[SLIDESHOW=41514,41515,41516,41517]EDITOR’S NOTE: This analysis was submitted by the International Mission Board leading up to this year’s Week of Prayer for International Missions Nov. 29-Dec. 6. The theme is “Because of Who He Is” from Psalm 96:3 (HCSB).
See related column by Ronnie Floyd below this article.
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) — God deserves the worship of all people, and the Gospel is the only hope for the billions of people who have yet to hear.
This is why we go to unreached peoples and places: to share with those who live in hard places — sprawling cities, arid deserts, dense jungles and war-torn villages — where very few or no disciples are proclaiming the truth about Jesus in a way that can be understood.
Global missions is not a compartmentalized program of the church for a select few people; it is the purpose for which we all exist. Every church and every believer has a part to play in fulfilling Christ’s commission.
Today, globalization and urbanization present new opportunities for more men, women, singles and families to be active in international missions than ever before. As the International Mission Board equips churches to send ordinary Christians as missionaries to unreached people and places, it also partners with churches to send limitless missionary teams of business and medical professionals, students, retirees, teachers and others to work together in global cities.
Five biblical priorities fuel this partnership:
— Exalting Christ: Relying on the Word of God as the guidebook, both for the message proclaimed and the strategies utilized.
— Mobilizing Christians: Every church member has gifts, skills and opportunities for fulfilling Christ’s commission.
— Equipping churches: The New Testament teaches us that God uses the local church to send missionaries.
— Facilitating church planting: Jesus established His church as the community for making disciples.
— Fulfilling the commission: Jesus commissioned His followers to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey all that He had commanded them (Matt. 28:19-20).
We as Christians must be faithful to live out our missionary identity, faithful to pray, give, go and send to multiply churches around the world for the glory of God. How do you fit into God’s creative global plan? How does your church fit in?
During this season of prayer and giving, seek the Lord’s guidance for what He would have you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Your gifts and your prayers enable more Christians to be sent to make disciples and multiply churches among unreached peoples for the glory of God — because of Who He is. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all peoples (Psalm 96:3, HCSB).
The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions in tandem with Cooperative Program gifts from Southern Baptist churches support international workers in seeking to fulfill the Great Commission. Gifts to the Lottie Moon offering are received through local Southern Baptist churches or online at imb.org/offering, where there are resources to promote the offering. This year’s goal is $175 million.
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FIRST-PERSON: Our purpose is to declare who God is to all nations
By Ronnie Floyd
EDITOR’S NOTE: Ronnie Floyd is president of the Southern Baptist Convention and senior pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas.
SPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP) — Reaching the world for Christ is the vision and passion of our Southern Baptist Convention.
Our grand task to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and make disciples of all the nations is what our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is all about.
This is why each one of us — personally and in our churches collectively — must pray diligently and ask God what He wants us to give to reach the world for Christ.
The need has never been greater. The call is clear to advance the Gospel, whether it is through planting churches, ministries of compassion or equipping the next generation.
Now is the time to come together and give more than ever before to sending missionaries around the globe. Because of who He is, we must find a way together to declare His name to all the nations.
Let’s rise up in this critical hour and give in an unprecedented way to our 2015 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Now is the time to reach the world for Christ.
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