Missions Is Essential

1. Missions Is Essential Author, Dr. David Emmanuel Goatley Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention Mission Study Course

2. Introduction “My hope is that this workbook will be a tool to help disciples of Jesus to discern, describe, and do missions more effectively”. 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

3. Contents • Lesson One: A Definition of Missions • Lesson Two: Some Characteristics of Missions • Lesson Three: A Tool to Assess Commitment to Missions 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

4. A Definition of Missions 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

5. A Definition of Missions -1 • Can you Describe the difference? • Essential means? • Important means? • Interesting means? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

6. A Definition of Missions - 2 Which of the following are essential, important, and interesting? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

7. A Definition of Missions - 3 What are other examples of things that are Essential, Important, and interesting? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

8. A Definition of Missions - 4 While there are many things related to the life of local churches, what is at the heart of the church where you belong? Where is energy, attention, and resources targeted most in your church? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

9. A Definition of Missions - 5 “Missions is as essential to the church as breathing is to the body. Breathing is natural and normal for a healthy body. Similarly, missions is natural and normal for a healthy church. Missions is so essential to the church that without missions a church isn’t a church at all! Unless a church is engaged in missions, it fails to reflect the nature and will of God in the world” 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

10. A Definition of Missions - 6 “Mission speaks to God’s turning toward the world in love”. (John 3:16-17). “God created the world. God loves the world. God is redeeming the world. God will bring to completion what He desires for the world”. (2 Cor 5:19) 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

11. A Definition of Missions - 7 “Missions refers to the activities of the church that are born from God’s mission to the world. The missionary activities of the church are always done in service to God’s mission for the world . Missions bears witness to Jesus Christ. It is only authentic when it reflects God’s mission to the world.” (2 Cor 5:20) 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

12. A Definition of Missions - 8 Why is it important to be involved in missions near and far? What are activities in your church that participate in God’s mission to the world? What missions ministries does your church carry out that bear witness to Jesus Christ? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

13. A Definition of Missions - 9 Christian Mission is: The church sending disciples of Jesus who are empowered by the Holy Spirit into the world to touch lives with the transforming love of Christ. 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

14. A Definition of Missions - 10 • The Church: • Christian missions belongs to the life of the church. • The church should be engaged beyond financial support. (Matthew 6:21) • The church learns, the church pray, the church gives, and the church goes. 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

15. A Definition of Missions - 11 • The church provides the structure of accountability and support that all missionaries need. • The church provides a prayer covering for those who do missions. • This is important and dangerous business. (Eph 6:12) • We need prayer and support from the church to succeed. 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

16. A Definition of Missions - 12 • Sending Disciples of Jesus: • Only disciples of Jesus are able to do the missionary activities of the church that reflect God’s mission to the world. (Mark 6:7, 12-13) 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

17. A Definition of Missions - 13 • Who are empowered by the Holy Spirit: • Disciples need the overshadowing, the enveloping, the anointing, the indwelling, the inspiring, and the empowering of God’s Spirit to accomplish the tasks needed to make God known clearly throughout the world. • Without the spirit our work is impossible. With the spirit we can fulfill our calling in every generation. 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

18. A Definition of Missions - 14 • Into the World: • The work of the mission of God is to the world. The work of the church is in the world. 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

19. A Definition of Missions - 15 • To touch lives with the transforming love of Christ: • We have the ability to touch peoples lives with the transforming love of Christ. (Rom 12:2) • Love is the key to the Christian Witness and to Christian Missions. • God is love! 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

20. A Definition of Missions - 16 • A time for reflection • My earlier definition of missions was… • My developing definition of missions is… 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

21. Some Characteristics of Missions 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

22. Some Characteristics of Missions • What does Mission look like? • What are some ways that you have heard missions described? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

23. Mission can be expressed in four ways Evangelism Compassion Empowerment Advocacy 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

24. Evangelism • “Good News” • The message of what God has done for the world through Jesus Christ • Christian Missions • Sharing the “good news that God has come to us in Jesus Christ and that through him we have eternal life. 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

25. Evangelism • What was your life like before Jesus? • (30 Sec) • How did you come to know Jesus? • (30 Sec) • What difference does Jesus make in your life now that you are his disciple? • (30 sec) 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

26. Compassion • How do you see suffering people? • Eyes of Criticism? • Eyes of cynicism • Eyes of compassion • What is your response? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

27. Compassion • Can you think of times when you had eyes of criticism? • Can you think of times when you had eyes of compassion? • What made the difference? • How can we encourage compassion? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

28. Empowerment • One aspect of missions is building the capacity for people to live with more dignity and security. • To engage people who are poor with the gospel is critical to the work of the church. • To fail to engage them around areas that can help them to provide for themselves effectively, however, hampers the Christian witness. 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

29. Empowerment • What are some of the symptoms of disempowerment in your community, in the country, in the world? • What are some specific areas that your church could address that could help people who are “down and out” start to get “up and going”? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

30. Advocacy • We are called to challenge the systems that make people vulnerable. • Are there policies and practices in your community”? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

31. Advocacy • Are there policies and practices in your community”? • How might you and/or your church be advocates for justice? • What are some of the “big rocks” in the community, country, or world that need to be broken so the oppressed can be set free? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

32. Some Characteristics of Missions • What does it look like when a church has missions as its first priority? • What would the rhythms, emphases, and special occasions look like? • How would leaders (e.g., pastors, preachers, teachers, deacons, lay leaders, etc.) be sought and function? How would budgets be shaped? • What facilities would be needed? • What impact would be realized? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

33. Four Characteristics of Christian Missions • Missions is definitive for the church • Mission is normative for the church • Mission is evaluative for the church • Mission is responsive for the church 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

34. A time for reflection… • What is a working definition of missions? • How are missions in the life of the church related to the mission of God to the world? • How essential is Christian missions in my life as a disciple of Christ and in the life of the church to which I belong? How is it demonstrated ? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

35. A time for reflection… • What are key characteristics of missions? • What might a church look like with missions as a priority? • Why is it critical to engage in local AND global missions? • How can I demonstrate my commitment to missions in response to God’s mission? 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

36. Self-Evaluation Profile for the Local Church’s Missions Ministry 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

37. Self-Evaluation Profile for the Local Church’s Missions Ministry Start with a good definition. Measure your progress so far. Decide where to go from here. 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

38. Self-Evaluation Profile for the Local Church’s Missions Ministry • Leadership • Doing Great • Coming along. • Threshold level • Let’s get started 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

39. Self-Evaluation Profile for the Local Church’s Missions Ministry • Strategy • Doing Great • Coming along. • Threshold level • Let’s get started 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

40. Self-Evaluation Profile for the Local Church’s Missions Ministry • Stimulation • Doing Great • Coming along. • Threshold level • Let’s get started 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

41. Self-Evaluation Profile for the Local Church’s Missions Ministry • Sending • Doing Great • Coming along. • Threshold level • Let’s get started 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course

42. Self-Evaluation Profile for the Local Church’s Missions Ministry • Support • Doing Great • Coming along. • Threshold level • Let’s get started 2011 Lott Carey Annual Missions Study Course