The Book of Acts gives us a snapshot of life in the
earliest development of the church in Jerusalem. The
church was devoted to the Apostles teaching,
fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. All four
practices were indispensable to a healthy and growing
church. They remain indispensable today.
However, as the drama of Acts plays out we notice a
distinct change between the Jerusalem church of Acts 2
and the Antioch church of Acts 13. The Antioch church
is introduced as a mission center. The first glimpse we
have into the Antioch church unfolds in a "sending
event." Paul and Barnabas were launched on their first
missionary journey. It's safe to assume that the
Antioch church practiced the four indispensable
behaviors of the Jerusalem church. On the other hand,
the Holy Spirit moved the Antioch church (Acts 13:2)
with a vision for global evangelism. The Antioch
church became a mission center.
Park Forest Baptist Church was birthed and developed
after the model of the Jerusalem Church. The model has
produced a healthy beginning. However, the Holy
Spirit is leading us to a new vision after the model of the
Antioch church - a mission center. This document
reviews the distinctive features of a mission center and
then highlights some of the immediate goals and
objectives we face in seeking to become such a center.
Let's start with a definition. A Mission Center is a
headquarters from which people are sent to perform
a specified task or assignment. Our assignment is to
make disciples of Jesus in our community and world. A
mission center is the headquarters for organizing,
strategizing, and implementing the assignment to make
disciples. The church must be viewed not simply as a
gathering place but rather a preparing and sending place.
As such, several distinctive features must exist.
First, a mission center has an external focus rather
than an internal focus. Jesus had an external focus.
He said, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me
and to finish his work" (John 4:34). He was sustained
and strengthened by the passion to accomplish his God-
given purpose. Jesus declared the fields to be ripe for
harvest and called them to "open your eyes and look at
the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the
reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop
for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be
glad together." Sowing meant planting seeds of truth,
sharing the gospel and doing good works that prepare
the soil. Reaping meant pulling in the results. Pulling in
those who respond to the gospel. Jesus was focused on
the field - not the barn! An external focus sees people
who need Christ not just people who have Christ. An
external focus sees potential disciples. An external
focus sees opportunities to sow and opportunities to
reap. An external focus sees people through the eyes of
Jesus.
Secondly, a mission center lets the love and mercy
inside overflow outside. It lets the aroma of the "one
anothers" overflow into the community. What are the
"one anothers?"
Love one another (John 13:34); Be devoted to one
another in brotherly love (Romans 12:10); Honor one
another above yourselves (Romans 12:10); Live in
harmony with one another (Romans 12:16); Stop
passing judgment on one another (Romans 14:13);
Accept one another (Romans 15:7); Instruct one
another (Romans 15:14); Greet one another (Romans
16:16); Agree with one another (1 Corinthians 1:10);
Serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13); Be patient,
bearing with one another (Ephesians 4:2); Be kind and
compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32);
Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:2 1); Forgive
....one another (Colossians 3:13); Encourage one
another (1 Thessalomans 5:11); Do not slander one
another (James 5:11); Offer hospitality to one another
(1 Peter 4:9). The "one anothers" are our guide to
"inside" behavior. They are a basis for accountability.
They are the aroma of godliness in the church. They
construct a pleasing environment. The church is a great
place to be when the "one anothers" exist. They must
overflow into the community.
Thirdly, a mission center equips people inside to
minister outside. How does it equip people? It
conforms people toward a biblical ideal of godly
behavior (2 Tim. 3:16). It prepares people for a specific
task (2 Tim. 3:17 "every good work"). It develops
every generation represented in the church (Titus 2:1-5).
And, it facilitates personal initiative (1 Cor. 9:25, strict
training that is self-motivated). Unfortunately, the
church has often been "hit and miss" in its attempts to
equip people for ministry. The pieces of the
discipleship puzzle are never quite put together. The
church needs to become a training camp with all the
pieces of the puzzle, a clearly defined focus and clear
objectives. A mission center has a systematic approach
to preparing God's people for serving.
Finally, a mission center expands the base of
influence in order to expand the sphere of influence.
The church is like a pyramid. As the base of a pyramid
is stretched, the height and volume of the pyramid
increases. The base of the pyramid is everything we do
inside the church to build and equip people. Our
strategy is to win, build, equip and send people. The
sphere of influence is the extent of reach we have to
touch and influence people outside the church. In other
words, we must expand the programs within the church
in order to touch more people outside the church. For
instance, we expand the number of small groups inside
to reach more outside. A mission center expands its
base of influence by unleashing natural talents &
spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8). It delegates
responsibility and accountability (Acts 6:1-7). It
decentralizes authority. Decision-making is handed to
those doing ministiy. It multiplies networks of nurture
for all God's people (Acts 20:20). A mission center
welcomes "out-of-the-box" creativity by all God's
people (Acts 10:9). "Out of the box" means reaching
people we wouldn't nonnally reach by conceiving
methods we wouldn't normally use. In reality, this is
not about pyramids or methodologies. It's about people
coming to know and grow in Jesus.
Why is the mission center concept so important?
1) Becoming a mission center reestablishes our
priority for reaching people. It will take us back to
the birthing vision of PFBC. It's our window of
opportunity to continue growing.
2) Becoming a mission center redirects our resources
for reaching people. Our budget and programming can
be directed and balanced toward outreach.
3) Becoming a mission center provides a basis for
program evaluation and development.
It is the scale we use to weigh the value of various
ministries within the church.
4) Becoming a mission center lets us experience the
continued power and blessing of God.
What should we do next?
- External versus Internal Focus
- Evaluate and restore the outward focus of every ministry within the church.
- Develop new ministries with an outward focus.
- Envision and implement new mission strategies and opportunities.
- Love and Mercy Inside
- Encourage practicing the "one anothers" as a way of life in the home, church, small group, ministry team and community.
- Engage in opportunities to let love and mercy overflow outside.
- Equip People Inside
- Re-deploy and Rotate the 100-200 series, thereby providing a step by step process for building and equipping people for ministry.
- Increase the number of capable teachers in the 100-200 series.
- Challenge every person to become prepared through the 100-200 series.
- Encourage Small groups to specific aspects of the 100-200 series.
- Expand the Base of Influence
- Radical multiplication of nurturing small groups.
- Creation of affinity small groups for nurture and outreach.
- Develop a Team for coordinating the use of gifts and talents.
- Recruit and train an increasing number of children and youth workers.
- Develop a strategy for ministry among single adults.
- Develop a team for ministering to seniors.
- Restore the use of Host Families.
- Expand capacity of facilities.
- Expand classroom capacity with portable partitions.
- Expand seating/parking capacity via lot enlargement or 2 services.
