A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Tim Yarbrough

Overview (Part 1) – The Mission of God Mobilizing Your Church to be On Mission

What does the world look like to you? How does God see the world?

“Miniature Earth”

Where is the church today in all of this?

“Me Church”

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Acts 1: Challenge Overview To lead pastors and missions leaders to understand the Acts 1:8 challenge of Jesus is as important for today’s church as it was for the First Century church. For pastors and missions leaders to respond by leading their churches to embrace a more intentional and comprehensive approach to answer Jesus’ call to take the gospel to all the world made in Acts 1:8…

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Jesus’ Acts 1: Challenge “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” - Acts 1:8 (HCSB) The age of the church is ushered by the coming of the Holy Spirit (2:1)

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Jesus’ Acts 1: Challenge Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest" - Matthew 9:37-38 (HCSB) In His earthly ministry, Jesus called His followers to work for the Kingdom!

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Jesus’ Acts 1: Challenge “We must do the works of Him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” - John 9:4-5 (HCSB) The time to fulfill the mission of God is now! One day our work will end!

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Acts 1: Challenge Overview The Acts 1:8 Challenge is an inspirational challenge and opportunity for Southern Baptist churches to declare their commitment to establish an intentional and comprehensive missions strategy in their community (Jerusalem), state (Judea), continent (Samaria) and world (ends of the earth).

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Essence of the Acts 1:8 Paradigm God’s history-long and worldwide mission to redeem the lost peoples of the world is now the Great Commission task of every local church. Regardless of size or location, every local church can be a worldwide mission center. Denominational entities exist to assist local churches in fulfilling their Great Commission responsibility.

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Essence of the Acts 1:8 Paradigm In Jesus’ last words on earth, He gave us a model for both the 1 st century and 21 st century that is comprehensive, and emanates from Spirit-filled and Spirit-led local churches. As each individual and church personalizes Acts 1:8 and identifies its unique mission fields, denominational entities assist to reach the respective mission fields.

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Why Should Your Church Participate? Surprise! It’s based on Scripture! 1) Christians are commanded by Jesus to make disciples of all people groups (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8) Make Disciples - In Matt. 28:19-20, Jesus is saying, “Make followers, students, imitators, emulators of me” Panta ta ethne - Greek for “all nations” or literally, “all the peoples.”

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Why Should Your Church Participate? 2) God has chosen the church to make the gospel known to all people groups (Ephesians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Who is the church? (Let’s say: “I am the church; WE are the church!”) 3) God wants worshippers! (Psalm 86:9-10; Isaiah 48:10-11; Romans 12:1; Revelation 5:9-10). Piper in Let the Nations Be Glad…

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. 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…” - John Piper Let the Nations Be Glad

“Heart of God”

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Why Should Your Church Participate? 4) Making disciples is directly from the two great commandments (Matthew 22:36-40), to: Love God - If we truly love God, we willl want to obey Him, and comply with His desire to make disciples. Love your neighbor - If we truly love our neighbor, we will be concerned for his/her spiritual condition. Why? Sometimes it’s hard to love neighbors!

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Why Should Your Church Participate? And lastly… 5) Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” - Acts 4:12 Jesus said, “I am the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except by me” - John 14:6

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Why Should Your Church Participate? The bottom line… God has Chosen the Church: “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rules and authorities in the heavenly realms” - Ephesians 3:10

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Embracing the Acts 1:8 Challenge While we’re together today, we’ll explore how you can literally transform your church into a worldwide mission center…by embracing Acts 1:8! In Southern Baptist life, we are associating the four fields of the Challenge in accordance with SBC polity…your denominational entities…the local association, state convention, NAMB and IMB.

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Four Fields of the Acts 1:8 Challenge Jerusalem - The city or surrounding community where we live. Your Acts 1:8 partner is your local Baptist Association. Judea - Our region or state. Your Acts 1:8 partner is your State Baptist Convention. Samaria - Our nation or country. Your Acts 1:8 partner is the North America Mission Board. Ends of the Earth - Is the vast reaches of the world where people have not heard of Jesus. Your Acts 1:8 partner is the International Mission Board.

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission One Challenge - Eight Responses Prepare - Elect leaders, make plans Learn - Create mission awareness Pray - Seek God’s direction through prayer Give - Increase financial support Go - Mobilize Christians Tell - Be involved in evangelism Send - Respond to vocational mission service Multiply - Participate in church-planting movements

A Local Church Vision for a Worldwide Mission Embracing the Acts 1:8 Challenge Together, we’ll learn about the eight commitments and how your church can literally make missions a part of its DNA and form strategic partnership with your Acts 1:8 partners! Missions is the Mission of every church! It’s time to get busy! Let’s watch what one church is doing…

Pray, Go, Give – Acts 1:8