17 replies to this topic

[Gordy]

I understand the focus on missions around the world. But I have a question, What about the mission field in our own backyard? I am probably looking at Acts 1:8 wrong. But I see that there are four places, Jerusalem (Pensacola--or where you live); Judea (The USA--or your country); Samaria (Mexico/Canada--or neighboring nations); The uttermost parts of the world.

I am not anti-missions but many are only thinking about the world, but ignore our home.

Thanks for letting me asking about this

[elizabethcog]

God commands us all to be missional this may mean someplace foreign but for sure means right where we are living.You can share the good news of Jesus everywhere you are in your own home,workplace,store,bank.....I pray for the Lord to show me those he would have me witness to this has happened in some odd places but I follow his lead not mine.good subject Thank you and God bless you and use you wherever youare=)

[Laurie Collett]

God commands us all to be missional this may mean someplace foreign but for sure means right where we are living.You can share the good news of Jesus everywhere you are in your own home,workplace,store,bank.....I pray for the Lord to show me those he would have me witness to this has happened in some odd places but I follow his lead not mine.good subject Thank you and God bless you and use you wherever youare=)

I agree with both of you. A missionary visiting our church once said, "You're either a missionary or a mission field." In other words, if you're a born-again believer, you should be telling everyone you know about Jesus, including the person sitting next to you in church or across from you at the dinner table, if they're not saved. The woman at the well left behind her water pot and ran off to tell her whole village that Jesus was the Messiah, as soon as she realized it herself. I believe He plants each of us in a unique sphere of influence and equips each of us to reach those no one else can reach in quite the same way. Our challenge is to yield to the Holy Spirit so He can work through us in our unique mission field.

Laurie Collett, Saved by Grace
http://savedbygraceb...y.blogspot.com/

[Rachel Kuhn]

Evangelism is telling others about Christ. It can be done anywhere at anytime by anybody. We are ALL commanded by Jesus to do evangelism. Missions "continually crosses cultures learning languages and penetrates into people groups that have no missional presence (ie. no church, no witness strong enough to do the kind of evangelism needed)." In Romans 15:17-21, Paul talks about how he has fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ from Illyricum (Bosnia area) to Jerusalem. He then states "I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, 'Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.'" Paul had plans to move on to Rome and Spain to share the Gospel. Now, how could Paul have said that the gospel of Christ had been preached in Illyricum to Jerusalem and there was no longer any need for him? It is because Paul was a pioneer missionary. He left those areas because he had established churches there. They now had access to the Gospel and the people of the church were able to evangelize the people around them. Paul left to go to a people who had NO access to the Gospel and who had never heard.

So why the focus on foreign missions? Because missions has to be "foreign" in order to cross cultures, learn languages, and penetrate areas that have no missional presence. This being said, missions is quickly becoming no longer just overseas. The nations are coming to America and we have the responsibility of reaching them with the gospel.

So what about our neighbors or those in our towns just like us? Well, we have churches and we have christians who attend those churches. People who attend those churches are still called to live a missional life and fulfill the Great Commission. However, their actual involvement in evangelism is local. We as church goers are responsible for sharing the Gospel with those we come in contact with. Evangelism (which is local) is something we can see and be a part of everyday. Missions on the other hand has to be brought to our attention becasue it is not something we see around us as part of our everyday life.

What is a Christian's responisibility to Missions? to pray for missions, to give to missions, to send missionaries, and for some to go be a missionary.

What is a Christian's responsibilty locally? To do the same things but in the local setting.

Why may it seem like there is a focus on missions and not on local evangelism? Because we are already to be doing local evangelism. We are already supposed to be reaching those around us. That is our responsibility and we should be seeing it done on a consistent basis. We need to be reminded about missions frequently because: 1) it should spur us on even more for reaching people for Christ. This can be done locally or overseas. 2) it gives us a glimpse of what God is doing around the world which we more than likely will not be able to see unless someone shares with us. 3) because we still have the responsibility to pray, give, and send people to the mission field and this is not possible without putting a focus on missions.

So yes, we as a church should be doing our part to fulfill the Great Commission locally as it is a part of the Christian life. We should see it all around us, and if we don't, we should be looking at our lives and asking ourselves why we are not doing what God commanded. And yes, our pastors should promoting evangelism locally. However, like I said earlier, when we hear about missions, it should encourage us also to do local missions.

If you want to study missions more in depth, I would encourage you to do the DVD Study "Let the Nations Be Glad" by John Piper (all above quotes are from this study). It will change the way you think about missions but will also spur you on to evangelism both locally and overseas.

[Joan Phillips]

Hi Gordy,
If you click on news & stories, then click on "gochurch" link on the right side of the page, you will read about all the outreaches taking place through U.S. Alliance churches across the country. The Alliance believes in being missional at home as well as abroad, and Alliance churches are impacting their communities through various outreaches, shining the light of Jesus into the hearts and lives of people living in the United States. Be sure to check it out!

Blessings,

Joan Phillips
Communications
The Alliance

[Albert Morse]

I was reminded recently by my Brother in Christ that when we are given a little and have been proven trustworthy with that we will be given more. Therefore I view local neighborhood mission work as training for more bigger mission work. I practice telling the gospel story to myself in the mirror. I pray constantly for an opportunity to witness. I count myself successful when I tell the message. So yes witness to your neighbor they are your mission field. Go outside your front door every day and view the next person you see as your mission field.

[Caitlin Kerr]

I think it's easy to look at local missions and forget global missions, or to focus on global missions and to forget local missions. God wants us to have a heart for the lost everywhere, just as He does.

One C&MA statistic that we displayed at the General Council last year stated that it would take 6-7 people before you found a believer in the States. It was take 300 people in Spain before you found a believer. And it would take 30,000 people before you found a believer in Morocco.

Those numbers have been etched in my mind since I heard that, and for me, THAT is the reason why 'foreign' missions is so important. Yet, as you said, that certainly does not give us reason to neglect local missions.

-Caitlin

[Larry Carey]

Great topic and great responses. It's not either/or, but both/and. Not an emphasis on sharing the good news of life in Christ either here or overseas but, as others in these posts have observed, it is Acts 1:8, both here, there, and everywhere. It is not an issue of need, but an issue of access. My neighbor is just as lost and needs to know Christ just as much as the Moroccans Caitlin mentioned. But as she pointed out so well, the access to the gospel is not equal. My neighbor has all kinds of options for hearing the gospel --- me, hundreds of churches in our area, Christian broadcasting, publications, etc. But many people in the world will hear only if we make intentional efforts to get the good news to them. Equal need, unequal access.

One other comment. The motivation that drives me to be intentional about "pushing back the darkness" and getting the gospel to all people groups is Jesus' response to the disciples' question, "When will this happen and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3) Jesus, after many indications of what would lead up to His coming, answered specifically in Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." I want others to know Jesus, but I also yearn with all my being to see Jesus return. According to Jesus, completing the great commission must come before that will happen.

[JimmyS]

I understand the focus on missions around the world. But I have a question, What about the mission field in our own backyard? I am probably looking at Acts 1:8 wrong. But I see that there are four places, Jerusalem (Pensacola--or where you live); Judea (The USA--or your country); Samaria (Mexico/Canada--or neighboring nations); The uttermost parts of the world.

I am not anti-missions but many are only thinking about the world, but ignore our home.

Thanks for letting me asking about this

I think that when we love Jesus, and surrender to Him completely it all starts where we are at, and that love grows. When that love grows the sphere grows, but when we measure our success or failures we get stuck back in the performing for God mentality, and get stuck using words to describe what we should be doing.

One time I thought I was 100% surrendered to God, and if anyone would have given their life for missions it was me. I was completely sold out, or so I thought when the opportunity came I thought I was ready for foreign missions, and I had two dreams warning me not to go. I didn't go and life has gotten harder. Many times I have asked Jesus if I was wrong not to go.

Anyway my point is that I thought I could only be an effective christian if I was overseas, and my life here in the US was spent thinking "oh man when I am overseas, that's when I will really see God move. Now I am broken, and I want to see America revived. I want to see Jesus move here. When he sends revival people will be compelled to go to the uttermost parts. Lord please fill us up with your Spirit.

[Joan Phillips]

I think that when we love Jesus, and surrender to Him completely it all starts where we are at, and that love grows. When that love grows the sphere grows, but when we measure our success or failures we get stuck back in the performing for God mentality, and get stuck using words to describe what we should be doing.

One time I thought I was 100% surrendered to God, and if anyone would have given their life for missions it was me. I was completely sold out, or so I thought when the opportunity came I thought I was ready for foreign missions, and I had two dreams warning me not to go. I didn't go and life has gotten harder. Many times I have asked Jesus if I was wrong not to go.

Anyway my point is that I thought I could only be an effective christian if I was overseas, and my life here in the US was spent thinking "oh man when I am overseas, that's when I will really see God move. Now I am broken, and I want to see America revived. I want to see Jesus move here. When he sends revival people will be compelled to go to the uttermost parts. Lord please fill us up with your Spirit.

AMEN!!Jimmy.

[Joan Phillips]

Be watching for Alliance eCommunity newsletter this month. It will feature two exciting stories of God working through Alliance ministries - one overseas and one at home. If you do not receive this publication and would like to, simply go to The Alliance Web site home page, scroll to bottom and click on "Newsletters."

[Stephen]

Gordy,

Here is the following resource that is theologically robust for thinking about the Church's calling to participate in God's ongoing mission of reconciliation in this world as witnesses of Jesus Christ.

The book is called Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America. It is edited by a missioligist (whom you seem to share a common concern with!) Darrell Guder.

One of the challenges proposed is to expunge the word "missions" from our vocabulary as a way of talking about the evangelization process into other nations, cultures, and peoples. The reason for this is that The church is missionary in its very nature. "Missions" is not a department or program within the Church; the Church is the instrument by which God accomplishes God's own mission in the world. This means that the Church that takes its vocation to participate in God's mission in the world seriously, will necessarily participate in what God is already doing in the United States.

[elizabethcog]

sometimes I have had someone say to me "why help people across the world when there are people here that need help" true I say, so are you helping right here then?We can't wait for "someone" to do something we(you and I)are that someone,so if it is in your own neighborhood or across the world do what God calls us all to ..love Him and others here, there and everywhere=)

[FCheock]

I understand the focus on missions around the world. But I have a question, What about the mission field in our own backyard? I am probably looking at Acts 1:8 wrong. But I see that there are four places, Jerusalem (Pensacola--or where you live); Judea (The USA--or your country); Samaria (Mexico/Canada--or neighboring nations); The uttermost parts of the world.

I am not anti-missions but many are only thinking about the world, but ignore our home.

Thanks for letting me asking about this

Personally, I believe what we need is the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Reading the Book of Act with all honesty. Thousand had been converted because of the power of the resurrection of the LOrd Jesus Christ. Mark said, "They went preaching the Lord working with them with signs following.

In Acts 4, after Peter and John were released they went to their companion. What were their prayers? "29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

[Yer Yang]

This is the Holy Spirit telling you brother, that you now have a mission in your own backyard!

[Wade McGarvey]

I understand the focus on missions around the world. But I have a question, What about the mission field in our own backyard? I am probably looking at Acts 1:8 wrong. But I see that there are four places, Jerusalem (Pensacola--or where you live); Judea (The USA--or your country); Samaria (Mexico/Canada--or neighboring nations); The uttermost parts of the world.

I am not anti-missions but many are only thinking about the world, but ignore our home.

Thanks for letting me asking about this

That seems to me to be a figurative interpretation of Acts 1:8. Jerusalem and Judea have already passed in the literal sense, we are living in the latermost days (From the Biblical perspective meaning after the Ascension of Chirst) and since the gospel has came (and went) in some places like Jerusalem, Turkey, and to a large extent Europe. We as Christians are taking the gospel to those ethne (greek for people group)to those peoples, or people groups who have not heard the gospel. "Then the end will come". Go to Joshuaproject.net to see definitions of unreached people groups..... Bottom line is we are all called to be evangelists to our local communities but if we just focused on local problems we would never leave the village. Missionaries spread the seed and raise up evangelists to disciple people. When an area has a sustaining church, Kaboom were out a there and onto the next. The church is for Local outreach.

[Lori Smith]

This is an interesting topic and I found some of the stats interesting. However, there are areas in the USA where you could interview 300 people and not find a believer. I know this because I grew up in such an area. Actually when I was in my teens there were no Christian (born-again) churches in the area. I believe there is one there now. Google East Hampton, N.Y and surrounding area and you'll see what I mean (there are churches but they are liberal; they don't believe in preaching a gospel). Perhaps one of you would like to plant a church there.

P.S. I never once heard the gospel until I moved and found out how to be born-again in a library in the South. I imagine things are different now with internet access.

[Gordy]

Thank you y'all. I will do exactly what Christ told us to do.

Keep up with input on this topic.