OUR GOD OUR MISSION OUR COMMISSION Mandeville First Baptist Church January 27, 2013

OUR GOD

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S HEART Now the L ORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3 ESV) 1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah 2 that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah (Psalm 67:1–4 ESV)

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S HEARTUNDERSTANDING GOD’S HEART 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 ESV) 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, (Revelation 5:8–9 ESV) 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, (Revelation 7:9 ESV)

OUR MISSION & OUR COMMISSION

MISSION vs MINISTRY A Mission A Mission: Work that results in new believers or which will result in new churches It is intentionally focused on these results A Ministry A Ministry: Work that ministers to existing believers or churches

THE GREAT COMMISSION IS OUR MISSION allnations Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, (panta ta ethne, Root: ethnos) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19 ESV)

A FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATION Assessing Progress in Carrying Out the Great Commission

OUR EVALUATION PROCESS God has shown us in His Word that He views the world in PEOPLE GROUPS rather than geo- political nations The world has 7 BILLION people PEOPLE GROUPS They are divided into 11,342 PEOPLE GROUPS A PEOPLE GROUP is an ethno-linguistic group with a common self-identity shared by the various members.

PEOPLE GROUPS Biblical viewpoint A focus on languages and cultural barriers Provides a means of organic multiplication (when 2% is reached)

SO HOW ARE WE DOING? Assessing Progress in Carrying Out the Great Commission Evangelical Christianity

PEOPLE GROUPS REACHED REACHED > 2% are Evangelical Christians UNREACHED UNREACHED < 2% are Evangelical Christians UNENGAGED UNENGAGED = Nobody is preaching the Gospel UPG – Unreached People Group UUPG – Unreached and Unengaged People Group

THE BIG PICTURE PEOPLE GROUPS

Global Status of Evangelical Christianity Model Status Description 0 No evangelical Christians or churches. No access to major evangelical print, audio, visual, or human resources. 1 Less than 2% Evangelical. Some evangelical resources available, no active church planting within past 2 years. 2 Less than 2% Evangelical. Initial (localized) church planting within past 2 years. 3 Less than 2% Evangelical. Widespread church planting within past 2 years. 4 Greater than or equal to 2% Evangelical 5 Greater than or equal to 5% Evangelical 6 Greater than or equal to 10% Evangelical 7 Unknown

THE BIG PICTURE The Unreached The Last Frontier NO Evangelical Christians /churches NO access to evangelical resources* NO active church planting in 2 years Less than 2% evangelical Initial or widespread church planting in the past 2 yearsPOPULATION

OUR PROGRESS “The Last Frontier” – Category “0” and “1” 13% of the worlds population Not So Bad?

OUR PROGRESS “The Last Frontier” Categories 0 & 1 + “The Other Unreached” Categories 2 & 3 =4,192,663,816 60% of World Population is Unreached Categories 0 thru 3

RED IS LESS THAN 2%

What About Mandeville? 737 PEOPLE GROUPS in US & Canada 340,609,708 People in US & Canada Information you just saw did not include them In West St Tammany - 122,848 population in % of the population are Southern Baptist 3.0% of the population attends worship services 1.9% of the population attends Bible Study 24% of the “Christian” population attend church services

What About Your Family? What About Your Friend? What About Your Neighbor? What About Your Co-Worker?

God’s Heart Our Commission God’s Heart That All People Groups Would Come to Know Him and Be Saved Our Commission Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

The question is not – what can 12 people in a life group do? The question is what can we do with God if we are on mission FOR Him and WITH Him?

God’s Method YOU If you have been reconciled to God and thus consider yourself a follower of Jesus Christ, then YOU are the tool God will use. NO There is NO other plan.

God’s Method WE The Bible tells us that as we are reconciled to Him, WE are, therefore entrusted with the “message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). YOU God has chosen YOU, the church, to be His messenger to the world.

God’s Method EVERYEVERY It is up to EVERY believer and EVERY church to proclaim the message of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. WE There are many who do not yet believe because they have not heard, and how can they hear unless WE go and tell them (Romans 10:14-15).

A Time of Prayer

OUR PAST HISTORY OF MISSIONS WORK

Our Past Mission Work Missionaries Called to Plant Churches Hot Springs, South Dakota Bend, Oregon Short Term Mission Trips West Africa Costa Rica Peru Laredo Local Mission Work Hurricane Effects Crisis Pregnancies Samaritan Center Heritage Manor

Our Limited Involvement Internationally 25 current members have been participants on international mission trips 15 of the 25 were either pastors or youth (at the time) Average of 169 attended our adult Life Groups last year 6% of our Life Group members have been involved in International missionary efforts

Our Limited Involvement Locally Burt Class - Heritage Manor Some Individuals – Samaritan Center Single Mom’s Group – Crisis Pregnancy Center Youth – Secret Service Projects Hurricanes have been the trigger for our action in the past Much involvement but not as a group

CONCLUSION: Our Involvement Both Internationally and Locally Has Been Limited

QUESTIONS �

OUR 1 st GOAL Every Life Group Member Become A Missionary

OUR 2 nd GOAL Every Life Group Develop “NEAR” and “FAR” “NEAR” and “FAR” Mission Projects

NEAR Mission Project – St Tammany Parish FAR Mission Project – Outside St Tammany Parish

OUR PRIORITIES AND TIMELINE Our Priorities Our Priorities: 1 st - NEAR mission work 2 nd - FAR mission work Our Goals for Each Life Group Our Goals for Each Life Group: May 2013– A NEAR project identified Sep 2013 – Plans for NEAR & FAR projects May 2014 – Active NEAR & FAR projects

OUR CHALLENGE How Can We Develop Mission Opportunities For Every Life Group Both Near and Far?

NEAR Mission Opportunities Samaritan Center, Mandeville Hospice, Northshore Jail Ministry, St Tammany Parish Fairview Children’s Home, Covington Homeless Students, St Tammany Parish Youth Services Bureau, Covington Northlake Crisis Pregnancy Center, Covington BIG Brothers BIG Sisters, Northshore Chaplaincy to Sr. Adult Living Facilities

Potential FAR Mission Opportunities West Africa Other African Countries Barcelona Spain New York City Miami Baptist Children’s Home Louisiana College New Orleans World Changers : Senegal Belarus Dr. Herrod Laredo (Mardi Gras) Other Places God Leads Us to Accomplish His Mission

QUESTIONS �

PROJECT GUIDELINES

Pray for God to Work with Your Group Coordinators Can Help You from Your Group Coaching Strategy Incorporated Into Projects NEAR Project Working Before FAR Project Everybody Should Have a Role – A Team Effort Giving Money By Itself Is Not Involvement No Funding Planned for NEAR Projects Keep Mission Team in the Loop

FAR PROJECT GUIDELINES Pray for God to Work with Your Group FAR Projects: – Detailed Planning and Coordination with Missions Team – Are Not Vacations – Require Passports – Immunizations – Visas (some cases) – Require More Personal Risk or Sacrifice than NEAR Essential to Develop Relationships – Therefore, we need a recurring presence among a PEOPLE GROUP – Therefore, Don’t Plan Large Groups of People – Rather Frequent Teams of 2-4 (preferable 2 married couples) Pray About a PEOPLE GROUP You Can Choose to Pray for, Adopt, Reach with the Gospel

FOR ME AND EVERYBODY Don’t Give Money Unless You’re Praying Don’t Volunteer NEAR Unless You’re Praying Don’t Go FAR Unless You’re Praying

INFORMATION TODAY

QUESTIONS �