[featured_image]Welcome to Day 17 as you Take the Missional Challenge!

Take the Missional Challenge is a 31 Day experience designed to help align believers with Jesus’ mission. Each day’s post includes missional concepts and activities. For more information – click here.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

What is Your Part in the Mission of Jesus?

How God has uniquely shaped and gifted you plays an important part in your answer to this question. I learned a long time ago from Pastor Rick Warren: Who God has made you to be determines what God wants you to do!

Every believer has been gifted by God and sent on mission together in community with the cross to those in the culture around you. There’s one mission – but each believer has a part.

APEST Functions (from apest.org)

  • APOSTLES extend the gospel.
  • PROPHETS know God’s will.
  • EVANGELISTS recruit.
  • SHEPHERDS nurture and protect.
  • TEACHERS understand and explain.

Note: I’m not suggesting that each church should have an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd and Teacher. I don’t believe that these describe ROLES in a local church today, as much as they describe the FUNCTIONS that are necessary in local churches today.

DAY 17 ACTION STEP: Consider Your Part in God’s Church

  • Reflect on Ephesians 4:11-12 and how God has uniquely gifted the Church to fulfill His mission.
  • Consider: What functional contribution does God have for you?
    • (you can take the APEST test online here – $10)
  • Commit yourself to contribute to His mission based on how God has shaped you!

Day 17 Missional Challenge: It’s God’s mission! Consider how He has gifted you to make a unique contribution to fulfill His mission.