Dear Friends at Arcadia Chinese Baptist Church. I am so looking forward to being with you at your Missions Conference in January.

As I think about my own experience of 30 plus years on the mission field as well as shepherding several Chinese churches in North America, I am fully convinced of the critical importance of the viral aspect of the Great Commission.

The Great Commission isn’t merely a suggestion for the spiritually adventurous; it is a divine mandate for every follower of Christ: to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Yet, within many congregations, this fiery command often settles into a lukewarm routine. We gather, we learn, and we enjoy fellowship, but the intentional, urgent passion for mission—the deep desire to see the Kingdom expand through our daily lives—flickers weakly. Igniting this mission passion requires more than motivational sermons; it demands a return to a specific, catalytic principle of reproduction exemplified in scripture.

The core challenge is a shift from simply adding believers to multiplying disciple-makers. The Apostle Paul outlined this viral strategy succinctly to his disciple, Timothy: “and what you have from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others“(2 Timothy 2:2,
ESV). This verse provides a powerful, four-generation blueprint for sustainable Kingdom growth.

The first step in igniting mission passion is a radical embrace of the “entrustment” model. We must move beyond viewing church attendance as the finish line and instead see it as basic training. Discipleship is not a program; it is a relationship with the expressed goal of replication.

Crucially, this biblical discipleship model transcends mere intellectual ascent. It is not just about learning the “what” of scripture—memorizing facts and understanding doctrine. It is fundamentally about learning and implementing the “how “of ministry and evangelism. Paul didn’t just teach Timothy theology; he modeled ministry. He showed Timothy how to suffer well, how to confront error, and how to effectively preach the Gospel in challenging environments. True discipleship involves apprenticeship—learning by watching, doing, failing, and trying again, all under the guidance of a spiritual mentor.

This creates a spiritual chain reaction. The mission is not just about bringing people to the well; it is about teaching them how to find new wells and equip others to do the same. When a congregation adopts this mindset, the mission field is no longer a distant, exotic place, but the person in the next cubicle, the neighbor across the street, and the family member at the dinner table. Every interaction becomes a potential training ground for a future missionary.

To ignite passion, we must challenge believers to look beyond personal spiritual comfort and embrace spiritual parenthood. Are we merely consuming faith, or are we producing legacy? The most passionate Christians are often those actively investing in someone else’s spiritual journey, teaching both the “what” and the “how”, seeing firsthand the miracle of transformation and replication.

Ultimately, igniting mission passion means demanding more of ourselves and our communities. It requires reliable people entrusting reliable truths and practical methods to new reliable people. It’s a vision for a church that doesn’t just fill seats, but empties itself into the world, creating a multiplying movement that will span generations until the mission is complete. Let us stop merely attending church and start becoming the viral force that expands His Kingdom, one reproducing, actively ministering, disciple at a time.

All glory to King Jesus!
Pastor Eric Kuykendall