Why No Church Should Have A Missions Program

Why No Church Should Have A missions Program - We ARE a missions Program.

HOW TO BE A MISSIONARY WITHOUT LEAVING TOWN

Mt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 13:1-5

Illustration

Charles Malik, Lebanese ambassador to the United Nations, asked in a speech: "What has been the greatest American contribution to the rest of the world? ---- Has it been money? ---- Has it been food? ---- Has it been medical skill? ---Has it been military might? ---- Has it been industrial know-how?"

Then he answered, "The greatest thing to come out of America has been the American missionary effort: The quiet, selfless men and women who have left the comfort and security of their homeland to bring the gospel of Christianity to less favored nations."

We hear about churches that are "missions-minded." No Church should have a mission’s program— We ARE a missions program! Missions should be one of the main purposes for any Church’s existence. It should be our total thrust from the nursery through the seniors; from the pew to the pulpit.

Look at Acts 1:8

Jesus said; “I am come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

• God is a missionary God.

• Christ is a missionary Christ.

• The Holy Spirit is a missionary Spirit.

• The Lord expects us to be involved in bringing lost souls to Him.

Coca-Cola seems to be everywhere in the world. But how does it get there? This motto, posted in the company’s headquarters, explains it: THINK GLOBALLY, BUT ACT LOCALLY. What this slogan is to Coke, the Great Commission is to the church.

Def. – What is Biblical Missions. “Biblical missions is taking the Good news of Jesus Christ to those who have not heard and have not been saved.

Biblical missions is not feeding the poor, although that is a great need and not to be neglected.

Biblical missions is not helping the starving children of the world, although that is a wonderful thing.

Biblical missions is not just sending Doctors and Teachers to third world countries.

Biblical missions is not helping your widowed mother or your wayward children. That is your duty, not missions.

The only way that any of the things that I have mentioned become missions is if they are used as tools to bring the saving gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost.

• The greatest book on missions is the book of Acts.

• The greatest missionary is the apostle Paul.

• The greatest missionary methodology is establishing local NT churches.

I WANT US TO NOTE FOUR MANDATES ABOUT MISSIONS

I. ALL WITHOUT CHRIST ARE LOST.

A. If all are not lost, why to people go to hell? Even in Hell, they are mission-minded.

B. If all are not lost, then why did Christ die?

1. If all are not lost, then John 3:16 is useless!

2. God had only one Son and He was a missionary.

C. If all are not lost, then why did Christ commission the disciples? The disciples were missionaries.

D. If all are not lost, what is the church for? To send out missionaries (Acts 13:1-3).

E. If all are not lost, why preach? (Rom. 10:1-17).

II. THE GOSPEL WILL SAVE THE LOST.

A. What is the Gospel? It is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16).

1. Power to change a life.

2. This is what people really need, not just humanitarian charity.

B. If you had a cure for cancer, it would be criminal to withhold it.

III. EVERY CHRISTIAN IS RESPONSIBLE TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE LOST.

A. You are either a missionary or a mission field.

B. Not just a preacher’s job.

C. Not an optional thing. "It’s against my nature!" Yes, and it’s against mine too!

The closest thing to the heart of God is winning the lost to Christ.

IV. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR MISSIONS?

1. Pray – Prayer is the most important form of mission support there is.

During the time of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, Missionary Greg Livingstone was asked to give a "missions minute" at a large evangelical church on the East Coast. Since he had only one minute to speak, he decided to ask them only two questions.

The first one was, "How many of you are praying for the 52 Americans hostages being held in Iran?" 4000 hands went straight up and he said, "Praise the Lord!

Now, put your hands down and let me ask you another question. How many of you are praying for the 42 million Iranians being held hostage to Islam?" four hands went up.

The Lord used that challenge to give a wake up call for the Gospel to the Muslim world. "More Muslims in

Iran have come to Christ since 1980 than in all the previous 1,000 years combined."