great commission spirituality: abiding in christ, serving in obscurity

Christ’s Faithfulness for Our Fruitfulness

Amid life’s constant change and uncertainty, the call to serve in the Great Commission can often feel overwhelming and isolating. How can one maintain steadfastness and joy through the pressures and obscurities of such a calling? The answer is found not in the strength of our own efforts but in a deep, transformative truth often overlooked due to its simplicity: life in Christ.

In Great Commission Spirituality, E. D. Burns skillfully unfolds the peace-giving assurance of our union with Christ. This weighty truth provides not only the foundation but also the force behind our endeavors, allowing us to labor with confidence even in barren fields. By emphasizing that Christ lives in and works through us, Burns reassures readers that true fruitfulness in ministry comes from abiding in Christ, who orchestrates our work by his Word and perfect timing. This resource offers a robust theological framework paired with practical applications.

This book encourages any layperson, church leader, or missionary burdened by their vocation and calling to rediscover the joy of serving in reliance on Christ. Whatever your season of life or place of service, may this renew your vision and strengthen your soul with the unchanging truth of Christ’s life within you.

E. D. Burns (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) has been a long-term missionary in the Middle East, East Asia, Alaska, and currently Southeast Asia. He serves on faculty at Asia Biblical Theological Seminary. As a linguist and ordained minister, Burns develops theological resources and trains indigenous pastors and missionaries to the least reached. He is the author of many books, including Karmic Christianity: Finding Peace by Faith Alone.