On Saturday evening I consulted with three members of GBC’s missions leadership team as they grapple with issues related to sharpening the focus of their global outreach efforts. The MLT recognizes the need to transition from having only a financial involvement with their 30 missionary partners to a paradigm where they will engage more deeply in a few strategically selected works.
I preached three times on Sunday morning in corporate worship services. This was the fourth of four Sunday mornings devoted to their month-long missions focus. Previous speakers had addressed issues related to the role of music, orality, and Bible translation in the missionary task. My message was titled: “God’s Word: powerful and transforming” out of Matthew 13. I spoke on the responsibility of every believer to embrace in a missional lifestyle, proclaiming Christ in their personal spheres of influence and among the least reached globally. I used the parable of the sower to illustrate that we will encounter four very different responses as we engage in sharing the gospel.
Sunday evening was GBC’s closing missions banquet. I had the opportunity to speak on “the task remaining”. We rejoiced in the tremendous progress made with the gospel through the past 20 centuries, with unprecedented progress globally in recent decades. And I challenged folks to confront the 7 greatest hurdles remaining to bring closure to the Great Commission mandate.
During this missions month, the congregation has been repeatedly challenged to pledge $180 thousand to 2010 missions engagement through their faith promise process.
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