As in every other activity of the church,
the key person is the pastor. If missions is not a priority with the pastor it
will not be a great missions church. However, if it is a priority with the
pastor, any church regardless of the size can have a great missions impact.
Since the pastor is the key there are some necessary ingredients.
- He must have
knowledge of the needs of the world and thus a burden for the world.
- He must
have an unselfish spirit concerning the finances of the church and it members.
- A great missions church will give a large percentage of their
total offerings to missions.
- From a great missions church some of the best
members will go to the mission field.
The Mandate Is Uncompromising
The great task of worldwide evangelism
was given to the church. It is the glorious privilege and responsibility of
every group that calls themselves a church. Even though churches work together
in this task, every church should pray, go, and give as if they were the only
church. In other words, the purpose of our church is worldwide evangelism. The
great commission is not just a good idea. It is not a suggestion. It is not
even a request. It is the final mandate of the Lord to His Church just before
He ascended back to Heaven.
He
plainly commanded, “Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations…” The word teach here means to make converts. We are
to evangelize the entire world. This is done by the preaching of the Gospel.
All men need a Saviour. Christ died for the sins of the whole world. We have
good news for sinners. Sinners do not have to pay for their own sins by dying
and going to Hell. Christ has died for them. He paid the price for them. Again
He commanded, “Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature.” In reality, no group that is not at
the task of worldwide evangelization should call themselves a church. Missions
is not a program in the church. The program of the church is MISSIONS.
Your Church Can Make a Difference
Regardless of the size of your church, you can
make an impact on a lost and dying world. Jesus tells us, “The Harvest
truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of
the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” The
harvest has never been so great and the labourers so few. Your church through
praying, giving and sending can provide the labourers for the great harvest
fields of the world. This will not happen without a conscious effort on the
part of the leaders of your church. Stop and think. Is my church totally
involved in obeying the last command of the Lord, or do we just have a token
interest in worldwide evangelism?
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