Sent: The Missional Church

A. OLD WORDS AND NEW WORDS

• SAVED = Conversion, to lead someone to Christ, i.e., soul winning

• WITNESS = share what Christ has done for me, i.e., testimony

• CHURCH GROWTH = the results of evangelism

Internal Growth = spiritual

External Growth = members

Transfer Growth = join church

Biological Growth = babies born

Conversion Growth = new Christians

• Community = fellowship, belonging, i.e., Kononia

• Missional = not what we do, but what we are

• Old emphasis, “Come to us;” new emphasis, “We come to you.”

• The same mission that sent Christ into the world is sending us into the world.

B. GOD THE SENDER

1. The name we use for God shapes our perception of Him, i.e., Father intimate; God/Elohim, Creator; Jehovah Rapha, healer. God our sender.

2. Apostles from Apo “from” and Stello “to send;” we are sent from God.

3. The old Latin term Missio Dei means “the sending God.”

4. Wrong or weak reasons to be a missionary:

• Because people are lost

• Because we want to help them

• To plant a church

• To go because He sent us, or to join God in mission

5. Missions isn’t going or getting, or giving, it is knowing what God wants us to do, and going because He sent us.

C. THE MISSION OF OTHERS

1. Abraham was sent to start a new nation. “I will make you a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing (your task). I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you; and in you will all the families of the world be blessed (sent for others) (Gen. 12:2-3).

2. Isaiah heard God ask, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”” (6:8). Isaiah responded, “Here am I send me” (v. 8). God is looking for willing volunteers. Isaiah was not called to be successful, but to go and be faithful.

3. John the Baptist, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John” (John 1:6). Not to be the light, but to witness to the Light. His success was not how many he baptized, but to point out Jesus and baptize Him.

4. Jesus was sent to die for the world, all else prepared for the cross then the resurrection. “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son” (John 3:16).

5. Jesus was not only sent; He was the sender.

a. The Holy Spirit. “But when the helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth” (John 15:26).

b. His followers are sent, “As the Father has sent me, I also send you” (John 20:21).

c. We have the same mission and message.

d. Our primary focus as Christ followers is mission. (All of us, not just those called to full-time service).

e. We are to go everywhere. “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and all of Judea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

D. OUR MISSION

1. There is a link between Christ sending the Holy Spirit and His sending of us. “When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you shall be witnesses of me” (Acts 1:8).

2. We are ordinary like the first apostles; our task is always bigger than ourselves.

3. They were a charging church that even the gates of hell couldn’t stop. “The gates of Hades shall not prevail against (you)” (Matt. 16:18).

4. The church loves others, because God is love.

5. The church is compassionate to others, because Jesus was compassionate.

6. God did the sending, the early church responded. “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul . . . after they had fasted, prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them off” (Acts. 13:2-3).

7. Paul was sent from the church, he was sent with the church. “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church” (Eph. 3:10).

8. The church was never intended to be a building, but a group of born again people who love God, learn His word, obey His commands and minister to a hurting world.

9. Our problem, the church has refused to be sent and a sender.

10. Focus: keeping the main thing the main thing is often difficult.

11. Being sent means consistent lifestyle

12. Being sent means a prayer-relationship with God.

13. Being sent is one big yes followed by a daily yes.

Making TRBC Missional*

• Theological source: missions begin in the heart of the Triune God

• Historical Source: TRBC was born in soul winning passion

• Personal source: will you say, “Here I am Lord, send me”