VISION and STRATEGY Preparing for Growth

“A great commitment to the great commandment and the great commission will grow a great church.”

Vision statement “We desire to welcome 1000 members of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities.” MULTI-CULTURAL CHURCH Diversity and unity

Vision statement “We desire to empower every believer for significant service in God’s kingdom both now and in the future, sending out many into this and other nations.” SENDING CHURCH Church planting; business; education; the sciences; media; sports; the arts; etc.,

Vision statement “We desire to help establish churches in unreached areas of the world, especially in Central Asia and the Gulf.” UNREACHED: “Areas of the world where there is no viable indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelise their people without outside (cross-cultural) assistance.”

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THESE AIMS?

PSALM 67 “That your ways may be known on the earth, your salvation among ALL NATIONS.” “Send us around the world with news of your saving power and your eternal plan for ALL MANKIND.”

It is possible to be SAVED but also to be SELF-CENTRED “We want to use God for our purposes instead of being used by Him for His purposes.”

God’s purpose for us: Bring His salvation to the ends of the earth. Make disciples of all nations. Global mission not just local mission.

The biggest barrier to global mission is the way we think! We need A PARADIGM SHIFT

From self-centred thinking to other-centred thinking “Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” (1 Cor. 14 v 20) “For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many.” (1 Cor. 10 v 31-33)

Philippians 2 v 3,4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

From local thinking to global thinking Study the scriptures Discover how the gospel is advancing around the world

Gospel Advance – 1900/2000 Increase in believers (millions) AFRICA – 8 to 335 ASIA – 20 to 307 EUROPE – 368 to 536 LATIN AMERICA – 60 to 475 NORTH AMERICA – 60 to 212 OCEANIA – 4 to 21

REALITY in % world remains totally unevangelised 3,000 of the world’s 12,000 people groups (ethno-linguistic) have little or no witness The majority of the world’s 2.7 billion Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists still need reaching

What else can we do? Pray for specific nations or people groups: Operation World/ Window on the World 30 days of prayer for the Muslim World People Scan (People International) Persecuted Church – Open Doors, CSW Newfrontiers Teams (Magazine) City Church Members

Read or watch the news with “Great Commission” eyes Interact with people from another culture

ACTS 1 v 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem (own community), Judea (own country), Samaria (another culture) and to the ends of the earth (means what is says!) SIMULTANEOUS not SEQUENTIAL

From “here and now” thinking to “eternal” thinking “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is not seen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4 v 18)

1 Corinthians 7 v “I do want to point out, friends, that time is of essence. There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple – in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things – your daily routines of shopping and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you sees it is on its way out.

Eternal perspective also relates to money “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. (Luke 16 v 9) Jim Elliott “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

From thinking “excuses” to thinking “creative ways” Plenty of excuses! God has plenty of answers! Doors of opportunity are wide! God wants his whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.

PARADIGM SHIFT Self-centred >>>>>> Other-centred Locally >>>>>> Globally “Here and now” >>>>>> “Eternal” Excuses >>>>>> Creative ways

THERE IS A DAY GREAT COMMISION Will become GREAT COMPLETION!