Finding My Place

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Finding My Place In Gods Mission
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Session One God is on a Rescue Mission
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Where is the word Missionary in the Bible?
Eph. 411
Luke 613
Gal. 11
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Apostolos
Apostle
Sent out, clothed in the authority of the sender.
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Is everyone a missionary?
Is everyone a Pastor?
Is everyone a Teacher?
Is everyone a witness?
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Who was the first person Jesus sent out?
Mark 5
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Missio Dei
The Mission of God
To save as many as possible before everything
goes up in smoke?
An expanding and self-replicating task, not a
ticking clock for the end times Wright,p.35
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2 Peter 39
Romans 838-39
Romans 1013
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The Rescue Mission
A four-point narrative

• Creation

• Fall

• Redemption

• Future hope

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Why is God on a Mission?
Love
Mt. 2234-40

His love compels us. 2 Co. 514
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Mission The work of God in reconciling
sinful humankind to Himself
Missions The plans of committed believers to
accomplish the mission of God. 2 Corinthians
511-20
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Mission as Sending The source of mission
Mission as Incarnation The mode of mission
Mission as Growth The result of mission
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Mission as Sending
GOD THE FATHER
Luke 321-22, John 316-17 sends CHRIST THE SON
John 2021-22, 2 Cor.
518-20 sends GODS PEOPLE THE CHURCH Mt
2818-20 Sent to THE WORLD The Holy Spirit The
power of Mission (Acts 18)
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The rescue mission of the Church
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Comprehensive Mission

• Be the Body of Christ
• 1 Co.1227
• The great commandment
• Luke 1027
• Preach Good News to the poor
• Luke 417-21 Mt. 2531-46
• (Redemption and Lift)

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Redemption and lift

• Emilio Willems, Anthropologist

• studied effects of Pentecostal movement in South
  America

• Conversion to the evangelical faith is the most
  important single factor in reorientation of
  individuals and family lives and in general
  upward mobility in the urban setting.
• WHY???

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Distinctive Mission
The Great Commission Mt. 2818-20 Panta ta
ethne Making disciples, planting churches
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Pentecost The power and direction of
mission Acts 18, 24
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Functional Varieties of Mission
Acts 18
M 1
M 2
M 3
M 1 Mission to people like us (Jerusalem)
M 2 Mission to people similar but different
(Judea)
M 3 Mission to another culture (Samaria and the
world)
Acts 24
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First Church Mission Cycle Acts 241-47
Group Incorporation (241)
God added to their number (247)
Biblical teaching (242)
Community/prayer/awe (242-43)
Cultural Identification (247)
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Antioch, the model church From Sect to
Church Jerusalem (25000) R.E.50 Mil.
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Acts 1119-30 1225 - 133
19 Now those who were scattered after the
persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as
far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching
the word to no one but the Jews only.
20 And some of them were men from Cyprus and
Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch,
spoke to the Hellenists, (Greeks,Gentiles)pr
eaching the Lord Jesus.
21And the hand of the Lord was with them,
and a great number believed and turned to the
Lord.
22 Then news of these things came to the ears of
the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out
Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
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Acts 1119-30 1221 - 133
23 When he came and had seen the grace of God,
he was glad, and encouraged them all that with
purpose of heart they should continue with the
Lord
24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy
Spirit and of faith. And many people were added
to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek
Saul.
26 And when he had found him, he brought him to
Antioch. And it came to pass that for a whole
year they assembled with the church and taught
many people. And the disciples were first called
Christians in Antioch. (Physa)
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Acts 1119-30 1221 - 133
27 And in these days prophets came from
Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 And one of them, named Agabus, stood up and
showed by the Spirit that there was going to be
a great famine throughout all the world, which
also came to pass in the days of Claudius
Caesar.
29 Then the disciples, each according to his
ability, determined to send relief to the
brethren dwelling in Judea.
30 This they also did, and sent it to the elders
by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
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Acts 1119-30 1221 - 133
1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there
were certain prophets and teachers Barnabas,
Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who had been brought up with Herod
(Antipas)the Tetrach, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted,
the Holy Spirit said, Separate to Me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to which I have called
them.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid
hands on them, they sent them away.
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Acts 15 The first General Assembly From
Legalism to Grace
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How did the church At Antioch and
Jerusalem respond to the culture?
How do we respond?
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The Church and Culture
The Assimilating Church
In the world and of the world
Tries to make itself relevant by taking on the
characteristics of the culture (sometimes
unconsciously).
Or a particular slice of the culture
i.e. Consumer culture
29
The Church and Culture
Protecting Church
Not of the world and not in the world
Tries to hide itself from cultural influence
Fortress mentality
30
Church people are concerned about the world
penetrating the Church, Kingdom people are
concerned about the Church penetrating the
world.
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The Church and Culture
Unchanging Church
Not in the world and oblivious to the world
Holds on to its traditions by
rising above culture
Tradition is the living faith of the
dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of the
living. G.K. Chesterton
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The Church and Culture
Battling Church
In the world and over the world
Tries to save culture as we know it. Feels
threatened by changes in culture. Wants to save
Christian America.
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Influencing Church
In the world but not of the world
Looks at others not as the enemy but as people
who need God.
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Mission as Sending The source of mission
Mission as Incarnation The mode of mission
Mission as Growth The result of mission
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We are invited to Participate in Gods rescue
mission. Mission as Incarnation The mode of
mission
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Mission as Incarnation
The Incarnational Principle
God intends through us to make his grace
available to every person, in every
time-bound,
space-bound,
culture-bound,
language-bound
segment of the human race, In terms of their own
frame of reference, not ours.
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The Presentation Of Jesus Luke 222-40
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The Incarnational Principle
Personal Incarnation The Witness
1. Jesus came to make God visible (Hebrews
11-3, Col.115) (Icon)
2. Jesus came to make God credible (Phil.
25-11) ( Paul Brand)
3. Jesus came to make God available (John
114, John 14, 1 John 1) (212 questions) (in
our frame of reference, culture, language, time
and space)
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4. Jesus wants to continue through us
(John 155) (Blessed is the one who comes
in the name of the lord)
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Student letter
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Mission as Growth of Gods Kingdom
the intended result of mission

• Mission as sending ----gt the source
• Mission as Incarnation ---gt the mode
• Mission as Growth ---gt the result

Mission is Gods activity through his
people everywhere the church
or his people touch the world
helping people to enter
into the kingdom
OF HIS SON
(Acts 26 15-18, 2 Corinthians 5 20)
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Mission as Growth
I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead
but of the living." MT. 2232
We are either growing or dying.
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1. Church Kingdom
2. Church unrelated to the Kingdom
3. Church as the catalyst for Kingdom, good of
the world.
church
kingdom
world
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Three Strategies for Mission
1. Reaching the responsive
2. Cultivating the resistant
3. The Holy Spirits over-ride
receptivity
X Responsive
X Resistant
Dont forget Responsiveness and resistance can
change!
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When are people resistant?

• Ignorance of the Gospel
• Self-sufficiency
• Neglect by the Church
• Spiritual Vacuum
• Strong social bonds to family and group

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Responsiveness factors
People tend to be responsive when
1. We start where they are and meet their
perceived needs.
2. We use the approach which suits their
motivation and value system.
3. The right person shares the Gospel with them
- someone they can trust.
4. Personal experiences and events help them
feel their need for God.
5. Others are turning to Christ people who
influence them.
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How does the Kingdom grow through the Church?
1. Internal growth
2. Expansion growth
3. Extension growth
4. Bridging growth
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Types of Church Growth
Internal Growth
Extension Growth
Expansion Growth biological transfer conversion
Bridging Growth Sequence and timing
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Roman Way or Celtic Way The Celtic Way of
Evangelism, George Hunter III
Roman/European Way
Celtic Way
Establish community
Present the message
Invitation to decide to believe and become
Christians
Within fellowship engage in conversation
In time they discover that they believe
Welcome them into the church
Invitation to commitment
How did you come to Faith?
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Two approaches to Mission
Believe
Belong
Behave
Believe
Behave
Belong
Behavior modification or spiritual transformation?
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• Suspend judgment

• Resist temptation to evaluate

• See the image of God in others

• Love unconditionally

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I Stand by the Door Samuel
Shoemaker