Recently I had the privilege of teaching the first session of the Perspectives course in Yakima, Washington. I love the emphasis in the first lesson that our God is a missionary God! One of the quotes in the material for the first session is from Dr. Ralph Winter, founder of the US Center for World Mission:
“Missions is not first and ultimate; God is. …All of history is moving toward one great goal, the white hot worship of God and his Son among all the peoples of the earth. Missions is not that goal. It is the means. And fro that reason it is the second greatest human activity in the world.”
I have a lot of friends on Facebook. I enjoy reading the quotes that they post on their profile pages. I thought I’d share some of the ones that I’ve enjoyed reading recently.
Jesus was the first apostle. He was sent by his Father. He, in turn, sent the Twelve. They went to people who would then take the gospel to the rest of the world. Whoever received it would understand that they, too, had been sent. With the gospel being what it is, the church as bearer of the gospel is bound to be apostolic. The Insider by Jim Petersen and Mike Shamy (p 83)
I think each village was meant to feel pity for its own sick and poor whom it can help and I doubt if it is the duty of any private person to fix his mind on ills which he cannot help. (This may even become an escape from the works of charity we really can do to those we know.)
“One of the truest tests of being a servant ishow we respondwhen we are treated like one.”
Leaders must be accountable for disciplemaking. You’ve heard the adage, “Speed of the leader, speed of the team.”
Ask your spiritual leaders who they are influencing to follow Jesus. Don’t assume they are building relationships with lost people.
Five years ago I posted on the essence of Christianity
I’ve started reading this latest book (which he gave me – thanks Jason). He’s got some strong words for churches and their attempts to serve others outside the church while wanting to be noticed for doing good.
