Go and Matchmake Disciples: The New Great Commission
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” —Mathew 28: 19–20
The Great Commission, Jesus’ final words on this Earth, emphasized reaching as many people as possible, making them disciples, and teaching them about the kingdom of Heaven.
But, what if those verses not only include making disciples, but also finding matches for them, as well?
Jesus may be with us always, but single adults still struggle feeling solitude and longing for connection.
A study by the Pew Research Center reports, “Just under half (46%) of Millennials ages 25 to 37 are married, a steep drop from the 83% of Silents who were married in 1968.”
The reasons are many, and dating in general is difficult. In 2020, finding love mid-pandemic has not made this any easier.
Those difficulties are why matchmaking is such an important ministry in 2020, and Dr. Heather Thompson Day has taken that great commission to heart. For years now, she has matched friends and acquaintances. Most recently, she has taken her matchmaking to Twitter.
Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of Communication and Rhetoric at Colorado Christian University. Meeting with me through the ubiquitous Zoom room, she shares her personal experience with matchmaking.
Since childhood, Dr. Heather has enjoyed matchmaking. Exclaiming joyfully that she “loves love,” she’s never stopped her efforts to find both odd and unique ways to help singles find a deeply satisfying relationship. She persists in her efforts despite, on occasion, being told to stop.
“I have always been bold. If there was a total stranger that showed up somewhere, and I realized that was the type of guy my friend would like, I have always been the type of person to walk up to them and ask, ‘Are you single?’
The worst thing that happens is they say no, but if they are interested that makes for a great story.”
When she was in 7th grade at Ruth Murdoch Elementary School in Berrien Springs, Michigan, she created personality profiles, selling the results for a dollar. Although her budding business was promptly shut down by school officials, she continued matchmaking.
Later as an adult, she was again advised to take a different direction with her ministry choices. She recalls her mentor telling her to focus on other parts of her ministry. She saw it differently, however.
She shares, “For me I really do see this as part of ministry. I know how powerful my own partnership has been in my life, and I want that for other people.
I think it’s the same thing as finding God. If I really believe that God is awesome, I am going to tell as many people about that. If I really believe that marriage can be this really beneficial part of your life, why wouldn’t I want that for other people, even strangers?”
Her strongly held belief and practice has yielded many positive results. Although she does not keep a count of how many couples she united, she happily reports that her matchmaking efforts resulted in weddings for two of her friends, one of which she served as the maid of honor.
Dr. Heather’s Great Commission extends beyond her immediate circle of friends, and is now reaching into the Twitter world and her 38,000 plus followers.
To this day, you can find Heather sharing tweets of hopefuls searching for their own love story. The benefit of her efforts was not only for those she helped, but for herself as well.
Dr. Heather sums up that sentiment with these words: “I have now made relationships with people who are single and feel unseen. I think other people often think ‘that’s your problem’ or ‘hope you meet somebody.’ For somebody to care enough to speak into that, has been an unexpected benefit for me, because I now am building new relationships. I’ve benefited from interacting with other human beings, and interacting with their lives, even if for a season.”
To individuals struggling with their singleness, Dr. Heather leaves this advice:
“Look for somebody who makes you better, look for somebody who wants to make you a better person, sometimes it doesn’t always look the way it’s supposed to.”
And, if you’re single and still looking, consider following Dr. Heather on Twitter and sharing your tweet. Your love story may be waiting on her page.
Raquel Mentor is a middle school English teacher. When she’s not teaching, she is a social media manager, working for Christian influencers and organizations.
Photo courtesy of Heather Thompson Day (used with permission).
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