On April 4-6 I had the opportunity to participate with 700 other local church, para-church, and sending agency evangelism and mission leaders from across the U.S. in Mission America Coalition’s annual conference in Orlando. This year the event had both a national (as usual) and global (in response to Lausanne 2010) focus.
Our morning and evening sessions were together as a large group. We had times of corporate worship, plenary messages, and times of small group interaction / prayer around the messages. We heard from Lon Allison, Hwa Yung, Doug Birdsall, Esme Bowers, among others.
Our afternoon sessions were divided into more than 25 specialized breakout sessions addressing some excellent national and international outreach issues. I participated in the largest of the breakout sessions, focused on “mobilizing the U.S. Church for global missions”. Steve Shadrach with the USCWM very capably planned and led this breakout session. Nearly 100 of us interacted in small groups in six sessions around practical issues related to engaging the U.S. Church more effectively in taking the gospel to the least reached around the globe.
In session 1 and 2, I participated in 2 of 8 topical discussions. I chose the topics: “What is the USA’s role now that the Global South is sending – every nation to every nation” and “What do tomorrow’s missionaries look like in closed access countries? Tentmaking and BAM vs. traditional missionaries without a covering”.
Session 3 was focused on how to ENGAGE the unmobilized to have a vision and passion for personal involvement in global missions. I served as 1 of 10 table facilitators broken down by a focus on youth, college, mid-career, finishers, and entire church.
Session 4 was focused on how to EQUIP believers to get involved in global missions locally and equipping long-term goers.
Session 5 was focused on how to CONNECT believers to strategic opportunities for global missions. I served as 1 of 9 table facilitators in this session.
And the sixth and final session was a Q&A time with a panel.
My biggest take away from the three days together was the opportunity to interact and network with like-hearted colleagues from across the country. Another take away for me was the complexity of and changing nature of the task of world evangelization. It is amazing how much is happening globally despite how disjointed so much of what we do is.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
from April 3, 2011 prayer update
After 20 years of investing my life in college students as a younger man (through The Navigators and through three different Austin area churches), it is a real joy to participate in an event like Passion 2011. A Passion conference was held in Atlanta earlier this year, with the second held this weekend in Fort Worth. 10 thousand college students packed out the downtown Fort Worth convention center.
Passion is a very appropriate name for this event and the organization that makes it happen. These folks clearly love Jesus, and He is center of what they do. They preach a very simple message, sadly one that much of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Western world only gives lip service to. It is all about Jesus and His mission. The key verse this ministry has highlighted since its inception is Isaiah 26:8, “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your truth we eagerly wait for You, for Your name and Your renown are the desire of our souls.”
Featured were several big name Christian bands (David Crowder, Charlie Hall, Christy Nockels, Matt Redman, Kristan Stanfill, Chris Tomlin) and three big name Christian speakers (Francis Chan, Louie Giglio, John Piper). A little more hero worship and preoccupation with “cool” than is healthy, but that happened back when I was a college student too. And it is an issue that can trace its roots back to the first century Church (I Corinthians 1:12).
In addition to the music and the speakers (which dominate this 20 something event), there were small group breakout sessions where students could process what they were hearing and a large GO Center with an area called “Do Something Now”. There was the usual emphasis on social justice that is commonly associated with the millennial generation’s perspective on world missions (creation care, HIV prevention, orphan care, stopping sexual trafficking, water wells, etc.). Sadly these issue are often promoted without any kind of meaningful linkage to evangelism or church planting, resulting a very hollow and short-lived social justice.
But this was not the case at Passion 2011. I was delighted to see the premiere focus of the global outreach component of this event focused on a Bible translation project among an unreached people group in Mali, Africa. And a challenge to the students to make themselves available to serve among the nearly 6900 unreached people groups in today’s world (less than 2% evangelical Christian). A challenge that about 1/3 of those present responded to with affirmation. WOW! I am now hoping the Passion folks will somehow link these students with mission sending agencies serving among the unreached to seize this fantastic opportunity.
I had the opportunity to serve as one of 700 volunteers working behind the scenes to help make this event possible. Having been responsible for leading several missions conferences in the past gave me a huge appreciation for the scope and quality of what took place with this event.
“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.” (Psalm 71:18)
Passion is a very appropriate name for this event and the organization that makes it happen. These folks clearly love Jesus, and He is center of what they do. They preach a very simple message, sadly one that much of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Western world only gives lip service to. It is all about Jesus and His mission. The key verse this ministry has highlighted since its inception is Isaiah 26:8, “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your truth we eagerly wait for You, for Your name and Your renown are the desire of our souls.”
Featured were several big name Christian bands (David Crowder, Charlie Hall, Christy Nockels, Matt Redman, Kristan Stanfill, Chris Tomlin) and three big name Christian speakers (Francis Chan, Louie Giglio, John Piper). A little more hero worship and preoccupation with “cool” than is healthy, but that happened back when I was a college student too. And it is an issue that can trace its roots back to the first century Church (I Corinthians 1:12).
In addition to the music and the speakers (which dominate this 20 something event), there were small group breakout sessions where students could process what they were hearing and a large GO Center with an area called “Do Something Now”. There was the usual emphasis on social justice that is commonly associated with the millennial generation’s perspective on world missions (creation care, HIV prevention, orphan care, stopping sexual trafficking, water wells, etc.). Sadly these issue are often promoted without any kind of meaningful linkage to evangelism or church planting, resulting a very hollow and short-lived social justice.
But this was not the case at Passion 2011. I was delighted to see the premiere focus of the global outreach component of this event focused on a Bible translation project among an unreached people group in Mali, Africa. And a challenge to the students to make themselves available to serve among the nearly 6900 unreached people groups in today’s world (less than 2% evangelical Christian). A challenge that about 1/3 of those present responded to with affirmation. WOW! I am now hoping the Passion folks will somehow link these students with mission sending agencies serving among the unreached to seize this fantastic opportunity.
I had the opportunity to serve as one of 700 volunteers working behind the scenes to help make this event possible. Having been responsible for leading several missions conferences in the past gave me a huge appreciation for the scope and quality of what took place with this event.
“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.” (Psalm 71:18)
Sunday, March 20, 2011
from March 20, 2011 prayer update
It has been nearly 27 years since I graduated from seminary. I can recall studying eschatology (the last days) in one of my systematic theology classes. My personal doctrinal beliefs regarding eschatology have not changed much since those days, but two important things related to them have:
• I have become convinced that there is no value in being dogmatic about the details of my beliefs concerning the last days. I should never allow them to become something divisive.
• I believe that many evangelical believers who share my beliefs do not see the forest for the trees.
This past week I taught 3 Perspectives classes in the Kansas City area (lesson 9, “the task remaining”). In the class we discussed four phenomenon that demonstrate the remarkable progress of the gospel through the centuries. All four reveal exponential growth since the mid twentieth century.
• the growing percentage of genuine believers worldwide
• the growing ratio of churches to unreached people groups globally
• the emerging evangelical and charismatic Church worldwide
• the emerging non-Western Church
We then shifted our attention to what will it take to say we have brought closure to (completed) the Great Commission. We considered what I believe are the 10 greatest challenges that lie ahead.
1. 6 religious megaspheres
2. 6900 languages
3. 6900 ethnolinguistic unreached people groups
4. the 10-40 window
5. the Muslim world
6. India
7. 64 restricted access countries
8. emerging urban centers
9. shrinking U.S. missionary forces
10. misallocated resources
We concluded our time by reflecting on Matthew 24:14, which I believe should be the bottom line of every evangelical Christian’s eschatological convictions. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations (people groups), and then the end will come.”
With the recent rise of unrest in the Arab world and the steady onslaught of major natural disasters, it is easy to focus our attention on these events, and lose sight of what is primary. Although they are signs that Christ’s return for His bride may be near, they are not what is driving the process. God is a purposive and missional God. He gave the Church a compelling job to do: “disciple the nations (people groups)”. He will return for His Church when the job is done.
• I have become convinced that there is no value in being dogmatic about the details of my beliefs concerning the last days. I should never allow them to become something divisive.
• I believe that many evangelical believers who share my beliefs do not see the forest for the trees.
This past week I taught 3 Perspectives classes in the Kansas City area (lesson 9, “the task remaining”). In the class we discussed four phenomenon that demonstrate the remarkable progress of the gospel through the centuries. All four reveal exponential growth since the mid twentieth century.
• the growing percentage of genuine believers worldwide
• the growing ratio of churches to unreached people groups globally
• the emerging evangelical and charismatic Church worldwide
• the emerging non-Western Church
We then shifted our attention to what will it take to say we have brought closure to (completed) the Great Commission. We considered what I believe are the 10 greatest challenges that lie ahead.
1. 6 religious megaspheres
2. 6900 languages
3. 6900 ethnolinguistic unreached people groups
4. the 10-40 window
5. the Muslim world
6. India
7. 64 restricted access countries
8. emerging urban centers
9. shrinking U.S. missionary forces
10. misallocated resources
We concluded our time by reflecting on Matthew 24:14, which I believe should be the bottom line of every evangelical Christian’s eschatological convictions. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations (people groups), and then the end will come.”
With the recent rise of unrest in the Arab world and the steady onslaught of major natural disasters, it is easy to focus our attention on these events, and lose sight of what is primary. Although they are signs that Christ’s return for His bride may be near, they are not what is driving the process. God is a purposive and missional God. He gave the Church a compelling job to do: “disciple the nations (people groups)”. He will return for His Church when the job is done.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
from March 6, 2011 prayer update
This week I will be participating in what may be the most significant event I will be involved with in 2011. I would welcome your prayers for this event.
For many years ACMC has needed to take a step back and reassess where we are going and how we are seeking to get there. That is now happening.
On March 10-11 five of our ACMC staff members, our boss, and an outside facilitator will be meeting in Orlando to grapple with important issues regarding our future as an organization, with the goal of revisioning and focusing our work.
We will be taking a fresh look at our mission and vision statements, our core values, and our core methodologies as an organization.
We are looking to God to show up and speak with clarity to us regarding these issues. Please pray that our hearts would be prepared and tuned in to the Lord and to each other, and that we would collectively hear from Him.
We have taken several steps to prepare for this time together.
• we have been praying some common prayers
• we have been reflecting on our current mission and vision statements, core values, and methodologies
• we have received written feedback from a survey (and begun to process it) from 45 outside U.S. mission leaders regarding ACMC
• we have read Steve Moore’s new book, While You Were Micro-Sleeping: Fresh Insights on the Changing Face of North American Missions (and we will be interacting around it)
• we have selected a core group of our staff for this initial gathering who will then bring specific recommendations to the rest of our staff
• we have identified a gifted, outside facilitator (Matthew Ellison with 16:15) to lead us thru the process – please pray for Matthew to lead with wisdom and skill
Early in the process some things are already apparent:
• we need to develop a new vision statement
• we need to function more as a team, and less as lone ranger mobilizers
• we need to closely align our individual efforts with our mission and vision statements
• we need to significantly focus our efforts (identify our sweet spot), not broaden them
• we need to do a much better job of connecting with emerging generations (Gen X and millennials)
• we need to move away from methodologies that have become less effective over the years and experiment with new methodologies
• we need to grapple with funding paradigms for current and new staff and for our organization
But we suspect God has more to say to us. Pray that we would hear that this week and that our entire staff would resonate with it and own it. Also pray as we grapple with the implementation details. That will be vital in determining whether we experience meaningful and lasting change as an organization or this becomes another well intentioned conceptualizing exercise that bears little fruit.
For many years ACMC has needed to take a step back and reassess where we are going and how we are seeking to get there. That is now happening.
On March 10-11 five of our ACMC staff members, our boss, and an outside facilitator will be meeting in Orlando to grapple with important issues regarding our future as an organization, with the goal of revisioning and focusing our work.
We will be taking a fresh look at our mission and vision statements, our core values, and our core methodologies as an organization.
We are looking to God to show up and speak with clarity to us regarding these issues. Please pray that our hearts would be prepared and tuned in to the Lord and to each other, and that we would collectively hear from Him.
We have taken several steps to prepare for this time together.
• we have been praying some common prayers
• we have been reflecting on our current mission and vision statements, core values, and methodologies
• we have received written feedback from a survey (and begun to process it) from 45 outside U.S. mission leaders regarding ACMC
• we have read Steve Moore’s new book, While You Were Micro-Sleeping: Fresh Insights on the Changing Face of North American Missions (and we will be interacting around it)
• we have selected a core group of our staff for this initial gathering who will then bring specific recommendations to the rest of our staff
• we have identified a gifted, outside facilitator (Matthew Ellison with 16:15) to lead us thru the process – please pray for Matthew to lead with wisdom and skill
Early in the process some things are already apparent:
• we need to develop a new vision statement
• we need to function more as a team, and less as lone ranger mobilizers
• we need to closely align our individual efforts with our mission and vision statements
• we need to significantly focus our efforts (identify our sweet spot), not broaden them
• we need to do a much better job of connecting with emerging generations (Gen X and millennials)
• we need to move away from methodologies that have become less effective over the years and experiment with new methodologies
• we need to grapple with funding paradigms for current and new staff and for our organization
But we suspect God has more to say to us. Pray that we would hear that this week and that our entire staff would resonate with it and own it. Also pray as we grapple with the implementation details. That will be vital in determining whether we experience meaningful and lasting change as an organization or this becomes another well intentioned conceptualizing exercise that bears little fruit.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
from February 20, 2011 prayer update
I am teaching the book of Ephesians in one of the adult Bible fellowships in my home church this spring. This week we studied Paul’s second prayer for the Ephesian believers at the end of chapter 3. The prayer ends with a benediction in verses 20-21, both for the first half of the book and for the prayer. “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
I see four key ideas in this benediction. First, it is imperative that we see God as powerful. Theologically we know this to be true. But practically we often see God as impotent. We doubt that He is really in control of or involved in the mess we see in the world we live in and the mess our lives sometimes are.
Second, we need to pray big, audacious prayers. We need to tap into all our creativity and innovation, and ask God to do some wildly significant things. We need to claim the promises of Scripture, and ask Him for outrageous things.
Third, we need to not only see God as powerful, but see His power at work in us, His body, His Church. We are not all, but certainly part, of how God will answer our prayers. He will share His power freely with us as we prove faithful to use it to further His mission in the world, and not our own.
And finally, our prayers need to focus on the glory of God. Not some self-focused desire or personal agenda. We need to become consumed with what will advance God’s reputation and God’s mission in the world. Not what will add to my or someone else’s personal peace and affluence.
So what should you and I pray?
A great place to start is with the hundreds of unconditional promises found in Scripture. But guided by the framework that God laid out for Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3. “Blessed to be a blessing.” Not asking God to bless us as an end in itself (prosperity gospel). But asking God to allow us to join with Him in His mission and use us as vehicles for blessing the nations.
A second suggestion is to begin to take advantage of some great daily prayer tools to pray for those at the very center of God’s mission in the world today – those with little or no access to the gospel, the world’s least reached peoples. Check out Joshua Project’s unreached people of the day (www.unreachedoftheday.org) or the USCWM’s global prayer digest (www.globalprayerdigest.org).
Let’s start to pray some big, hairy, audacious prayers and see what God does in response.
I see four key ideas in this benediction. First, it is imperative that we see God as powerful. Theologically we know this to be true. But practically we often see God as impotent. We doubt that He is really in control of or involved in the mess we see in the world we live in and the mess our lives sometimes are.
Second, we need to pray big, audacious prayers. We need to tap into all our creativity and innovation, and ask God to do some wildly significant things. We need to claim the promises of Scripture, and ask Him for outrageous things.
Third, we need to not only see God as powerful, but see His power at work in us, His body, His Church. We are not all, but certainly part, of how God will answer our prayers. He will share His power freely with us as we prove faithful to use it to further His mission in the world, and not our own.
And finally, our prayers need to focus on the glory of God. Not some self-focused desire or personal agenda. We need to become consumed with what will advance God’s reputation and God’s mission in the world. Not what will add to my or someone else’s personal peace and affluence.
So what should you and I pray?
A great place to start is with the hundreds of unconditional promises found in Scripture. But guided by the framework that God laid out for Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3. “Blessed to be a blessing.” Not asking God to bless us as an end in itself (prosperity gospel). But asking God to allow us to join with Him in His mission and use us as vehicles for blessing the nations.
A second suggestion is to begin to take advantage of some great daily prayer tools to pray for those at the very center of God’s mission in the world today – those with little or no access to the gospel, the world’s least reached peoples. Check out Joshua Project’s unreached people of the day (www.unreachedoftheday.org) or the USCWM’s global prayer digest (www.globalprayerdigest.org).
Let’s start to pray some big, hairy, audacious prayers and see what God does in response.
Monday, February 7, 2011
from February 6, 2011 prayer update
I am handling the resource table (selling books, DVDs, etc.) at one of Austin’s two Perspectives on the World Christian Movement classes this spring. This class, hosted by my home church, has more than 120 students participating, with a healthy mix of older and younger students. We have already completed 3 of the 15 sessions.
I love this class. It looks at missions through four lens: Biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic. It brings in a different expert from across the U.S. to serve as the speaker each week. And there are excellent reading assignments between each class with articles written by global experts. I have the privilege of teaching the lesson “the task remaining” in Kansas City and Columbia, MO this spring. And teaching the lesson “world Christian partnership” in Fort Worth, Tyler, and Costa Rica this spring.
The class is fantastic at casting vision for unreached (least reached) peoples around the world. According to Joshua Project there are 16,594 distinct people groups living today on this planet. 9723 of these are reached (more than 2% evangelical Christian), 6871 are unreached (less than 2%). Of the 6871 unreached peoples, approximately half have Christian outreach efforts that have begun among their people. Sadly half (approximately 3400 people groups) are totally unengaged. And 632 of these unengaged unreached peoples involve populations of at least 50,000 people. These 632 largest unengaged unreached people groups represent the highest priority of missions sending organizations like Pioneers.
These unreached peoples stand in strong contrast to the U.S. where, according to the 2010 edition of Operation World, 77.6% of the population are professing Christians and 28.9% are evangelical Christians. This is not to say there is no longer a need for evangelism in the U.S., but not nearly on the scale of many other places around the globe. The issue is access to the gospel. Many people groups still do not have any access whatsoever.
The Perspectives class has been rightly critiqued as being too conceptual, without enough hands on experience and practical ways for participants to engage in what they have been challenged with. Virtually everyone leaves the class with a new view of their Bibles and the world. They are highly motivated to get involved in some way with missions. Local churches that have folks attending Perspectives this spring would be wise to plan ahead. Make certain you have tracks that goers, senders, welcomers, and mobilizers coming out of the class can travel down long-term. Be an excellent steward of this God provided opportunity. Take the initiative to meet one-on-one with each class participant before June and help them identify specific and appropriate next steps. Then walk with them as they embrace (perhaps for the first time) God’s global mission.
I love this class. It looks at missions through four lens: Biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic. It brings in a different expert from across the U.S. to serve as the speaker each week. And there are excellent reading assignments between each class with articles written by global experts. I have the privilege of teaching the lesson “the task remaining” in Kansas City and Columbia, MO this spring. And teaching the lesson “world Christian partnership” in Fort Worth, Tyler, and Costa Rica this spring.
The class is fantastic at casting vision for unreached (least reached) peoples around the world. According to Joshua Project there are 16,594 distinct people groups living today on this planet. 9723 of these are reached (more than 2% evangelical Christian), 6871 are unreached (less than 2%). Of the 6871 unreached peoples, approximately half have Christian outreach efforts that have begun among their people. Sadly half (approximately 3400 people groups) are totally unengaged. And 632 of these unengaged unreached peoples involve populations of at least 50,000 people. These 632 largest unengaged unreached people groups represent the highest priority of missions sending organizations like Pioneers.
These unreached peoples stand in strong contrast to the U.S. where, according to the 2010 edition of Operation World, 77.6% of the population are professing Christians and 28.9% are evangelical Christians. This is not to say there is no longer a need for evangelism in the U.S., but not nearly on the scale of many other places around the globe. The issue is access to the gospel. Many people groups still do not have any access whatsoever.
The Perspectives class has been rightly critiqued as being too conceptual, without enough hands on experience and practical ways for participants to engage in what they have been challenged with. Virtually everyone leaves the class with a new view of their Bibles and the world. They are highly motivated to get involved in some way with missions. Local churches that have folks attending Perspectives this spring would be wise to plan ahead. Make certain you have tracks that goers, senders, welcomers, and mobilizers coming out of the class can travel down long-term. Be an excellent steward of this God provided opportunity. Take the initiative to meet one-on-one with each class participant before June and help them identify specific and appropriate next steps. Then walk with them as they embrace (perhaps for the first time) God’s global mission.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
from January 16, 2011 prayer update
A week back, I began teaching a 16 part series on the book of Ephesians in one of the adult Bible fellowships in my home church. The series is titled “BE the Church”.
We all know that the local church is NOT a building. Nor is it an event (like Sunday morning corporate worship). Although frequently our vocabulary (and perhaps our practice) is not always consistent with what we know to be true.
We (the believers) are the Church, both in its local expression and in its universal expression. We are the Church 24x7, not just for a few hours on Sunday mornings at a particular location. As a matter of fact, the Church should be at its best when it not gathered together at a specific location, but when it is dispersed in a community, seriously engaging in its calling.
The church building is NOT the “house of the Lord”. We are where God has chosen to take up His residence. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” I Corinthians 3:16. God indwells and empowers His people, not bricks and mortar.
Rick Warren, in his book The Purpose Driven Church, describes five core functions of the Church: worship, community, discipleship, service, and outreach. Interestingly these are the same five core functions that he describes for the individual believer in his best seller, The Purpose Driven Life. Why? Because we are the Church.
Although there are five core functions, there is only one core mission for the Church – outreach (with both local and global components to it). God has called the Church (you and me) to seek and save the lost, in our natural spheres of influence and among the least reached globally.
I have seen a T-Shirt that reads “the church has left the building” – I love it! There is an apostolic (literally “sent ones”) role that did not cease 19 centuries ago. God has called every believer to GO. To embrace and be sent out to meaningfully join with Him in His mission.
Ephesians, like Paul’s other epistles, has two major sections. The first (chapters 1-3) I have titled “the high calling of Christ’s Church”. The second (chapters 4-6), “daily behavior and important relationships in Christ’s Church.”
Paul begins with the conceptual (doctrine / theology about the Church). We need to understand conceptually who we are and why we exist. But he then shifts to the practical, what should our daily lives look like as we live out these truths? Paul talks about things like unity in the Body, the priority of equipping every believer to be a worker, the process of life transformation, the importance of personal holiness, wise and Spirit empowered living, and spiritual warfare. He also discusses what it means to be the Church in our marriages, in our parenting, and in the workplace.
Great stuff! Are you playing church or have you seriously embraced BEing the Church? There is a BIG difference.
We all know that the local church is NOT a building. Nor is it an event (like Sunday morning corporate worship). Although frequently our vocabulary (and perhaps our practice) is not always consistent with what we know to be true.
We (the believers) are the Church, both in its local expression and in its universal expression. We are the Church 24x7, not just for a few hours on Sunday mornings at a particular location. As a matter of fact, the Church should be at its best when it not gathered together at a specific location, but when it is dispersed in a community, seriously engaging in its calling.
The church building is NOT the “house of the Lord”. We are where God has chosen to take up His residence. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” I Corinthians 3:16. God indwells and empowers His people, not bricks and mortar.
Rick Warren, in his book The Purpose Driven Church, describes five core functions of the Church: worship, community, discipleship, service, and outreach. Interestingly these are the same five core functions that he describes for the individual believer in his best seller, The Purpose Driven Life. Why? Because we are the Church.
Although there are five core functions, there is only one core mission for the Church – outreach (with both local and global components to it). God has called the Church (you and me) to seek and save the lost, in our natural spheres of influence and among the least reached globally.
I have seen a T-Shirt that reads “the church has left the building” – I love it! There is an apostolic (literally “sent ones”) role that did not cease 19 centuries ago. God has called every believer to GO. To embrace and be sent out to meaningfully join with Him in His mission.
Ephesians, like Paul’s other epistles, has two major sections. The first (chapters 1-3) I have titled “the high calling of Christ’s Church”. The second (chapters 4-6), “daily behavior and important relationships in Christ’s Church.”
Paul begins with the conceptual (doctrine / theology about the Church). We need to understand conceptually who we are and why we exist. But he then shifts to the practical, what should our daily lives look like as we live out these truths? Paul talks about things like unity in the Body, the priority of equipping every believer to be a worker, the process of life transformation, the importance of personal holiness, wise and Spirit empowered living, and spiritual warfare. He also discusses what it means to be the Church in our marriages, in our parenting, and in the workplace.
Great stuff! Are you playing church or have you seriously embraced BEing the Church? There is a BIG difference.
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