October 14, 2017
Missions: Here and There
Here
According to Operation World there are roughly 550 Million evangelical Christians in the world, and there are roughly 4.2 Million full time Christian Workers. We need to realize that "missions" is not only for people in full time vocational ministry. We are all called to be missionaries.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
Psalm 96:3
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
When we read those and think that God is talking about someone else, we’re not only completely missing the point, we’re completely missing the heart of God. We’re missing the fact that His love is for all people, and that he’s tasked us with getting the word out.
Click here to read the article by Matthew Higgins
"A Straightjacket of Darkness: On the Pastor, Depression & Loneliness"
Lesson 1:
Take time to build up your leaders,
and don’t tear them down. Every leader in this church goes through more than you know
just seeking to lead you better.
Lesson 2:
Don’t show up to church or life group and expect to be served, fed, or built up…
Go there ready to serve, feed, and build others and humble yourself to grow yourself and I promise you you will get taken care of too.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Missions is not just a title or position in the church, it’s not even just a vocational calling from God, at it’s core, “missions” is really a day-to-day mindset for all of us.
Philippians 3:12-14
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
1. You are where you are on purpose.
Indianapolis:
- More than 800,000 people in the city
- Almost 2 million people in the Indy metro area
- Only 1 in 5 of those claim to go to a church of any kind
IUPUI:
- 29,791 students enrolled this year
- The Mapping Center estimates
that over 95% of IUPUI doesn’t know Jesus
Near West Side:
- Around 20,000 people
- In 2008 the Near West Neighborhood had 127 crimes per 1000 residents
"According to The Indianapolis Star, Haughville had the most violent crime in the city of Indianapolis in the year 2005, with approximately 449 violent crimes taking place in Haughville. However this number is far below the record 2,589 violent crimes recorded in 1997 according to the IPD West District (This would average out to 1 out of 2.5 people being a victim of a violent offense) . During the 1990s, Haughville averaged 30 homicides a year, having the dubious honor of having one of the highest homicide rates in the nation for a neighborhood census of its size."
2. How do we do this?
3 things: Pray - Give - Go
Pray
In Indianapolis, how do we pray?
- Spend time praying for Living Faith
- Spent time praying for other churches in Indy
- Pray for God to send more workers to the Indianapolis harvest field
Luke 10:2
2
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
Give
In Indianapolis, how do we give to missions?
- Tithe to Living Faith
- Give to missional ministries in Indy
- Support someone serving at IUPUI in a campus ministry
Go
When we’re already in Indianapolis, how do we Go and do missions?
- Show up to Life Group
- Show up to our Church service on Sundays
- Join us for mission projects in Indianapolis
- Invite people to ReAlign
(realignconference.com)
- Simply share the Gospel with people
3. Prayer.
Lastly, we want to put out money where our mouth is,
- Pray for Living Faith Church
- Pray for the Good Shepherd Church
- Pray for more churches to be planted in Indianapolis
Communication Card
1. I will “Pray” this week for people in Indy.
2. I will “Give” to Missions in Indy this week.
3. I will “Go” this week by ________________________________.
