Releasing the People of God Building of a Movement Releasing the People of God

Church is NOT what we do IN CHURCH

Church is what the People of God DO IN THE WORLD

The MISSING FACTOR in Modern Doctrine of the Church ?

SENDING

(Galatians 4:4) “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son" GOD IS A SENDING GOD (Galatians 4:4) “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son"

JESUS OFTEN TALKS ABOUT THE ONE WHO SENT HIM Jesus knows that he is sent – he is very clear on being sent

(Luke 4:18) ""The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed"

(John 4:34) ""My food," said Jesus "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."

(John 5:30) "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."

This is a very important concept – He is the Messiah JESUS IS THE SENT ONE This is a very important concept – He is the Messiah

7 times Jesus talked about “sent” JOHN 17 7 times Jesus talked about “sent”

(John 17:3) "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

(John 17:8) "For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me."

(John 17:18) "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."

JESUS TRAIN PEOPLE IN ORDER TO SEND (Mark 3:14) “He appointed twelve – designating them apostles – that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach"

Jesus “discipled” in order to SEND We “disciple” in order to KEEP

In His training, Jesus SENT people out He sent out the 12 He sent out the 72

Jesus tells his disciples to pray for more people to be sent out “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field”

At the end of His Mission on Earth, Jesus said (John 20:21) "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.""

The Church was birthed with SENDING Sending was a key part of the NT church

We all believe in sending but we do not have sending in our DNA It is not a part of our essence of the church

Mega-churches tend not to send – they want to keep the people in order to be more mega

To finish the Great Commission, it must be small churches and ordinary leaders!

However, Small Churches do not send

In order to send, you must train Most pastors do not know how to train their people

Sending should be the basic DNA of the church

When we send people out, they GROW UP

If we do not send then we are gathering; telling people to come rather than to go. Jesus said “Go!”

Sending helps this process A person’s growth has a progression – from following leaders - to becoming a leader Sending helps this process

At the height of worship – there should be a sending ceremony Isaiah 6 At the height of worship – there should be a sending ceremony

Multiplication is not a biblical term Sending is a clear Biblical term

Send!