Tag: Mission

The Purpose of Small Groups

Posted on by

The mission of King’s Grant Baptist is to know Christ and make him known, so any program of the church must fit under that mission statement. For small groups to be successful and avoid stagnation, our focus has to be bigger than ourselves. Consider this as the purpose of small groups:

Our Purpose – to Fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20)

  1. The Task – Make Disciples (Matthew 28:19). If we are not developing people into fully devoted followers of Christ, we are definitely not making disciples.
  2. The Process – To Go in Obedience (Matthew 28:19-20). The word process brings with it steps and stages leading to an end. If our task is to make disciples, we need a plan (and Jesus offered one).
    1. Go = we are to Win – (Mark 16:15-16). We are not to huddle together but move out with the marching orders he has given us. Let’s get out there with the people and win them to Christ. We don’t do it alone, but allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in this mission.
    2. Baptize = we are to Build. We cannot birth new believers and leave them to fend care for themselves. The next stage in the process is to build them up so they can feed themselves, learn from the Bible, grow in their faith and imitate Christ.
    3. Teach = we are to Equip. The mission is to be passed on like a baton to the generation behind us. Christianity is only one generation from extinction, so how are we helping believers to carry on the mission; the reason we need to equip the body for the work of service.
  3. The Scope – All Nations (Matthew 28:19). We are to multiply or reproduce. Contrary to the sports arena in Norfolk, the scope is actually our field of vision; who is the target of the Great Commission? To whom shall we go? It’s not just to the ends of the earth, but sometimes to the next cubical, or across the street.
  4. The Recipients – the Disciples, and over 500 Brethren (Matthew 28:16 & 1 Corinthians 15:6). Sometimes we feel like the Great Commission was given to the church at large or maybe to the disciples in particular, but actually Jesus has given it to each of us. It is an insult to our faith if we fail to ask ourselves, “What do you want me to do?” We have the marching orders, we must be obedient to the Lord.
  5. The Fuel – Worship (Matthew 28:17). Balancing worship and missions… which is more important? John Piper has said that missions exists because worship doesn’t. People are giving the glory that God deserves to something else. He is the one to be worshiped. I believe that this verse points out that people will have one of two responses when they see Jesus:
    1. They worshiped him.
    2. Some were doubtful.
  6. The Duration – Until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). No one can say that they have done enough, then sit back and relax. We cannot wait for a new generation to run with the baton, we run together, training and equipping, supporting and encouraging those who will come behind us. Jesus must not find us idol and sitting on the sidelines while the game is on. The song goes, “we will work, til Jesus comes.” Does that describe your passion for the Great Commission?

The purpose of the church found in the Great Commission has been personalized for King’s Grant Baptist Church in the following way.

We exist… “to know Christ and make him known.”
“His Last Command is Our First Concern!”

The Discipleship Method of Jesus

Posted on by

At King’s Grant, I am the Pastor of Discipleship. While not an expert on all matters of discipleship, I have a passion and goal for people to grow in their faith and relationship with Christ. I believe that all followers of Christ need to be FAT (faithful, available and teachable). If we are no longer learning, we fail to be a disciple. The vision of the discipleship ministry is to “move people toward higher levels of commitment to Christ and his church.”

We measure maturity a lot of different ways in our churches. Sometimes it’s measured by church attendance. Other times it’s measured by Bible knowledge. But the biblical evidence of maturity is fruit. (For a great study on what it means to bear fruit, check out the teaching of Bruce Wilkinson’s Secrets of the Vine). In Matthew 7:17-20 Jesus says, “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit, thus by their fruit you will recognize them.” Maturity is all about fruit. I like what Rick Warren has to say about authentic discipleship.

How many times have you heard that “God doesn’t expect us to be successful. He expects us to be faithful.” That’s only half true. The Bible makes it very clear that God expects far more than faithfulness. He also expects fruitfulness. This is taught all throughout the New Testament. Many people will be surprised when they get to heaven and God says, “You didn’t bear any fruit?” Remember, Jesus cursed the fig tree because it didn’t bear fruit (Mark 11:12-14)!

God expects fruitfulness in our lives, and he says it over and over and over again. But how do we help people bear spiritual fruit in their lives? How do we turn them into mature, mission-minded believers who minister to others? I’m not interested in the modern way, the postmodern way, the emergent way, the missional way, the seeker way, the charismatic way, or even the purpose driven way. I’m interested in how Jesus helped people become fruitful.

In Jesus’ prayer in John 17:4 he says, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” He hasn’t gone to the cross yet, so what work has he completed? It’s the finished work of Christ that most churches never understand – making disciples.

How did he finish the task? His prayer in John 17 tells us.

1. He led them to salvation: Jesus prayed, “For you granted him authority over all men that he might give eternal life to all those you have given to him” (John 17:2). This should be obvious. Discipleship begins with evangelism. Of course, we want to disciple people who are already Christians. But remember, Jesus started with lost people. We’ve got to win people to Christ before we can train them. The spiritual birth always precedes spiritual growth.

2. He taught them the Word: Jesus taught his disciples the Word of God. There is no spiritual growth that’s not based on God’s Holy Scripture. In John 17:8 Jesus prays, “For I gave them the words that you gave me and they accepted them.” And in John 17:14 he says, “I have given them your word.” The Word of God is the foundation for all discipleship. Want people to grow spiritually and be fruitful? Get them in the Word every day. Just sitting in church and listening to sermons won’t help people be as fruitful as getting them into the Word for themselves.

3. He prayed for them: To see people grow spiritually, we need to pray for them. Jesus said, “I pray for them. I’m not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours” (John 17:9). We need to pray with them and pray for them. Paul followed this example of Christ as well. In fact, he starts almost every letter in the New Testament he wrote with a prayer for the church.

4. He checked up on them: Jesus says, “While I was with them…” (John 17:12). We can’t disciple somebody that we’re not with. We’ve got to be with people if you want them to grow spiritually. We’re not going to be able to personally check up and mentor everyone, but our church needs a system of coaching, mentoring or discipling. We need small group leaders who will follow up on people. Jesus protected his disciples from false teaching and kept them from backsliding. He guarded them. At the end of his ministry on earth, he says “I haven’t lost a single one of them – except Judas to fulfill Scripture (John 17:12). If we want people to grow, we need some sort of accountability in our ministry.

5. He sent them on mission: Then Jesus says, “As you sent me into the world I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18). Who do we think are the most mature people at our church? Could it be the people who’ve gone overseas on mission. It changes people. When they come back, they’re not thinking about materialism or consumerism anymore. Once people have served around the world, it changes our value system. We care more about people overseas, and we care about people in your own community, too. These short-term missionaries have come back and loved the poor, and get involved in the lives of others. Now that’s maturity.

The goal of discipleship in any church must be ministry and mission. Maturity is never an end in itself. In fact, you can’t be mature until you’re ministering and living on mission. Jesus said “I didn’t come to be served. I came to serve and to give my life as a ransom” (Mark 10:45). The words give and serve define the Christian life. If we want people to be like Christ, teach them to give and serve.

6. He expected reproduction: We know he expected reproduction because in John 17:20 he says, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.” He not only sent the disciples out into the world, but he implied that he’s expecting reproduction. Because they went out, there are nearly two billion people who claim the name of Christ around the world.

7. He focused on character: Jesus didn’t simply expand the knowledge, perspective, skills, or conviction of the disciples. He focused on their character. Spiritual maturity is about character and conduct, not just content. We don’t want to just fill up people’s minds with facts and figures. Paul says, “I want to present every man perfect in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). If people we’re training aren’t more like Jesus after we’ve worked together, we’ve missed the point.

8. He loved them: Jesus said, “You sent me and I have loved them as you have loved me” (John 17:23). This is so typical of Jesus. All that Jesus did for his disciples was in a spirit of love. We must love those we train. If we don’t love them, it doesn’t count. If we don’t have a sincere abiding love for the people in our church, then do you know what discipleship is? It’s manipulation. We’re just manipulating them toward a goal.

Sometimes we forget that Jesus is the best model we have when it comes to ministry. No one in the history of the world discipled people more effectively. Jesus was able to say at the end of his ministry that he had finished his work. I hope we can all say that as well.

Cross-Cultural Values

Posted on by

Cross-cultural is not just experiencing another culture overseas or across town. We also desire to embrace the culture of the cross, which may be described in the following 12 values that all believers should embrace…

Cross-Cultural Values: 1 Peter 2:11

We are essentially aliens and strangers in this present world, so we desire to effectively model and communicate the values and cultural norms of the cross (the culture of the cross) rather than of the world (or American culture).

“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” 1 Corinthians 2:2

[Values guiding my relationship with my God]

1. Savior-centric

Focusing on Jesus in my internal life and my external communication. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the initiator and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame… Hebrews 12:2-3 – Is Jesus the center of my thoughts and conversations? Do I revolve around Him?

2. Submission

Consistently asking the Master what He wants and then simply doing it. “During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” Hebrews 5:7 – Is there anything I am unwilling to do for Him?

3. Sanctification

In his power and for His glory living a life that is “set apart” by His Spirit, according to His character, for His purpose. “it is God’s will that you should be sanctified…” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 – What percentage of my personal life and my ministry are a work of the Spirit?

4. Sacrifice

Continually offering my life to Him as an act of worship. “I urge you brothers in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God” Romans 12:1 – Is my whole life a sacrifice or do I see it as specific, intermittent acts?

[Values guiding my relationship with the world]

5. Supplication

In humility sharing my needs with the Father and trusting Him to take care of me. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 – Are all my finances, family, future, health, and other concerns turned over to Him?

6. Satisfaction

Trusting God’s provision in all situations and learning to want what I have. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13 – Am I satisfied with what He is providing for me and do I want what I have?

7. Self-denial

Choosing at my own initiative that which pleases Him rather than what pleases me. “If any man would come after me, first he must deny himself take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 – What am I intentionally and willingly giving up for Him today?

8. Suffering

Joyfully joining in suffering because I know its redemptive value for others and myself. “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ…” I Peter 4:12-13 – Do I expect to suffer as a Christian? Do I follow Him up to the boundary of suffering and then hold back? Am I upset with Him when I suffer?

[Values guiding my relationship with others]

9. Selfless love

Laying down my life wholly for the benefit of others and expecting nothing in return. “No man has greater love than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 – Do I love when it will not be returned and when it is costly?

10. Sympathy

Allowing my heart and hands to be guided by God’s concern for those in need. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress… If one of you says to him, `Go, I wish you well’, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” James 1:27, 2:16 – Have I become hardened by the overload of needs around me?

11. Saltiness

Developing and sharing a savory (Saviory) flavor in order to influence the stew. “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6 – Is my life salty enough to evoke questions about Him and am I ready to answer?

12. Servant-leadership

Serving others… the motive, the style, and the content of leadership. “the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them… Not so with you.” Matthew 20:25-26 – Am I willing to serve? To be treated as a servant?

[print_link] [email_link]

Vision, Planning and Growth

Posted on by

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word vision refers to “imaginative foresight.” This foresight is absolutely necessary for a leader, both for the group they serve as well as for themselves personally. Without vision, we cannot see the end from the beginning; then we need to make incremental steps toward reaching the desired goal. Otherwise, the best-case scenario involves the leader spinning in circles.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. — Proverbs 16:9

Consider the story of former Atlanta Braves pitcher Pascual Perez. In August of 1982, only a few days after moving to a new home outside of town, he jumped into his car and headed to the stadium for a game he was scheduled to start. While on the freeway, he began looking for something resembling the downtown skyline. Three hours later, he still didn’t see the stadium! It turned out that Perez didn’t know the correct exit to take off of Interstate 285, a circular bypass around Atlanta. As a result, he literally drove in circles around Atlanta, finally getting to the game during the fifth inning. By then, his reputation had been cemented as “I-285” Perez. He never heard the end of it.

Looking forward is a critical aspect of a successful leader. But in order to accomplish this, a person must be determined to carry out what God has planned. I recently read a good question to ask at this point is, “Would I be willing to do this even if I never got paid for it?” Once that is answered, planning is necessary, both in terms of goals and actions, to help make the vision a reality. And since vision is much bigger than just one person, God has to be involved in the process. As the Bible says, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (Proverbs 16:9). Then as God directs and leads, one can effectively put the vision into action, instead of driving around aimlessly.

By way of reminder, the vision of the discipleship ministry at King’s Grant is to “move people toward higher levels of commitment to Christ and His church.” So, what does that involve?

  1. Movement: We cannot remain in the same place; we desire to move away from the status quo toward obedience to God’s call and command.
  2. People: We work with a group of volunteer believers. The old phrase is correct, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” People have their flaws and their own stubborn wills, but leaders know what growth should look like. But motivating others to desire to attain it is quite a challenge.
  3. Higher levels: This means that we seek to be in the position to hear from God, just like Moses went up to the mountain to receive God’s Word. Sort of like the higher he got, the closer he was to God.
  4. Commitment: This refers to the amount of energy and passion we bring to the table. We become what we are committed to, just like in marriage, friendship, teamwork and even our salvation. If we are committed to our salvation, we will actively seeks ways to live it out and bring others into our spiritual journey.
  5. Christ: It is all in vain if we do not exist for Christ, His kingdom and His mission.
  6. Church: We are more than a social club on Sundays; we have purpose, a mission, and a passion to do that which God calls us to do. The body of Christ is the hope of the world; and the church gathered is the keeper of the Great Commission.

So we need to develop a plan to grow in faith. Since we have a vision of what a disciple of Christ should look like, we can dream of how we can get there. This weekend is the Men at the Cross conference (October 30, 2010). By the end of the conference every man will receive the challenge not only to become a disciple of Christ but to disciple other men. A man’s first discipleship group is his own family; what an awesome responsibility, and privilege. Let’s not drive around in circles forever missing the proper exit. Actually, if we just let Christ sit behind the wheel, maybe we will get to where we need sooner rather than later.

[print_link]  [email_link]

Why We Need Small Groups

Posted on by

King’s Grant is all about community, but how can we get to know each other if all we do is attend a corporate worship experience. Face it, there’s not much fellowship happening when all we do is look at the back of someone’s head! Being a part of a small group is perhaps the most beneficial things we can do for our spiritual health. Here is a list of six reasons why we need small groups:

It’s the classroom for learning how to get along in God’s family:

It’s a lab for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love. You learn to care about others and share the experiences of others: “If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honored, all the other parts share its honor” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Only in regular contact with ordinary, imperfect believers can we learn real fellowship and experience the connection God intends for us to have (Ephesians 4:16, Romans 12:4–5, Colossians 2:19, 1 Corinthians 12:25).

REAL fellowship is being as committed to each other as we are to Jesus Christ: “Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16). This is the kind of sacrificial love God expects you to show other believers—loving them in the same way Jesus loves you.

A small group helps me develop spiritual muscle:

You’ll never grow to maturity just by attending worship services and being a passive spectator. One of the main tools of spiritual growth is participation in a small group, where your spiritual muscles get a regular workout. “As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:16).

Over fifty times in the New Testament the phrase “one another” or “each other” is used. We‘re commanded to love each other, pray for each other, encourage each other, admonish each other, greet each other, serve each other, teach each other, accept each other, honor each other, bear each other’s burdens, forgive each other, submit to each other, be devoted to each other, and many other mutual tasks! These are your “family responsibilities” if you claim to be a part of God’s family.

Who are you doing these with? Isolation breeds self-deception. It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking we’re mature if there is no one to challenge us. Real maturity shows up in relationships. We need more than the Bible in order to grow; we need other believers. When others share what God is teaching them, I learn and grow too!

A small group confirms my identity as a genuine believer:

I can’t claim to be following Christ if I’m not committed to any specific group of disciples. Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35). When we come together in love as a small group from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and social status, it’s a witness to the world (Galatians 3:28, John 17:21).

You’re not the Body of Christ on your own. You need others to express that. Together, not separated, we are his Body (1 Corinthians 12:27).

A small group is the best way to take my God-given mission into the world:

When Jesus walked the earth, even he had a small group! Today the church is Christ’s Body on earth. We’re not just to love each other; we’re to take that love together to the rest of the world. We are his hands, his feet, his eyes, and his heart. He works through us in the world “He creates each of us to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing” (Ephesians 2:10).

A small group will help keep me from spiritually backsliding:

None of us are immune to temptation. Given the right situation, you and I are capable of any sin. God knows this, so he has assigned us as individuals the responsibility of keeping each other on track. The Bible says, “Encourage one another daily … so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).

“Mind your own business” is NOT a Christian idea when it comes to helping each other! We’re commanded to be involved in each other’s lives. If you know someone who is wavering spiritually right now, it’s your responsibility to go after them and bring them back into the fellowship. “If you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back” (James 5:19).

Related to this is the benefit that being connected to a small group provides the spiritual protection of godly leaders. God gives shepherd leaders, the responsibility to guard, protect, defend, and care for the spiritual welfare of his flock (Acts 20:28–29; 1 Peter 5:1–4; Hebrews 13:7, 17). “Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God” (Hebrews 13:17).

If you’re detached from the King’s Grant body of believers, we cannot be responsible for you. If you are unplugged from the life of the body and isolated from the fellowship of God’s family, Satan knows you’ll be defenseless and powerless against his tactics.

The Body of Christ needs me!

You have a background and experiences that other people can learn from and draw strength from! God has a unique role for you to play in his family. This is called your “ministry,” and God has gifted you for this assignment. “A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church” (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Your small group is the place God designed for you to discover, develop, and use your spiritual gifts and talents.

* Adapted from the original author, Rick Warren.

Church Growth, Pastors and Evangelism

Posted on by

I just read a Bill Easum article about how to grow a church with less than 500 in worship (this also was sent out through the RASNet.org newsletter). Here is an excerpt:  

You want to know the most important ingredient for growing a small church? It’s a pastor who has one-on-one conversations with non-Christians that leads to their conversion to Christ. I’ve been saying this for decades based on my personal experience as well as my observations of pastors who grow small churches. However, now this insight is backed up by a 2005 study of 700 church plants funded by The Lilly Foundation and the Lutheran Brotherhood titled “New Church Development in the 21st Century.” The study included churches from seven mainline denominations (You can read about the complete findings in the book Extraordinary Leaders in Extraordinary Times).  

The study compares church plants that grow beyond a small church with those that either failed or succeed and then hit a plateau and didn’t grow beyond a small church. Here is the key finding of the study as far as I’m concerned – The more focused the pastor is on evangelism the larger the church becomes.  

 

If you are in a church under 500 in worship the most important thing you can do to grow that church is to practice personal, one-on-one evangelism. In a church this size you can grow the church all by yourself. Just bring in fifty to seventy-five new Christians and/or new members and everything changes. You are the solution, not another program!  

 

I can’t help but believe that thousands of faithful pastors of small struggling churches reading this article have just dropped into depression or into feelings of failure. I know many churches with evangelistic pastors and yet the churches continue to remain small (and the reverse is also true; church growth in spite of the pastor’s efforts). This article caused me to ask a few questions: 

  1. What about the concept of addition vs. multiplication (equipping the saints for the work of ministry by multiplying our efforts and effectiveness)?
  2. What about the role of the congregation in discipling these new believers, (trying to close the back door)?
  3. How welcoming is the congregation to the new believers the pastor has personally won?
  4. What about the pastor who faithfully and regularly shares the gospel yet sees no fruit or growth?
  5. What about the role of the Holy Spirit in bringing people to Christ?
  6. At what point does the pastor admit that it is God who is causing the growth? (perhaps growing to over 500 in worship, when the pastor’s evangelistic efforts have less impact).

It appears this article suggests the lack of church growth is the pastor’s fault, and the converse would also be true, if the church grows it is due to the pastor’s effort… which is something great to talk about at pastors’ conferences.  

 

Kent and Barbara Hughes’ book Liberating Your Ministry From Success Syndrome redefines success as faithfulness, serving, loving, believing, praying, holiness, and attitude (it is a great read).  I believe direct evangelism grows churches, but to make it all about the pastor’s evangleistic activity seems short-sighted.

 

I believe that church growth is more than adding numbers to the roll or notches on a belt; it is about the people of God, on mission with God, making disciples for God, in order to make a difference in the life of the world and the kingdom.

And The Survey Says…

Posted on by

Results of a LifeWay survey of 2000 adults — “Top 10 Issues Facing Today’s Family”

Click on the first phrase to read the desired article.

 

10. Materialism:  “Placing high regard to ownership and consumption as a priority.”
9. Balance of Work and Family: “Pressure to invest energy in work at the expense of family.”
8. Negative Media Influence: “Influx of destructive images and messages into the home.”
7. Lack of Communication: “increasing abbreviation of meaningful family interaction.”
6. Financial Pressures: “Chronic misuse of debt and/or mismanagement of resources.”
5. Lack of Discipline: “The death of respectful behavior as a norm.”
4. Lack of a Father Figure: “The absence of a father in the home or lack of participation.”
3. Busyness: “The participation in numerous activities crowding out quality family fellowship.”
2. Divorce: “The wave of broken marriages and families both within the church and without.”
1. Anti-Christian Culture: “The stripping away of Christian heritage and traditional values.”

[print_link]

Why Bother With Discipleship?

Posted on by

I recently read a great article by Dallas Willard regarding the issue of discipleship. He challenges the modern idea that we can be “vampire Christians” like saying to Jesus… I’d like a little of Your blood, please, for salvation, but I do not care to be your student or to develop Your character. In fact, just let me live my life and I’ll see you in heaven. Willard quotes A. W. Tozer, that salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the sacred Scriptures.

He stresses the importance of becoming an apprentice of Jesus, mainly to avoid the practice of sin, and that it is by spiritual transformation that the “cup becomes clean on the inside” and the “tree will bear good fruit.” This is far from assenting to a list of propositions regarding the Christian faith. Walking with Jesus in discipleship is the only way to exercise a power that is beyond us in dealing with problems and evils that afflict our earthly existence.

He ends the article with this quote:

But, someone will say, can I not be saved–get into heaven when I die–without any of this? Perhaps you can. God’s goodness is so great, I am sure, that He will let you in if He can find any basis at all to do so. But you might wish to think about what your life amounts to before you die, about what kind of person you are becoming, and whether you really would be comfortable for eternity in the presence of one whose company you have not found especially desirable for the few hours and days of earthly existence. And he is, after all, One who says to you now, “Follow me!”

Missions and Worship

Posted on by

I was reminded of a fascinating book by John Piper called, Let the Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions. He begins this intriguing book discussing the relationship between missions and worship, two topics very dear to my heart.  

 

Piper says, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal in missions.” 

He goes on to say that it’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. (Psalm 67:3-4). 

“But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish. (Psalm 104:34; 9:2). Missions begins and ends in worship.”  

Piper concludes his chapter one introduction with, “Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak. Churches that are not centered on the exaltation of the majesty and beauty of God will scarcely kindle a fervent desire to ‘declare his glory among the nations’ (Psalm 96:3). Even outsiders feel the disparity between the boldness of our claim upon the nations and the blandness of our engagement with God.”  

 

I understand his point, but I suppose it is also possible to have little zeal for God in worship and still be a congregation focused on missions, perhaps as a substitute for a dynamic relationship with Jesus. This type of missions may be more helping the less-fortunate than it is bringing the nations and our neighbors to Christ. 

 

In corporate worship, how do we encounter God (how do we even encounter God on a personal level)? Can it be that the modern church in America has settled for a worship service over an authentic worship experience, whereby the congregation is connected with God at the deepest level? When was the last time that you saw God’s people gathered for worship where they were passionate about experiencing God (as opposed to being excited about fellowship with others, love for the music, praise for the preacher, etc.)? If God is truly the audience of our worship, what sort of performance did we put on last Sunday? Was He pleased?

Your Personal Mission Statement

Posted on by

National best-selling author, Laurie Beth Jones, in her book, The Path: creating your mission statement for work and for life, wrote about an incident in WWII where an unidentified soldier suddenly appeared in the dark and could not state his mission… he was automatically shot without question. She wonders what would happen if we reinforce that policy today. 

 

I suppose being confronted with life and death would force us to reexamine who we are and what we are really about. People leading unfulfilled lives would burst forth with possibility and power. Our mission statement is in essence our written-down reason for existing. This is the key to finding your path in life and identifying the mission you choose to follow.  

 

Jesus had a mission statement. “I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) or perhaps, “I have come to seek and to save those who are lost.” (Luke 19:10). So, every activity he understood was a result of that mission statement.  

 

Laurie Beth goes on to give three guidelines in developing a personal mission statement:

  1. It should be no more than a single sentence in length
  2. It must be easily understood by a twelve year old
  3. You should be able to recite it by memory at gunpoint

 

Abraham Lincoln’s mission was to preserve the Union; FDR’s mission was to end the Depression; Nelson Mandela’s mission was to end apartheid; Mother Teresa’s mission was to show mercy and compassion to the dying; Joan of Arc’s mission was to save France; Nehemiah’s mission was to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Forgetting one’s mission leads to getting tangled up in details that will take you completely off your path. 

 

My mission statement? To know Christ and make Him known. It’s not an astounding treatise or even original. But I get my mission statement from Mark 3:14, where Jesus called His disciples to first be with Him, and then He sent them out to preach the gospel.  My challenge to you is to seriously consider why you exist on this planet, or where you live at this time in history. How will you impact eternity for those around you? Focus on your mission so you do not get distracted.