The Plan

The Plan!

Acts 1:8

Introduction

A. I love Strategy games. I think they are the best. I can not tell you how many times I have stayed up really really late planing a strategic game. For example, if you ever wonder what future pastors did while they were in college I will let you in a little secret. We would stay up (and usually this was during finals or midterms) and play Risk. I would love it. The strategy the thought…

B. Here is the problem though, how much time do we spend working on a strategic plan for missions. We just try and put it together at the last minute and wonder what went wrong.

C. We need to start and plan our missions strategy

D. Lets look at how we can apply a strategic plan to missions

I. Reason – Strategy meeting with generals, first have to come up with reason.

A. Explanation

1. If we do not have a reason, then what is the point?

2. There has never been a war won without a reason

3. You have to know what you are fighting for.

4. You could be the smartest, strongest, fastest… but if you do not have a reason you will loose

5. So what is our reason?

B. Application

1. Our reason is simple.

2. Without God, people will die. There are no “Good persons” in heaven.

3. Man without God is completely and totally lost

4. There is not getting around that

5. Let me read to you the official statement from the CMA about the destiny of those who have never heard

6. That needs to be our reason

C. Illustration

The Titanic and having more then enough spaces on the life boats for everyone who died, but those spaces were not filled because people did not want to go back for the dying

II. Strategy – The generals then have to determine what would be the best way

A. Explanation

1. Look at Acts 1:8.

2. Jesus was telling his what to do

3. He was essentially giving them the strategy

4. Lets relate this 3 geographical locations to us.

a. Jerusalem – Mars, Richland, Hampton area

b. Judea and Samaria – USA

c. The ends of the earth – oversees

B. Application

1. Now how do we take this same strategy and apply it to ourselves?

2. This means that we can not just worry about ourselves

3. We also can not just worry about our country

4. We also can not just worry about oversees

5. We Must worry about all of them

6. Our strategy has to be focused on all points

C. Illustration

Let’s think back to risk again. You get so many army units a turn. Now you could just pile all of your army units on your “home” country. That wouldn’t get you anywhere. You could take them and capture the whole continent, and build up that continent. That would not win the game. You could put them over on another continent and neglect your continent, but then someone would come and take it. The only way to win the game is to use a strategy were you concern yourself with all stages

III Putting the Plan to action -- This is were they have to order the troops

A. Explanation

1. I think by now we understand what were trying to do, now is the point were we have to do it

2. Lets look to Acts to give us some direction

3. We noticed that Pentecost happens at Jerusalem Acts 2

4. In Acts 8:5 They are now in Sameria

5. Finally we have in the 2nd half of acts, Paul’s great missionary Journeys – then ends of the earth

B. Application

1. We need to follow this example

2. They did not sit there, have a planning committee meeting and stopped

3. They put everything into action according to the strategy

4. Look at the amazing growth that happened because of their obedience

C. Illustration

I have told you about my friend Mitch before. The morning after I said yes to God’s calling in my life. I got up and went to prayer meeting. Mitch had a very similar experience that night before. He did not get up. Everything he said about how he was going to do the Lord’s work was out the door. He had the strategy. He knew what needed to be done, he did not put it in action.

Conclusion

1. You know what is really sad? Something I have been wrestling with for a couple of years now. We have the technology and resources to reach everyone in the whole world. You could not say that 50 years ago. The sad part is that we STILL HAVEN’T