, even as you wait for the Chief Shepherd to appear (1 Pet. 5:4).
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