Evangelism, the 'going forth,' is another fifth. The other three fifths of the command has to do with a passing on of a counter-culture. Jesus sends his disciples into the world to rescue the world through initiation into a new culture, a remedial culture to the deadly ways of the world, a culture of life2. Even if growth in holiness and wholeness cannot be measured and is never complete, it cannot be said to be invisible or totally absent. Grace is not without its effect.
Baptism is the moment of initiation into a whole culture and way of life.
It is not a coincidence that before the disciples were called Christians they were known as the people of the Way. If constant television, aggressive drivers, and the barrage of bad news can have a detrimental effect on the human spirit, then the singing of psalms, hymns, and sacred songs can likewise lift and heal the person. The Christian culture is distinctive and it is peculiar. With the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ at its centre, constantly generating an ambiance of vitality and gentle mercies, the baptized are to be people of a way, a clear and present way of living. Here is the weakness in the configuration of the church today.