Matthew 28:19 (NLT)

"Therefore, go and MAKE DISCIPLES of all the nations, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19 (NLT)
 
Just some questions to consider about this scripture...

First of all, ask ourselves, "Who am I discipling to be a follower of Christ?"  Do we come up with any names?  If not, then how do we change that?

Secondly, who is this scripture intended to instruct?  (Us! The body of Christ.  All Believers. Or at least this is the way that I've always heard it preached from every pulpit making the plea for all to go and preach the good news of Jesus.)

Lastly, has the fact that the practice of baptism being relocated to the "ministry" given us "non-ministers" the sense that it's no longer our responsibility to MAKE and BAPTIZE followers of Christ?

I'm sure someone can offer a worthy theological treatise (I know that's above my skill level) on why the "ministry" alone is allowed to baptize people; and hearing it I might concede with their argument.  But just a simple reading of this text, acting as if I had never read it before , leads me to believe that this is also a part of my responsibility as a follower of Christ.

Maybe the intention of Christ was to raise up licensed ministers to fulfill these duties.  I'm not bemoaning licensing, and I surely can see the chaos that might ensue if every believer was out performing rogue baptisms with no sense of organization or hierarchical structure. The question I ponder though is whether or not the distinction between licensed ministers and the rest of us has sort of mentally relieved us from the duty of making disciples? Have we transferred this responsibility from ourselves to the professionals?  This is just something to consider...

And maybe rogue baptisms would be a good problem for the church to have...  it seems that if this were the case, it would mean that we were out there fulfilling the commission of the referenced text. I think God might forgive us for that...