From Genesis to Revelation, God reveals four great callings that define the life of His people. These callings are not optional—they form the biblical backbone of what it means to know God, walk with Him, and participate in His work in the world. Together, they shape who we are, how we live, and what we do as disciples of Jesus Christ. 

1. The Great Commandment

Our Relational Calling — who we are becoming

Scripture: Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:37–40

Jesus taught that the greatest of all God’s commands is love. This calling shapes the inner life of every disciple.

We are called to:

• Love God with all our being

• Love yourself in the love God has loved you

• Love your neighbor as yourself

Jesus said that "all the Law and the Prophets hang on these commands", meaning they define the heart posture behind everything we do.

What this calling shapes:

• Our identity and worth

• The posture of our heart

• How we relate to others

• The motivations behind our obedience

Love is the root and center of discipleship—everything flows from it.

2. The Cultural Mandate

Our Creational Calling — how we steward God’s world

Scripture: Genesis 1:28; 2:15; 9:1–7

Long before the fall, God gave humanity a mission: to cultivate, steward, order, and multiply His goodness in the world.

We are called to:

• Be fruitful — bring forth good

• Multiply — expand goodness

• Fill the earth — extend God’s blessing and reflect His image

• Subdue and steward creation — cultivate potential and shape flourishing communities

• Work and keep — care for what God entrusts to us

This mandate never became obsolete. It is reaffirmed after the flood and expressed throughout Scripture in themes of stewardship, creativity, work, leadership, and civic responsibility.

What this calling shapes:

• Our work and vocation

• Our presence and participation in society

• How we build families, teams, and communities

• How we cultivate environments of life, order, and blessing

• How we lead and steward responsibility

The Cultural Mandate is the forming mandate—disciples help bring God’s order, beauty, and blessing into every sphere of life.

3. The Great Requirement

Our Ethical Calling — how we live out God’s heart in the world

Scripture: Micah 6:8

God summarizes His expectations for His people in three simple but profound commands:

We are called to:

• Do justice — act rightly and protect the vulnerable

• Love mercy — extend compassion, forgiveness, and steadfast kindness

• Walk humbly with God — live surrendered and obedient, with Christ as King

This calling sits at the intersection of character and action, bridging the love of the Great Commandment with the stewardship of the Cultural Mandate.

What this calling shapes:

• Our integrity and compassion

• Our treatment of the poor, wounded, and marginalized

• How we lead with humility

• How we make relational and ethical decisions

The Great Requirement is the character mandate—disciples embody God’s justice, mercy, and humility in daily life.

4. The Great Commission

Our Missional Calling — how we multiply disciples

Scripture: Matthew 28:18–20

Jesus gives His followers a global mandate that renews and expands God’s original purpose for humanity.

We are called to:

• Make disciples of all nations

• Baptize them into the life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

• Teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded

• Go in the authority and presence of Jesus Himself

This calling reframes the Cultural Mandate into a spiritual movement of multiplying people who reflect Christ’s image.

What this calling shapes:

• How we share the gospel

• How we disciple others relationally

• How we train leaders

• How we extend the Kingdom into every place and people

• How we build simple, reproducible patterns of faith and obedience

The Great Commission is the multiplication mandate—disciples make disciples who make disciples.

How the Four Great Callings Fit Together

These four callings are not separate assignments—they form an integrated, whole-life vision for following Jesus:

• The Great Commandment forms the heart of a disciple

• The Cultural Mandate forms the work and stewardship of a disciple

• The Great Requirement forms the character of a disciple

• The Great Commission forms the mission of a disciple

Together they define the core identity and purpose of God’s people:

A disciple knows and loves God deeply, loves others well, stewards life faithfully, walks in justice and humility, and multiplies the life of Jesus in others.

This is the biblical blueprint for a whole-life disciple of Christ.