Text: Acts 1:8, Title: To the Ends of the Earth, Date/Place: NRBC, 5/6/07, AM
A. Opening illustration: the woman in Lilburn that gasped at the small number of churches in Maine, USA, after reading scripture and prayer- the evangelism linebacker
B. Background to passage: As I mentioned last week, we are going to linger a while longer on this restatement of the Great Commission. In this verse, we are given a plan, not only for the book of Acts (which follows this pattern), but for the worldwide missions endeavor that the disciples and the church would undertake. And if this is the plan for the church’s evangelistic efforts, then we should be evaluating our success.
C. Main thought: This morning I want to do two things – first, I would like to look at the state of missions and lostness in these four areas; second, I want to look at NRBC and its efforts in these four areas.
A. In Jerusalem
1. Even though Jerusalem was not most of the disciples’ hometown (with the exception of Judas), this was the most obvious place for the gospel to begin. This was the place that they were in. Our Jerusalem is Tifton and Tift Co. Here is what Tift Co. and the area immediately surrounding NRBC looks like. According to a 2006 demographic study done for us, there are 19K people within a 5 mile radius of NRBC. 15,220 (80%) of them are not actively involved in a church. The largest age group in this population is 18-29 year olds. In Tifton/Tift Co. we have according to Pastor Jose’ about 8000 Hispanics, and two Southern Baptist Hispanic Churches. No church in our association has begun a black church in the last 30 years, in which the population of Tift Co. has increased by about 40%.
2. 1 Pet 3:15,
3. Illustration: the deacons have covenanted together to invite at least two unchurched people a month to NRBC, and many are going far beyond that,
4. How are we doing? Are we really making an impact in Tifton? Let me commend the giving spirit that you as a church have exhibited. You have given to Brother Charlie’s, BSU, ESL, Crisis Pregnancy Center, Mell Baptist, and benevolence generously. But writing a check is not the whole of missions in Jerusalem. Worship attendance has dropped from 173 in 2002 to about 75 in 2007. Baptisms have dropped from 11 two years ago and 22 five years before that to 1. Youth and collegiate ministries have dropped significantly? The bulk of prayer requests that I hear are about sick people. Most of this is because we are culturally irrelevant, unbiblical in respect to discipleship, and very comfortable sitting on our tails not doing anything much in the area of evangelism and missions other than writing checks. And we must realize that simply existing is not going to draw all men. And we really need to be painfully honest about the things that we call evangelism that is really not. Living a biblical, attractive life is great, but we must be about telling others. We must begin to go where they are! To minister to the needs that they have. We need to be trained in evangelism. Develop a plan to follow up with visitors and new residents. We need to look for outreach opportunities that God has provided us with here in Tifton like the soccer outreach and ESL, like the New River Flea Market, like ABAC’s campus. We need to plan outreach events that you can invite people to. We need to deepen our present prayer ministry to stand in the gap against lostness, poverty, racism, cultural Christianity, apathy, and self-centeredness.
B. In All Judea
1. This area was regional. It corresponds to those that are not in our hometown, but most like us. Let me remind you that these are the only geo-political terms used in the great commission passages. The normal language used is that of people, tribes, tongues, AKA ethno-linguistic groups. For today, we will liken Judea to the state of Georgia. There are 9 million people in the state of GA, increasing at a rate of about 1 million people every 5 years. The avg. worship attendance statewide is approx 530K (that’s about 6%). The Atlanta area alone contains over 30 different language congregations. God has brought the people of the world into cities, and we have one of the biggest here in GA.
2. Rev 5:9
3. Illustration: talking to Pastor Mike about going to Americus…
4. How are we doing reaching GA? Again, doing well giving to State Missions causes. In the past we have made trips to the Children’s Home, and also to do some rebuilding after the floods of ’94. And those things we need to continue and enhance. Possibly forming a DR team from New River. Possibly helping plant churches in high-population areas that will really reach the community. Praying for a harvest in GA. We must stop talking about missions in the past tense. This also includes our discipleship emphasis, with which we create a strong church in GA that persists in evangelism for generations!
C. In Samaria
1. Samaria was a region within Israel but outside of anything that they considered Jewish. It represents the United States/Canada. Again we see that nationwide about 70-80% of America is lost without Christ. If these numbers are right, that gives us about 211 million Americans that need Jesus. Areas of particular concern are the Northeast, where unchurched populations rise well over 90%, and low numbers of evangelical churches exist. The Northwest where the situation is very similar. Canada, however, is much worse. There are only 234 congregations existing. But they have a big vision.
2. Argumentation
3. Illustration: Canadian SBC wants to have 1000 churches by 2020, 50% of the Moravian Brethren went into foreign missions, in fact some of them sold themselves into slavery so that they might win others, tell about Danny going to Mississippi and getting sheetrock screws in his wheelchair tires,
4. Again we are giving a good deal of money, and in years past their have been mission trips to Kentucky, Mississippi, and Alaska. But we must set higher goals. Within five years, I would like to see 50% of our congregation going on some sort of short-term endeavor each year. There is no retirement age in the faith or the bible. There is NEVER a time when God says that you have done your share, let someone else do it. Go relax, vacation, buy a boat, play golf, and live up the last few years of your life in wastefulness. I would like to see us begin to really become burdened for our major cities, our most unchurched regions, and for Canada. We need to send others to plant churches in Maine and Oregon, etc. Possibly form partnerships with certain areas. “Pastor, this sure is a lot of new stuff” But what if we planted a couple of churches here, a couple in Canada, a couple in Oregon.
D. To The Ends of the Earth
1. The last words that Jesus spoke on this earth were geared toward reaching the nations with the gospel. God has always had a heart and purpose that His name and fame be lifted up among every tribe and tongue and people and nation. There are 6.6 billion people. And about 3.3 billion do not, and have not had adequate exposure to the gospel that they might believe. This number is incomprehensible.
2. Books of Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Isa 49:6, 24:14-16, 52:10, Zeph 2:11, Micah 4:2,
3. Illustration: the church of 12 members that gave $1 million to Lottie Moon last year, the countries of Morocco, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Maldives, North Korea, people groups like, Yanghuang of Southern China w/no known believers, 10 million Hui Muslims in China, 50 million Myanmarese Buddhists, on April 18 five young Muslim men attended a bible study in Turkey and after the first chapter was read, they attacked the German missionary translator and father of three and the two national converts that were leading this study for Muslims hoping to convert to Christ. All three were tortured for 3 hrs then slaughtered, The church there in Alapaha goes to Peru a couple of times a year. Dr Charlotte goes to W. Africa every year, and was interested in N. Korea if we go.
4. We give in a phenomenal way; $10,000 is no small thing. It is a wonderful blessing to have Les back from Russia, but what if we have 10 go on foreign mission trips this year? What if we adopted an unreached people group or country (one that does not have a self-propagating church)? What if God wanted to use New River to help break down barriers to the gospel through prayer, humanitarian efforts, and trips there? What if we fasted, worshipped, and prayed for God’s leadership in this area of our church. What if our children saw so much brokenness in us for the nations and the glories of Christ that they were compelled to go and serve? What if our conviction that the nations will perish without Christ compelled us to sacrifice through the year so that we might go to them.
A. Closing illustration: read the worlds to Our Heart Our Desire
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
• Our greatest need is brokenness for the lostness of people
• Small churches hold the keys to completing the great commission
• Missions is not something that the WMU and Brotherhood do
• CP is statistically the best way to reach unchurched people. One of the reasons is that when you reach an unchurched person, they reach other unchurched people. We need new people at New River.
Our heart our desire
Is to see the nations worship
Our cry our prayer
Is to sing Your praise
To the ends of the earth
That with one mighty voice
Every tribe and tongue rejoices
Our heart our desire
Is to see the nations worship You
Verse 1
Heavenly Father Your mercy showers
Down upon all people
Every race upon this earth
May Your Spirit pierce the darkness
Break the chains of death upon us
Let us rise in honest worship
To declare Your matchless worth
Verse 2
There is no power
That for one hour
Can withstand the greatness
Of Your Word on tongues of faith
So we’re bold in intercession
Claiming all Your possessions
Praying now that every heart will bow
Before You Lord in praise
