On Mission: Teamwork Trials & Triumphs

On Mission:

Teamwork Trials & Triumphs

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The book of Jonah has really challenged our heart and faith for the mission God has called us to.  In this message we explore some of the joys and challenges that come from being called to do mission as a team.  The book of 3 John is a fantastic example of both the triumphs and trials of team ministry.  By exploring it we are both encouraged and challenged about the roles we play in working together to share and declare the love and truth of Jesus to whoever He connects us with.

 

On Mission Part 1: Heart Check

On Mission Part 1:
Having a Heart For It

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Have you ever felt like God wanted you to do something but struggled to follow through?  The story of Jonah is a great example of someone getting a clear call from God but choosing to run in the other direction.  Why?  It was all to do with the condition of his heart.  Sometimes our desires, priorities and loyalties simply don't match up with God's; and there can be a struggle to bring them into alignment.  Jonah's struggle reveals a lot to us about the glorious character of God and also the deceptiveness of our own hearts.  It gives us a great opportunity to check on ourselves to see whether we are running on mission or from mission.  Like Jonah we've been given a mission to bring God's grace and truth to those who need it, but what are the heart issues for us that cause us to run the other way?

Keeping the Vision Alive

Keeping the Vision Alive

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If we are going to keep the vision alive of God's heart for the world and our role in bringing salvation to people, we will need 6 things:
   hearing ears
   seeing eyes
   a speaking tongue
   a generous heart
   bended knees
   going feet

Wanted: World Christians!

Wanted: World Christians!

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Allan Webb gives a powerful call from God's Word for us to be 'World Christians'.  What is a World Christian?
It's someone who commits to:
    see the world as God sees it
    seek for the world what God seeks for it
    support in prayer those who are seeking to reach the world with the gospel
    supply the needs of those who are seeking to reach the world with the gospel
    share all that I am and have so that the world might be reached.

Given First to God

 
Given First to God

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In 2 Corinthians 8 we here the Apostle Paul holding up a group of Christians as a fantastic example for others to follow.  As we look at how the Macedonian Christians are described in verses 1 to 5 we discover that they have done what every Christian must do in response to God when He reveals truth to us.  We reflect that the process of life transformation through revealed truth begins in the mind (understanding), which impacts the heart (emotion) leading to a decision of the will which must be followed through (behaviour).  That's exactly what happened for the Macedonians in how they responded to the material needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ who were in Judea.  They weren't guided or controlled by their circumstances but were so deeply impacted by what they had received in Christ that they passionately longed to give themselves wholly to Him and to doing His will.

As we begin to think about our commitment to resource the work of Global Mission, that's a great starting point for us!  May our giving exhibit the same spirit of generosity that the Macedonians saw in Jesus and reflected in their own lives.