May 1, 2014 Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission

Whatever Happened to Mission?

What Happened to Missions?

D espite the clarity of Jesus' commission to his followers, we have seen a “marginalisation of mission” over the last 2,000 years.

1. Mission has been belittled in the church.

Many Christians have inherited mindset in church that has almost excluded mission altogether or has pushed it to the sideline of what church is all about. For years, mission has had little importance to the average Christian. Our own needs are so great that we easily neglect the mission mandate, leaving it to the few “mission-heads” who feel the call. Mission’s reputation? Boring slide shows from the jungles of Africa. Unfortunately, for too long mission has not been seen as a priority for the church or for every Christian.

2. Mission has been overlooked in the Scripture(s).

Our understanding of Scripture is often viewed through spectacles that filter out mission. We focus so easily on the blessing God as for us (salvation) and miss our mandate to be a blessing to others (mission). Most people, when asked why does the church exist, answer, “To meet my needs”.

God’s promise to Abraham – “… in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Gen.12:3).” In the previous chapter, we have the account of the Tower of Babel and the confusion of languages. Ethnicity and cultural diversity became the dominant characteristic of the human race. The very next incident is the calling of Abraham and the very purpose of his called was a promised blessing of every variety of those human cultures. This covenant promise is repeated to Isaac and Jacob and finds fulfilment in the book of Revelation where we see God’s redeemed people – from every race, tribe, people and language gathered around the throne of the Lamb (Revelation 5:9; 7:9-10).

Galatians 3:8. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."

Paul interprets this by saying that God was preaching the gospel to Abraham so that through him it would reach all the peoples in the world. This thread of revelation about the gospel and God’s covenant with Abraham runs through the entire Bible (a huge narrative of mission).

We have tended to focus on salvation to the exclusion of mission. We have been saved because of mission and now we have the awesome responsibility to win others as part of our mission. The doctrine of salvation (soteriology) must not be separated for the doctrine of missions (missiology). Salvation and mission are not to be divorced from each other. What Jesus has done for us must move forward to an embracing of what Jesus wants to do through us.

3. Missions has been sidelined in church history.

Notice the slowness of the disciples to catch the vision for world evangelisation. God’s love for the Gentiles is constantly stated in the Bible, yet the people of Israel failed to see their role as a blessing to the world. This is why Jesus appeared so radical – he reached out to the despised Samaritans, Greeks, traitorous tax-collectors and the hated Romans. Even just before Jesus’ ascension, the disciples wanted to know about when God would restore the kingdom to Israel.

After Pentecost, the disciples were so caught up in the amazing revival and enormous church growth that they failed to move to the wider implementation of the Great Commission. It took a number of years and much persecution to finally get the church to actually move outside of Jerusalem with the intent to bringing others to Christ. In fact, it was through the martyrdom of Stephen and the preaching of Phillip, both deacons, that they finally spread outside Jerusalem. Even then, the apostles stayed in Jerusalem and the ordinary believers went out.

It took the church at Antioch, rather than the Jerusalem church, to finally become a launching pad for world evangelisation. Then the apostles began to go to distant lands and peoples with the gospel. The NT church eventually obeyed the Lord Jesus.

Unfortunately, after the end of the first century, mission almost disappeared from the church for 1700 years. There was little interest in world evangelisation during this long period of time. Mission has been sidelined from the central place it has in God’s heart. The focus was on doctrine, church structures and personal spirituality.

The mainline Reformers and those that followed them assumed that the key Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) had been obeyed and achieved by the apostolic church and that all that remained was to evangelise locally. WHY? This was because of wrong priorities, coldness of heart, blindness, a distorted worldview. There has been missionary effort throughout the history of the church but usually through a FEW, and not through the mainstream of the church. Historians, when writing about church history, had little focus on the importance of missionary advance.

Something significant happened a little over 200 years ago that dramatically affected the history of the church. There has been an incredible escalation in world evangelisation, both local and global. Research has led to mobilisation, goal-setting and staggering growth in numbers of Christians and churches around the world. The good news of Jesus has spread through radio and television ministry, Bible translation, prayer ministries and church planting. After many years of barrenness and retreat, the church started to obey Jesus' commission – at least, in parts.

What happened?

Read part 3 to find out.

[Thoughts gleaned from The Church is Bigger Than You Think by Patrick Johnstone]

May 1, 2014 Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission

The Biblical Basis of World Impact

The dominant theme of Jesus' last 40 days on earth was world evangelisation and included a Great Commission:

Matthew 24:14. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. NIV

Acts 1:8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. NIV

This is an incredible global mission given to 11 people!

Minister locally in Jerusalem, their city (streets and neighbourhoods where they lived – local community).
Minister nationally, in Judea (wider state areas and national borders).
Minister to ethnic minorities in their land, like the despised Samaritans (difficult sections of the community, they would normally avoid).
Minister to other lands and continents, even to the ends of the earth.

Jesus didn’t emphasis one task over the other. He commissioned his followers to do all of them simultaneously. This was not a range of alternatives, but rather an overall concern. It was a wide-ranging comprehensive task – including all kinds of ministries (church planting, evangelism, community outreach, teaching, training and missions) in all parts of the world.

Whatever happened to mission?

Read part 2 to find out.

March 28, 2014 Mark Conner Church, Evangelism and Mission

Church Greeting Teams – The Search for a Friendly Church

When in the USA recently, one of our church staff members visited two large, well-known churches. The facilities and church services were first class, but at both churches … no one spoke to him. Sadly, this is all to commonplace today. Have we become high-tech and low-touch?

Here is a great article by Will Mancini called Smiling is Not Enough: Top 10 Mistakes of Church Greeting Teams.

The team at Auxano enjoys playing the role of “secret worshipper” when we take a church through our visioning process called the Vision Pathway. We call it a guest perspective evaluation. As I prepare to debrief a church again tomorrow, I want to share some general insights on welcoming ministry and hospitality for guests. Here are the top ten mistakes I see when volunteers are helping me as a first time guest:

#1 Volunteers have not thought in advance about my next step as a guest so they don’t know how to guide the conversation with me.

#2 Volunteers are talking with friends and don’t notice me.

#3 Volunteers are doing task work and are not available or responsive the moment I show up.

#4 Volunteers generally hesitate when I initiate with a question.

#5 Volunteers don’t know where the most pertinent information is located.

#6 Volunteers tell me what to do with no information or tools or other people to help me.

#7 Volunteers generally look preoccupied, distracted or unsure of themselves in their non-verbals even when being friendly.

#8 Volunteers are unaware of the basic “how to” questions for checking-in children of every age.

#9 Volunteers don’t introduce me to others at the church.

#10 Volunteers gave me written information that is not important, pertinent or strategic (sending me on a b-line to the trash can).

If you want more resources on welcoming ministry and church guest services, check out VisionRoom.com and follow Bob Adams who works as Auxano’s Vision Room curator and guest services maven. Here is a list of resources on his blog.

March 9, 2014 Mark Conner Biographies, Evangelism and Mission

Saint Patrick

In about a week's time (17th March), Irish people all around the world will celebrate St. Patrick's day, which has become both a religious and cultural holiday in Ireland. St. Patrick is also highly esteemed highly by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran Churches.

Only two letters survive about Patrick's life and mission, although there is a host of other material containing various traditions about him. He was captured by a group of pirates as a 16 year old and taken to Ireland as a slave. He lived there for 6 years before escaping and returning home to Great Britain. During his captivity he had a conversion experience and became a follower of Christ. Eventually, he returned to Ireland as a missionary – by his own choice.

St. Patrick took the Gospel from Britain to the pagan tribes of Ireland (approx 457-492 AD). This was the time of the druids. It is believed that he was instrumental in seeing over 200 churches planted, over 100,000 people becoming followers of Christ, and 1000s of people being baptised.

St. Patrick was a missionary who connected the Gospel to local culture for the purpose of mission. Many refer to this as the “Celtic Way of Evangelism". It was steeped in prayer, humble living, connection with the local community of people, and finding God at work, even in the pagan culture. Patrick baptised many of the pagan symbols with spiritual and Christian meaning, including the shamrock (a lucky charm which he used to speak of the Trinity) and the highly symbolic Celtic cross which he created.

We have much to learn from St. Patrick as we seek to engage in God's mission in our world today.

November 4, 2013 Mark Conner Church, Evangelism and Mission

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

During the month of November, many churches around the world set aside time to prayer for the persecuted church. Believers in countries such as Egypt, Eritrea, India, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and Vietnam face violence, imprisonment and even death because of their faith in Jesus Christ. There are other places in the world such as North Korea where acts of persecution take place, but we don’t see or hear of it. Brother Andrew of Open Doors once said: 'Our heroes are not with us simply because they are in prison.'

IDOP is a time set apart for us to remember thousands of our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who suffer persecution, simply because they confess Jesus Christ as Lord.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) reports that more than 14,000 people around the world are martyred for their faith each year, though that number only includes reported cases. Christians who aren't killed are sometimes beaten, deprived of food or imprisoned. Believing children are sometimes rejected by their families or turned away from their schools. In other cases, the homes of believers are burned down by their persecutors.

"Jesus promised his church that there would be persecution and tribulations," GFA Founder and President K.P. Yohannan said in a statement. "Tens of thousands of believers, missionaries and pastors are experiencing the reality of persecution on a daily basis. Yet they recognize the honor it is to suffer for his sake. May the Lord lead us with his burden to intercede for these brothers and sisters."

More than half a million churches in 150 nations participate in the IDOP each year, according to the event's website. Some organizations are encouraging believers to observe the day of prayer on Nov. 3 and others on Nov. 10, but Dykstra says Christians need to also make an effort to pray for persecuted believers year-round. American believers can also offer their support, he says, by speaking up about persecution to their representatives in Washington, by getting involved with campaigns by Open Doors and other like-minded organizations and by becoming more mindful of the global church.

"Become a global Christian…Be informed about the status of Christians wherever they are. When you read, watch or listen to the world news, think about how believers are being attacked," said Dykstra.

Each year Open Doors publishes the World Watch List, which ranks the 50 nations where Christians are most persecuted for their faith. North Korea has held the top spot on the list for the last 11 years, as Christians there are often arrested, tortured, forced into labor camps or executed under the Communist regime. Other nations in the World Watch List's top 10 are Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Maldives, Mali, Iran, Yemen and Eritrea.

Why not explore the variety of resources on the IDOP website or Open Doors One in Prayer and join Christians worldwide in praying for persecuted Christians this November.

April 22, 2013 Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission

30 Ways to be Missional in your Workplace

Many times it’s difficult to find practical ways to be a blessing in your workplace. Rapid pace, mounting deadlines, or co-worker conflict can often derail even the best of intentions to say and show the love of Jesus at work. Yet, it is important for us to know what it looks like to bring gospel intentionality to our jobs.

Recently, Josh Reeves posted some very practical ideas for blessing others in the workplace. Hopefully this will help spark a few ideas for connecting with and blessing your coworkers.

1. Instead of eating lunch alone, intentionally eat with other co-workers and learn their story.

2. Get to work early so you can spend some time praying for your co-workers and the day ahead.

3. Make it a daily priority to speak or write encouragement when someone does good work.

4. Bring extra snacks when you make your lunch to give away to others.

5. Bring breakfast once a month for everyone in your department.

6. Organize a running/walking group in the before or after work.

7. Have your missional community/small group bring lunch to your workplace once a month.

8. Create a regular time to invite co-workers over or out for drinks.

9. Make a list of your co-workers birthdays and find a way to bless everyone on their birthday.

10. Organize and throw office parties as appropriate to your job.

11. Make every effort to avoid gossip in the office. Be a voice of thanksgiving not complaining.

12. Find others that live near you and create a car pool.

13. Offer to throw a party for a co-worker who is having a baby.

14. Offer to cover for a co-worker who needs time off for something.

15. Start a regular lunch out with co-workers (don’t be selective on the invites).

16. Organize a weekly/monthly BBQ to make lunch a bit more exciting.

17. Ask someone who others typically ignore if you can grab them a coffee/drink while you’re out.

18. Be the first person to greet and welcome new people.

19. Make every effort to know the names of co-workers and clients along with their families.

20. Visit co-workers when they are in the hospital.

21. Bring appropriate drinks to work to keep in your break room for co-workers to enjoy. Know what your co-workers like.

22. Go out of your way to talk to your cleaning people who most people overlook.

23. Find out your co-workers favorite music and make a playlist that includes as much as you can (if suitable for work).

24. Invite your co-workers in to the service projects you are already involved in.

25. Start/join a city sports team with your co-workers.

26. Organize a weekly co-working group for local entrepreneurs at a local coffee shop.

27. Start a small business that will bless your community and create space for mission.

28. Work hard to reconcile co-workers who are fighting with one another.

29. Keep small snacks around to offer to others during a long day.

30. Lead the charge in organizing others to help co-workers in need.

Why not pick one of these ideas and act on it this week!

[Source]

December 2, 2011 Mark Conner Church, Contemporary Culture, Evangelism and Mission

Australian Communities Report

Olive Tree Media recently launched the results from their Australian Communities Report conducted by McCrindle Research to discover what Australians really think of Christian faith, Christians and the Church. Held in Sydney on 4th November, the research was launched by Archbishop Peter Jensen. Mark McCrindle, Principal of McCrindle Research presented the findings to 50 church leaders and business people. Click here to watch excerpts of the presentation and here to download a summary of the research results or purchase a copy of the full report.

The Research was commissioned in preparation for a new Apologetics Series being produced by Olive Tree Media in 2012 which will tackle the issues arising from the research.

Some interesting insights from the research include:

Overall, 1 in 2 Australians do not identity with a religion. 40% consider themselves Christian. 31% do not identify with a religion or spiritual belief, while another 19% consider themselves spiritual but not religious.
Parents and family have a strong influence on people's perceptions of Christians and Christianity.
There is significant "warmth" towards Christianity by a large proportion of Australians.
The church's views on homosexuality, hell and science were seen as potential faith blockers.
There was a surprisingly high awareness of some of the core teachings of Jesus, although 6% of Australians believe that "Such is life" was a statement made by Jesus (actually it was Ned Kelly!). More surprisingly, 28% of those surveyed had no idea when Jesus lived and 27% believed he lived in ancient times (BC).

We live in a land of great opportunity. Although only 10% of Australians attend church on a weekend, many are open to a real and living faith, especially when modeled by their peers and friends. Let's continue to pray and believe that the Australian church will reach many more Aussies with the good news of Jesus Christ in these next few decades.

November 20, 2011 Mark Conner Current Issues, Evangelism and Mission

Justice Trumps Spices (Pt.3)

Practicing Justice

Let's take this first important matter that Jesus mentions: justice. How can we move from believing in justice to actually living it out in practice? It requires as to ACT and that involves three things:

Awareness - Ignorance is not bliss. Sticking our head in the sand until the storm blows over is bot meant to be an option for us as Christ followers. Jesus has called us to be ‘salt’ and ‘light’ (Matt.5:12-13) which both involve a proactive positive influence on our world. We now live in a global village and we need to have our eyes andears open to the needs and the cries of those who are hurting (see Prov.31:8-9). Abraham Heschel once said, "The opposite of good is not evil, it is indifference. Indeed, our very humanity depends upon our compassion."

We can do this though simply watching the news, listening to people’s stories, and become involved with ministries that advance the cause of justice such as World Vision, Compassion and our own Everyday Justice ministry. Churches commemorating Abolitionist Sunday is an example of creating awareness.

Jesus saw the multitudes as sheep who were lost and harassed because they had no shepherd … and he then acted, calling his disciples to prayer and sending them out to be the answer to their own prayer. Open your eyes and see the needs in our world. Hear the cries of the poor and oppressed. Feel what God feels.

Continue reading “Justice Trumps Spices (Pt.3)” →

November 20, 2011 Mark Conner Current Issues, Evangelism and Mission

Justice Trumps Spices (Pt.2)

Weightier Matters

In the Pentateuch, there was as many as 613 different laws or commandments that God’s people were meant to keep – 248 affirmative commands and 365 negative commands. Debates and discussions often occurred as to which were the more important ones. One teacher of the law even asked Jesus this question: “What is the most important commandment?” Jesus selected two: “Love the Lord your God …” and “love your neighbour as yourself.” While not neglecting the others, Jesus made it clear that these are the two most important commands and that if a person does these two things, they essentially encapsulate the rest of God’s requirements for his people.

Unfortunately, the Pharisees had focused on the minute details of tithing but had neglected other commands that were more important in the eyes of God. Jesus mentions three specific priorities: justice, mercy and faithfulness.

In some ways, Jesus was novel in his teaching, bringing new revelation about God and his kingdom. In other ways, Jesus continued in the tradition of the prophets of old. In this teaching, he is simply reinforcing the message that the prophets has preached time and again to God’s people. Here is one example from the prophet Micah … “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah.6:8).”

Continue reading “Justice Trumps Spices (Pt.2)” →

November 20, 2011 Mark Conner Current Issues, Evangelism and Mission

Justice Trumps Spices (Pt.1)

In Matthew 23, we have a record of Jesus’ strong condemnation of the religious leaders of his day, who had not led the people faithfully and who had become hypocritical and legalistic. Here is one of the seven “woe’s” he gave them: “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law — justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things (NLT).”

To Tithe or Not to Tithe

The entire Israelite nation ran on a system of tithing, or of giving 10% of one’s income for the support of the Levites who worked at the temple and the needs of the poor (Deut.14:22. Lev.27:30). Being primarily an agrarian society, this mainly included the giving of produce from the farms. Mint, dill and cumin were herbs (spices) from the kitchen garden and they were only grown in very small quantities and to tithe them would be such a small amount that most people would not have even worried about it. But the Pharisees were pedantic tithers!

Jesus actually commends them for their attention to such detail. Giving is important and we should honour God with our resources.

There has been a lot of debate about tithing over the years …

Some churches and preachers believe that all of the Old Testament laws of tithing still apply to Christians today. They believe that if Christians don’t tithe they are under a curse and will not receive the blessing of God in their lives (see Mal.3:8-12). I have even heard of one preacher who apparently said that there were people who were sick in his church – because they hadn’t been tithing faithfully! Other churches and preachers believe that the teaching about tithing is no longer relevant for Christians today and that we are no longer under these laws. There are plenty of books and articles out there against tithing.

So what is the best approach to the matter of tithing? Under the New Covenant, everything (100%!) that we have is to be seen as belonging to God and available for his use at any time. The teaching in the New Testament about giving focuses on “generosity.” No specific percentage is mandated. Zaccheus gave half (50%) of his goods to the poor upon his conversion and Barnabas gave all (100%) of the proceeds of a block of land he sold for the work of the church in Jerusalem. Under grace, we give, not because we have to (out of a sense of duty) OR because we are afraid of being judged if we don’t, but because we want to – voluntarily, willingly, generously and joyfully (see Paul’s teaching in 2 Cor.8-9).

In our church community, we teach that giving 10% of our income to God’s work in the world, is an excellent principle (not a law). It is a regular reminder that all we have comes from God. It teaches us to live by faith, as we have to trust our 90% to go further with God's help than we could make our 100% go without God's assistance. It also helps us keep control of our finances. One of the major causes of financial difficulties today is people spending more then they are earning (whatever level of income they have). Regular giving and saving help to curb the spirit of greed in our culture, because they require us to live within our means, which is the key to financial freedom. Finally, it helps to resource the work of the local church. We are very thankful to our church members who commit to support the work of God through the church by giving 10% of their income. Without them, we could not be able to engage in the level of ministry we are involved in today, both locally and around the world. So for us, tithing is a practice that we as leaders model and one which we encourage all followers of Christ to adopt as part of their financial stewardship before God.

Notice that Jesus commends the Pharisees for handling their giving well. They went the extra mile when it came to their tithing and Jesus affirmed them for this (one of the few times he ever does so). However, there are other more important things …

Click here for part 2.

August 28, 2011 Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission, Relationships

Known by our Love

Jesus’ dream was that his followers would be known by their love (Jn.13:34-35). Think of all the various qualities Jesus could have told us to be known for – truth, justice, holiness, or righteousness. All of these are very important, yet Jesus’ desire was that LOVE be the mark, measure and goal for his new community – the church.

The apostle Paul picked up on this priority of love from Jesus. In a letter to church at Corinth he addressed various groups within the church that had developed a variety of priorities and pursuits (1 Cor.13:1-3). To those pursuing more spiritual experience, he said, “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” To those pursuing more knowledge, he said, “If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge … but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.” To those pursuing more power he said, “If I had such faith that I could move mountains but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.” To those pursuing acts of heroism he said, “If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.” As interesting and as noble as these pursuits may be, Paul was concerned that secondary things had become of primary importance. His shock statements were intended to knock them out of their complacency in order to bring everything back into proper perspective. The core of the Christian life is LOVE. This is what matters most. We all need to be reminded of this every once in a while.

I Want to Know What Love Is

Love is such a misunderstood word and concept today. It can mean anything from friendship to romance to sex. Jesus came to demonstrate a love of another kind – a love that caused him to be willing to lay his life down for us (Jn.15:12-13). It was a self-giving, sacrificial love … all for the benefit of others. It was a love unparalleled in the world.

In the letter to the Corinthian church mentioned above, Paul paints of portrait of the kind of love God wants us to be known for (1 Cor.13:4-7). This love is patient and kind. It is not jealous or envious of others. It is not boastful or proud. It is not rude or always demanding its own way. It is not easily irritated and it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not rejoice in injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. It never gives up and never loses faith. It is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.

God offers us this kind of love so that we experience it deeply … then pass it on to other people around about us. We are to pay forward what God has given so freely to us. Love is to be the hallmark of those in whose lives the presence of God is being reflected. For us to be known by our love, our love needs to not only be genuine, it needs to be VISIBLE. People are to SEE the love that we have for each other.

Spheres of Influence

The first sphere where we need to be known by our love is within our local church family. God sets the solitary in families and each follower of Christ needs to part of a community of other people who are also following Christ. The Christian faith is not a solo sport. It is something we do together with others. Our love is demonstrated through our relationships with our natural family (Eph.5:21-6:4), our Christian friends, and our brothers and sisters in Christ (1Pet.3:8). Genuine love involves looking and listening to what is happening in other people’s lives then seeking to respond through encouragement, service, practical support or prayer (1 John 3:11-19; 4:7-21). It is also a love that forgives and that seeks to resolve conflict if it occurs (Eph.4:1-3, 31-32).

The second sphere where we are to be known by our love is within the wider body of Christ. This refers to the Church of Jesus Christ made up of every true believer and local congregation that confesses Jesus as Lord and God (Eph.4:1-6. 1John 4:1-3). Today there are over 38,000 different Christian denominations, each claiming to have the truth. Let us never forget that truth is found in a person (Jesus) and that each of us has only a perspective of the truth. We need to unite around what we share in common (our faith in Jesus Christ) and be willing to accept our differences in secondary matters. Jesus desires that we be united in our love for each other (Jn.17:21).

The third sphere where we are to be known by our love is before the watching world. This was of primary concern to Jesus. He believed that our love for each other would prove to the world that we are truly his followers (Jn.13:34-35). Nothing so astonishes a fractured world as a community in which radical, faithful, genuine love is shared among its members. Sadly, the church is not always known for its love. Sometimes we are more known for what we are against than for what we are for. Yes, zeal for truth is important but God wants more from us than just seeking to have correct doctrine. Our genuine love for one another, as well as our love for our community, demonstrated by acts of service and compassion, is to be our priority.

Sample Discussion Questions

What do you think Jesus had in mind when he told his followers that they were to be known by their love? What did he see? What did he dream of?
Discuss the shock that Paul’s comments in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 would have had on his readers. What things can subtly become more important than love today?
What does genuine love look like in action? Make a list (then compare it to 1 Cor.13:4-7).
What are some ways we can work towards greater unity in the wider body of Christ?
How would you describe the reputation of the church in our society?
Is the church known as the most loving place in town? If not, what needs to change?
What are some practical ways that our small group could impact our local community with God’s love?

June 4, 2011 Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission

What is the “Gospel?”

Have you ever done any street witnessing before? It’s definitely not an activity for the faint of heart! I was involved with some street teams many years ago and we had some good conversations with people. I really admire people who still engage in street evangelism or door-to-door witnessing today and I have heard some amazing stories of people coming to Christ this way. However, it is important that we not see this as the only means of evangelism. Otherwise, we can wrongly think that evangelism is only for the courageous people who are bold enough to start up conversations with strangers in public. Evangelism is intended to be a normal part of the everyday life of all followers of Christ, not a ‘mode’ that a few people go into on a Friday evening or whenever. It is also not necessary to download the entire gospel story in every conversation we have with people. More often than not, we’ll be answering questions (Col.4:5-6. 1 Pet.3:15) and sharing brief ‘sound bites’ more than giving a detailed doctrinal presentation. Sharing our faith involves more than talking too. Prayer, acts of service, and loving actions are also an important part of sharing God’s love with people. Finally, we need to realise that the gospel is much broader than just personal salvation, as important as that is.

A Biblical Understanding of the Gospel

The word “gospel” means “good news.” It was a media term in the ancient world, similar to our idea of a newsflash. It involved the announcement of important events or achievements. Gospel language was already known to God’s people (Israel) centuries before the Roman Empire. The biblical gospel begins in the Old Testament, not in Matthew. For example, during the time of Israel’s exile, they had lost their land, their city, their temple and their hope. They were in desperate need of “good news” and that is what the prophet Isaiah came preaching (see Isaiah 40:9; 41:27; 52:7-10; 61:1). The good news was that God reigns as King and his kingdom is coming, which meant peace, good things for all creation, and salvation for everyone. God returned to redeem his people and all the nations (Ps.96:1-3).

Far beyond the horizon of the Israelite exiles was the horizon of the greater arrival of God among his people in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The first gospel written opens with, “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah” (Mark 1:1) and goes on to quote from the prophet Isaiah. Very early in his ministry, Jesus declared himself as the preacher of this good news (Luke 4:16-21). For the Gospel writers, the good news was the long-awaited reign of the true sovereign that Jesus came proclaiming. The call was to repent and believe this good news.

Lee Camp, in his excellent book on discipleship, says, “The good news is not first and foremost a message that gives one hope for the afterlife, a message that one may have inner peace and tranquillity or that one may experience an authentic life. It is first and foremost a proclamation that the long-anticipated rule and reign of God has now come in the midst of human history.”

The apostle Paul offered the Corinthian church a brief summary of the gospel (1Cor.15:1-8). The gospel is not the announcement of a mere idea (God reigns) but how that reign has been revealed to the world through actual deeds of Jesus Christ (his birth, miracles, teaching, death, resurrection and eventual return). The preached gospel is identical with the written Gospels. It is about the life and work of Jesus Christ and it’s significance to a fallen, broken world. It is about both historical events and theological ideas intricately interwoven together. The “gospel” is about Jesus – his entire story from start to finish. The good news of the gospel is that God’s kingdom has arrived with Christ and we are invited to participate in what God is doing.

Recovering the Wholeness of the Gospel

The gospel truly is good news that speaks to and can transform every area of human life that has been touched by sin. It is individual and cosmic (affecting all creation). It is for believing and for living. It is to be proclaimed (words) and demonstrated (actions). Jesus not only preached; he went around “doing good” (Acts 10:38). Evangelism and social action need to work together closely.

New Testament scholar G.E. Ladd once said, “The Gospel must not only offer a personal salvation in the future life to those who believe; it must also transform all of the relationships of life here and now and thus cause the Kingdom of God to prevail in the world.”

N.T. Wright says, “Our task as Christians, in the midst of individual, social, corporate and cultural angst, is to demonstrate the love of God, a self-giving love that trumps suspicion through giving itself away. Our vocation is to tell the story (of the cross and resurrection of Jesus which displays the self-giving love of the God who made the world), to live it out in practice, and to answer the questions in such as way that we become the answer to our own prayers.”

Such good news is not to be hidden but to be announced everywhere – to the whole world. It is a story that needs to be told.

Reflection Questions

When is the first time you heard the word “gospel” and what did you think it meant at the time?
Describe your understanding of the gospel in a few words or a single sentence.
Share some of your experiences in “personal evangelism.” What have you learnt?
What is the danger of focusing only on the gospel as being a ticket to heaven when we die?
How is the gospel “good news” to the average Australian?
Can you see God at work in people around you who do not yet know him? Do you see any evident longings for justice, spirituality, relationships or beauty?
What activities can we engage in in order to BE good news to our world?

June 1, 2011 Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission

Incarnational Mission

The God we serve is a sending God. God sent Jesus and then He sends us (John 20:21). We are a sent people. Mission is who we are not just what we do. It is part of our core identity … even if we aren't sent very far.

The incarnation of Jesus Christ (God taking on human form) informs us as to how we are sent on mission. AS the father sent the Son into the world SO Jesus sends us. Mission is about going out while incarnation is about going deep.

Jesus is the best missionary that ever was … so let's learn from him. Here are six principles of incarnational mission from the life of Jesus:

1. Presence.

God was fully present in Jesus. Jesus was full God and fully man. He became one of us. This is identification. Jesus understands us incredibly well. He lived in an ordinary neighborhood for 30 years. He really understood them. No wonder he could connect with them so well.

We need to do the same. Learn about their language, culture, stories, interests, music, and heroes. Don't be too quick to speak. Don't presume to know them. Sit and listen … a lot. Look and learn. Build relationships and trust. Overseas missionaries get this but we often miss it.

2. Proximity.

Jesus didn't wait for people who come to him. He went to them. He was always on the road, at the marketplaces or synagogue. He got out of the religious zones to be where the people were.

Where you stand determines what you see. The need is there … it's just that we are not out there to see. Follow Jesus out into the neighbourhood. Take a step beyond where you are standing now.When we are removed, we are not living out our identity as the people of God. Fear and laziness tend to dominate us. We prefer to be comfortable. However, when we begin to see the need … our heart breaks and we want to respond. Don't wait for people to come to you. Go to them and connect.

3. Powerlessness.

Our God is humble (Phil.2:1-11). God became a baby – totally dependent and powerless. Jesus didn't start as a man. God emptied himself – the great humiliation. He came a humble servant not as a powerful king or with arrogance. We are to have the same attitude. There is no room for arrogance in those who follow a humble God.

4. Pre-venience.

Jesus truly believed that the father was already working in the hearts and lives of the people he was reaching out to. We are to do the same.

We don't 'bring' God with us when we go. He is already there. God doesn't limit his presence to baptized Christians. God is at work in every human being's life on the planet, drawing them toward Jesus … whether we are there or not. When we connect with them, God has already been at work. He has been there way longer than us. People are 'seekers.' They are having 'God moments,' they just don't know it's God … yet. Watch to see where God is at work. Approach people with this belief – and then help them make sense of what is happening to them. Join with God and see what he is doing in the lives of people – all people (even the most unexpected ones).

5. Passion.

Jesus has suffered and continues to suffer for a lost humanity every single day. We are to participate in the sufferings of Christ (Col.1:24). Struggle is part of the human condition and is central to the entire Christian message.

Passion comes out of identifying with people's pain. Everyone suffers but most have no belief system to make sense of it. It is a mystery for us too but we believe that there is a reason for it and at the heart of the Christian faith is a suffering God who understands and cares. Understand the pain of those you are called to reach. Their pain determines the psychology of who they are. Be real and raw. Feel and understand. Our understanding of pain can be our gift to the world.

6. Proclamation.

Jesus went about speaking the good news of the kingdom of God (Mk.1:14). He used word but he also embodied the message … he was the gospel.

We too are to speak to people about the good news. We often start here but it is important that we live the message as well as proclaim it. Learn to be the good news. People want to see how we live our lives. Live the words you speak. St. Francis once said, "Preach the gospel morning, noon and night … and if necessary, use words!" People are looking for authenticity not just more words, which are such abundant in supply in our culture.

Let's follow Jesus' example in mission. What a different place our world would be if each Christ-followed simply did what Jesus did.

[These notes were gleaned from a message by Deb Hirsch which is based on chapter 9 of the book Untamed by Alan and Debra Hirsch]

February 15, 2011 Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission

Reformation Needed

At last year's Third Lausanne Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, one of the speakers was Christopher Wright. In a stirring address, Wright compared in detail the sate of the church today and the church in the generations before Luther.

"What is the greatest obstacle to God's mission in the world?' Wright asked. "It is not other religions or a resistant culture. Our idolatry is the single biggest obstacle to world mission. We are a scandal, a stumbling block to the mission of God. Reformation is the desperate need of our day, and it must start with us. If we want to change the world, we must first change our world." He called for a new reformation beginning within evangelicalism.

Stirring words!

[Source: Christianity Today magazine, December 2010 – p.38]

September 9, 2010 Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission, Theology

Apologetics

The apostle Peter wrote the following to some first century followers of Christ …

"… worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ." [1 Peter 3:15-16. NLT]

The word translated "explain" in our English language (or "reason" in other translations) is the Greek word apologia, which means to give an account of yourself (in a legal sense) or an explanation and defence of your beliefs. From this thoughts emerges the concept of "apologetics", which refers to the development of a reasoned argument for a belief or set of beliefs.

Our faith as Christians involves a great degree of trust, but it is not faith without reason. There are good reasons for faith and we need to be prepared to share them with others. In helping to equip ourselves to know what we believe and why we believe it, there are a number of excellent resources. Here are a few that I would highly recommend:

www.apologetics.org – a web site sponsored by the C.S. Lewis society.
Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (CARM) – a web site dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith.
www.apologetics.com – a web site dedicated to challenging believers to think and thinkers to believe.
Ravi Zacharias Ministries – Ravi's ministry has some excellent resources on apologetics.
Lee Strobel – Lee was once a devout atheist but came to faith in Christ after investigating the claims of Jesus. He has produced a variety of very good videos and books, including the best-selling The Case for Christ.
N.T. Wright – Tom Wright is one of today's leading biblical scholars. His writings provide a wealth of material for thinking Christians.
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis – this classic is still one of the best explanations of the Christian faith.

As we share about our faith, God does not desire us to do so in an argumentative manner. After all, it is ultimately the Spirit of God that reveals Christ to the human heart, even though truth is often a part of the process.