Preparation question
- What comes to mind when you think of mission?
Video
Pray
Introduction
- If a church isn’t sending, it’s ending. This may sound counter-intuitive, but usually churches that are raising up and sending out missionaries and church planters are vibrant churches.
Questions
- Do you know some of those Dundonald has ‘sent’ in recent years?
- How much do you know about the Co-Mission network?
Bible study
- Read Acts 11 v 19-30; 13 v 1-3
- How do we see God at work through people as the Antioch church is established (11 v 19-25)?
- What different roles do Barnabas and Saul play?
- What attitude do the Antioch Christians have toward other churches, toward Saul and Barnabas, toward unreached people, and toward God himself? What does this teach us as a local church today?
- Why do you think it took persecution and scattering to get this cross-cultural outreach going?
- When and how do we do this as a church?
Reflection
- How outward-looking are we as a church or small group? What would be one step we could take to grow in this area together?
- In our church, what could we do to follow the example of Barnabas? How could we encourage others to do the same?
- What will we pray for our church, our community, and the world in the light of this passage?
- Who will we support? If your group isn’t linked to a missionary, ask to be partnered with one who you can support.
- Consider where they are serving. What’s it like? What do they do? What needs might they have as they serve? What challenges might they be facing?
- How will you reach out to support them? Ideas: Write a letter, give them a call, pray for them regularly, or send a gift or a care package.
- Sending (losing) people is hard – how can we grieve them no longer being in our church while at the same time rejoicing at the gospel work they are doing? How does the hope of heaven make a difference to this?
Prayer
- Lord, we pray, as we are taught, for all people, believing that this is good and acceptable in your sight, for you want all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, and of Jesus Christ, who gave himself a ransom for all.
Oh, look with compassion on the world that lies in wickedness, and let the prince of this world be cast out, who has blinded people’s minds.
Oh, let your ways be known upon earth, that those who live without you in the world may be brought to your service; and thus let your saving health be known to all nations.
Let the people praise you, O God; yes, let all the people praise you.
Oh, let the nations be glad, and sing for joy, for you shall judge the people righteously and govern the nations upon earth.
Give your Son the nations for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth as his possession.
Let all the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ.
Action Points
- Get to know the different kinds of people and cultures of your local area.
- Commit to regularly encouraging someone who is engaged in evangelism and mission.
- Meditate on the mercy and grace of Christ in saving you.
- Get involved in church planting by praying, giving, supporting, or going.
Further resources
- Book: Love Your Church (Ch 8) by Tony Merida
- Book: Gospel DNA by Richard Coekin
- Song: Let Your Kingdom Come by Sovereign Grace
Send at Dundonald
- The key principles of who we support and the current list of Mission Partners are available on our website (dundonald.org/partnerships)
- For anyone interested in pursuing a conversation about serving in cross-cultural mission, come and talk with Support Ministry Leader Mark Vernon about the International Cafe, or the Co-Mission Mission Forum, or with Beth Buchanan in her roles as Support Ministry Advisor at Dundonald and Director of Mission Personnel at Crosslinks.
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