10 Awesome Equipping the Saints for Local Missions Truths

By Jeremy Bell

Introduction

Equipping the saints and local missions takes leadership and teamwork. “Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication. Communication does not always occur naturally, even among a tight-knit group of individuals. Communication must be taught and practiced in order to bring everyone together as one.” —Mike Krzyzewski, a Naismith Hall of Fame coach. A leader knows when division is ok, and when division is an unfortunate result of poor communication. The application of foundational salvation facts has led to many divisions. This is unfortunate because the application is different from fundamental understanding. Christians agree in the fundamental salvation facts, and these can be used to unify. Using fundamental understanding in equipping the saints, focusing on agreement, will help leaders unify and grow teams.

While there are some important points worthy of division, there are often more agreements to unify. Members of a team (Christians in the kingdom of God) need to know their skills in the body of Christ are valued and it is safe to use them. Christians all agree on the human condition, gospel proclamation, church mission, Christs work, salvation by grace, and the security of the believer. All team members experience development stages, even in the kingdom of God. Forming, storming, norming, and performing are recognized stages that, if led, work to unify people into a team. Local missions start with God and are led by Gods’ leaders who are equipping the saints to accomplish the work of God. Leader’s lead; they disciple. Students learn; they mature.

God Gives Help

Equipping the saints and local missions are intimately connected, blossoming out of healthy Christian leadership. “God gave leaders for the perfecting of the saints, to the building up of the body of Christ, until all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. All believers work to attain to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that they may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error. But speaking truth in love, they grow up in all things into Christ, being fitted and knit together according to the working in measure of each individual part. This makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.” Paraphrased from Ephesians 4.

Rebirth

The first thing that unifies Christians is the rebirth of their Spirit by faith in Jesus, Christ. Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no one gets to God without Him. During this unification, there is division with the non-believer. No matter how good, the non-believer will never unify with Christ. Light cannot commune with darkness. The second unifying thing among Christians is God appointed authority and leaders. Christians may share equality under the law of grace, but there are not equal in authority or responsibility. For the leaders and teachers equipping the saints, this should add gravitas to their actions. For the followers and students, this should suggest respect for the leaders. This is not to say leaders are flawless. Everything they teach should be tested in scripture. But they are to be respected.

Every Christian Called to Leadership

Jesus gave a few great, general, commands meant for all His people. He said to love God, love your neighbor, and go and make disciples. Making disciples is not going to happen without the love for God or neighbor. Making disciples is positional, it is a teacher to student relationship. God has equipped His people to accomplish this. For some, He also gave leaders for equipping the saints. For a time, it is appropriate to remain a student, or a child, as Paul might compare a new believer. This time is spent growing and maturing that one day, God will call this person for equipping the saints, or discipling. This discipling takes on many forms and ways of application, according to the unique gifts God designed a person to be. Paul lists a few, but his list is not meant to be exhaustive.

When the student matures, they are called to leadership. This may be as a pastor, but it may also be as a Sunday school teacher. It may be as an evangelist to Africa, but it may also be as a data analyst in the marketplace. These are all opportunities of discipleship from local missions to global evangelism. It is impossible to list all the permutations. Learning leadership is only helpful to accomplish the command of Jesus. There are some commonalities that every leader in any capacity is wise to consider. Equipping the saints and making disciples is relational and at some level, going to require teamwork tools.

The 4 Stages of Team Development

Bruce Tuckman is an educational psychologist. In 1965 he published a study of group dynamics that colleges teach, and businesses use to this day. People working together effectively takes team development. Scripture is the final authority on truth and the source of theology. There are secondary sources for learning. History of doctrines, archeology, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, etc. These should always be tested in scripture, but they are tools God gave to grow in understanding. Leaders equipping the saints can learn from human study how to help grow the Christian body up in unity and love.

1. Forming

When someone is born again, they are an individual who has become a new member in the kingdom of God. Meeting with other Christians is the beginning, though only one example, of gathering into a new team. This is not the time a person is called to be equipping the saints, they need an equipper. This individual is directed to look for leaders and those who are setting examples (leaders). Leaders demonstrate how skills and spiritual gifts are applied and act as a model for behavior and expectations. New believers are listening for needs and learning objectives. They may be more self-focused as they look for identity within this new group and likely do not know much about true Christianity. Boundaries are tested, rules of engagement are addressed, and hierarchy established. When this stage is ripe, conversation amongst team members risks conflict.

Maturing in Mission

Moses led the Israelites. For most of them, He just showed up with power and they followed Him away from slavery towards a new home. Along the way, they followed, watching him and when they were ready to take their part to the next level, they spoke out, risking conflict. Jesus led the disciples with a similar beginning pattern. He called them in power, and they followed. As they risked potential conflict by speaking honestly, Jesus matured them. He was equipping the saints! He even sent them out on local missions before what most of us would call ready. Communication of mission, vision, and the application of values provide freedom within a framework. This framework provides safety and builds trust while forming a team, or while a team is forming. The forming of teams without this framework produces cliques with their own definitions. And cliques are divisive.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

As an equipper, new believers are not the only ones to join a new team environment. It can start here but can also be seasoned disciples joining a position on the pastoral team. Have you objectively assessed the example your current team is setting? How are gifts and skills used and respected throughout the team? Are you prepared with boundaries, rules of engagement, and hierarchy to make the new person feel more secure? How would you rate your level of patience for the self-focused new team member? As a new team member, are you ok with some self-focus to orient yourself to a new team? How well do you receive instruction? Do you know who you can go to for help or clarity?

2. Storming

As a team advances in formation it begins to earn each other’s trust. Members feel freedom in sharing opinions and hierarchy is more defined. Members focus on learning how each other works. Generally, there is a positive and encouraging atmosphere, some anxiety may be expressed. This is a great time for a leader to engage purposefully with equipping the saints. There should be clarity of tasks, expected behaviors, and a clear way to handle complaints. As they learn about each other, judgement enters in, even the leader. To advance into the next stage, team members should feel they are not being judged. Conflicts and disagreements will exist, and a good leader will stress patience, tolerance, and work to resolve the conflicts. Advancing as a team will not happen without this leadership. Working through issues strengthens a team, avoiding them will destroy the team morale and eventually the team.

Complaining to Grow or Remove

God gave Moses specific tasks of worship and who was to perform while Israel was in the wilderness. There are several scriptures that describe the comfort the Israelites felt in complaining. Most of these were passed over and not punished. (Could it be that artists were identified in the making of the golden calf?) God does work all things for His good purposes. From the Pharisees to the disciples, Jesus had complaints against His leadership. Some he rebuked sharply, some He gently used as a teachable moment. Not all complaining is worthy of tolerance. When Korah challenged the leadership of Moses, he brought others with him. God swallowed them up in the Earth. Jesus said that following Him would be costly. If a person does not want to suffer the cost, they cannot follow Him. Equipping the saints takes discernment and local missions will suffer if all attitudes are entertained.

Tough Reality

Everything done in the Christian life should be in love, but it does not mean every act is acceptable. Equipping the saints is a God appointed directive for the building up of the body of Christ, until all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. Patience must be given during the growth and learning process. But some people are bent on destruction and divisiveness. This will poison any group, including local missions, and the leader must determine an end point. It is not biblical to tolerate any and every person unconditionally. The whole team will be destroyed if the divisive person is not removed from the group. There are different ways to do this, but the leader must determine the boundaries and provide safety for the team. The church has process, ideally, the divisive person will be guided towards repentance.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

As an equipper, how do you facilitate growing trust in your team? Putting your feelings aside, do other people share opinions? Silence is not agreement. Is there evidence in helping each other on the team? Where is evidence of encouragement? Where is there evidence of anxiety? Do team members know where to get help? Do they? How well do you handle judgement and criticism of what you do? Do you know how you handle it? How do you, or might you, lead the team to move past judgement? As one who is being equipped, do you trust others? Do you know where to get help? Are your opinions heard and treated with respect? If you expect respect, encouragement, and help, do you give these things to others? Are you a student of others people’s talents?

3. Norming

When a team (the saints) uses disagreements and personality differences (individual parts) to learn and mature (unity of faith), co-operation flourishes (knit together, attaining to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ). This is equipping the saints success! Local missions actions are close at hand. Team members rally towards a common goal and strengthen their individual input for the benefit of the group. Tolerance of differences is accepted and intimacy among the members increases. Avoiding controversy will be higher here for the sake of unity. This can be good, but it does carry downsides. Innovation and maturity often stall when conflict and controversy are avoided. It should not be forced, but there should be an appropriate channel to voice controversial points of view.

Norming From Numbers 32, paraphrased

The children of Reuben and the children of Gad said to Moses, “The land which Yahweh struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock; and your servants have livestock. If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Don’t bring us over the Jordan.” Moses was concerned and related the past anger Yahweh felt and the action He took against those who disobeyed and led others in disobedience. The Reubenites and Gadites replied, “We ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. We will not return to our houses until the children of Israel have all received their inheritance.” These tribes wanted something different than what God was leading them to. It was very controversial and dangerous. But they remained true to the team.

Listening, Honoring, Responding

Moses heard them, and God honored their request. Moses said to them: “If you will arm yourselves to go before Yahweh to the war, and every one of your armed men will pass over the Jordan before Yahweh until he has driven out his enemies from before him, and the land is subdued before Yahweh; then afterward you shall return, and be clear of obligation to Yahweh and to Israel. Then this land shall be your possession before Yahweh.” Moses also gave warning in what would happen if they failed to honor their word. In Joshua 1, we read that the obligation remained in heart for these tribes and in Joshua 13, we read the fulfillment of obligations. Leadership and equipping the saints may often encounter paths unseen. Handled with purpose, respect, and with boundaries, these paths may still fulfill the team goals and be effective in local missions.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

As an equipper, do you see your team is learning? How do they work together? Is there a known goal? Are each doing their tasks in ways to help each other? Do they improve in their strengths? How would you rate the intimacy level of the team? When was the last controversy they overcame? Silence is not the same as agreement. As one who is being equipped, how do you think controversy is handled? How would you rate the co-operation of your team members? How would you rate your own? Give yourself examples. Do you let differences teach you or do you use them to judge?

4. Performing

Equipping the saints into a performing team is exciting. Members are motivated, the focus of the individual from the forming stage is now focus on the group goal. Team members feel knowledgeable, competent, and the leader grants autonomy. Members handle more decisions on their own and a higher level of success is realized. Leaders are ready for reversions to the development of the team. Changes happen. When they do, the team may need to start from the beginning. Turnover can be work but it doesn’t mean the goal can’t be accomplished. However a person views local missions, one thing is certain, it involves people. When people are involved, there will be guaranteed changes. Often surprise changes. Process and fundamentals will always be relevant.

Imagine the time of the disciples after Jesus rose from the grave. What they thought was a goal was destroyed, they were a guy short, and their leader used to be dead and now was not. Jesus appeared over 40 days to more than 500 people before He ascended to heaven. After that, He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in the Apostles. They went out preaching, strengthening their own team, and creating others. This may be the most supreme example of equipping the saints for local missions. Soon Saul would be actively looking to kill them and while doing so, he would believe and join them. They mastered the development process for this kind of trust, inclusion, and recurring success to occur.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

As an equipper, are goals being met and evolved? How has the team handled change? How do you lead change? Do you allow members to make their own decisions? What does the balance look like in participating to reach the goal and telling members what to do and how to do it? As a team member, how do you feel about the goals? Are there any? How would you rate your confidence level of your part in the task? Are you afraid to voice a need in fear of hurting the team? Does knowing that team development change is necessary help? Do you think it’s ok with the leader if team development repeats previous development?

A Note on Adjourning

In 1977, 12 years after Bruce Tuckman published his 4 observations on group dynamics, he, and Mary Ann Jensen, were confident of a 5^th stage, adjourning. This is a very important step, but different in application for the Christian team member. Adjourning address what happens after the performance of a goal has led to completion. The teams’ goal is finished, and many members go through a type of grieving process. There are many manifestations of teams in the church and church people outside the church. Change of team is loss and loss can be a time of great meaning and preparation for the next team. It is important to meet those needs. I have not included it as an important equipping the saints for local missions item because in the big picture, a Christian never adjourns.

The Real Team

The team a Christian joins is Gods’ kingdom. A Christian will go through a lot of changes and team involvement in this life will change. But all teams, and changes they go through, are God’s directives, never an organizations. God has a plan to manifest His glory throughout His good creation in and among His people. He is a personal being and omnisapient. God has a will, He creates, and He directs events to suit Him in the wisest course of action. His Holy Spirit is ultimately equipping the saints. His will is directing local missions. A believer may have high and low seasons in life, but the only seemingly finished task is the one just before death. And then God will give the words they have been longing for, “Well done, good and faithful servant”.

Teach and Learn

In my experience and observation, the storming phase of building teams is the most common place churches get stuck in. Formation of teams is somewhat easy because Jesus is always identified as the head. He is the leader, the savior, the sovereign that ties everyone together. It is because of Him people go to church. It is because of Him people have the spirit to get involved in the church and local missions. But when they start voicing opinion or look for direction, the only voices they hear are rebuke from other members and general guidelines from the preacher. Rebuke is ok sometimes. But teaching and equipping is more often needed. Listen, and respond in love as a teacher. Listen, and respond in love as a learner. Equipping the saints for leadership is essential, but it needs to be tailored.

Relationship, Not a Factory

Equipping the saints is discipleship. It takes personal attention. People feel safe to voice opinion and ask questions if they are ever to transform. Many feel there is only one way to apply the scriptures primarily because they have always been around people that believe the same way. All that the Scripture teaches or intends to present as truth, is true. However, the application of scripture varies. People do apply things differently and it is not because of fundamental differences. People executing local missions in the church or at work are from many different churches with many ideas for application. Leaders dealing with disagreement that leads to disunity can find unity if common agreement can be found. Some apparent disagreements are in the theories of salvation, a fundamental topic itself. Strengthening the team for local missions will benefit from strengthening in foundational truths and respecting differences in application.

Notes on Disagreement

God gave His word. Until the written word, it was pure sound. Humans evolved and learned to write. God continued to give His word, revealing more over time. Humans evolved in their thinking and God continued to give His word, revealing more over time. In the past, God spoke through the prophets, but at the end of these days He has spoken to us by his Son, Jesus. Jesus lived, died, lived again, and ascended to heaven. God continued to give His word, revealing more over time even as humans evolve in their thinking. About 500 years ago, Martin Luther challenged the evolution of church thinking. This caused a divide that thinking humans needed answers to. Today, we break this split into 2 major categories. Roman Catholics and Protestants. After much debate and many theological theories, 2 big protestant theological systems emerged. Calvinism and Arminianism.

Modern Division

Did I simplify this? Yes. Will I keep simplifying? Yes. The purpose here is to draw attention to major highlights towards a point, not offer a church history lesson. The split causing Roman Catholic and Protestant formations and the evolution of that split really rests on authority. After 500 years it is clearer to see where the pathways have led from each. For Roman Catholics, reason and Scripture are not the Catholic’s final authority. They are for Protestants. This split causes enough disagreement over eternal truths that division is warranted. However, even here, one would be wise to not generalize and consider the agreements between the two. There are agreements of many eternal truths, from scripture, even before theologically expanded upon and applied. I do not yet know enough on this topic to expand further, only to express my caution.

The Goal

The primary reason I am cautious about integration of Protestant and Roman Catholic global and local missions is where the glory and the praise of the project are directed. God should always get the glory; Jesus is the focus of salvation. Not the church, not individuals. Of course, this should be the primary consideration across Protestants as well. The general split of protestant theological  systems into Calvinism and Arminianism needs a closer look. What I find unfortunate is the denominations that have arisen that send a message to non-believers of division. Perhaps they were not ‘meant’ for this, but after 400 years of this debate, some pathways of where this leads is becoming more clear as well.

Two Big Philosophies

Calvinism and Arminianism are the prevailing (not only) theological systems that are the roots for protestant denominations. They did not start as positions for division, they are rooted in debate towards understanding. John Calvin developed and wrote doctrines. Jacobus Arminius had serious issues with five primary points that are really focused on the topic of human free will. Equipping the saints may look different in application for the various denominations, but they are all rooted in the same soil. Local missions can, and often does, benefit from many denominations working together. Understanding the soil of agreement rather than the blossom of disagreement will help grow a team in development towards success. It is possible to unite for a common goal with the unity and motivation of unique individuals across Protestant, even Roman Catholic, believers. Here are some things to consider that all Protestants can agree on.

Salvation Agreements

5. The Human Condition

All people from all of time need Gods help. People were created by God with the ability to make choices. God respects human choice and honors human freedom. This existence is broken because God has allowed people to work against His will. Choice is limited by humanity and character. Freedom is the movement of choice within Gods’ providence. Irrespective of the brokenness and people working against Him, God is working all things for His glory, and includes the actions of people who act freely. God sometimes interferes in people’s decisions but never for salvation. People have the ability to do good things during their lives, but they are unable to repair or establish relationship with God. God alone reaches out.

Doing Good

A person might believe that all of humanity is totally depraved, it might be someone is born with ability to do good. It could be someone believes that God to human relationship is God enabled on both ends with no human intention of plan. It could be a person thinks the relationship is enabled on both sides, that a human does choose with intention. Fundamentally, relationship is the connection between two or more things or people. No matter what, if God does not reach out to establish and repair the relationship, there isn’t one. If there is no relationship, that is reason to divide. Dispute about how the relationship exists regarding human will is not ok for division. Glorifying God and enjoying Him forever can be done with the same Spirit in spite of the theological pathways because it is agreed that He has done this marvelous thing.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

If you are equipping the saints as a team for local missions, consider how this can provide structure and safety, particularly in the forming and storming phases. How might the message that all need help, unify all stages of believers? How might the message that none are righteous bring unity? Do the boundaries God gives His people help to unify the new team member (new believer) with an established team (long time believers)? Are expectations expressed? Are goals and tasks discussed? How are tasks and goals encouraged? How are relationships facilitated? Do people have an environment to get to know each other? Believers have joined a team in Jesus, Christ, Gods’ kingdom. They come together to form teams of service in that kingdom. What does the participation look like in the team? Is this vision conveyed to the team?

6. Christs Work

Christ’s work on the cross has infinite value. There is no limit to the payment of sin. However, this does not apply to everyone. God respects human choice and honors human freedom. He is holy, He is separated from all moral defilement and hostile toward it. God is just. Because He is Omniscient, His justice is administered fairly. He is righteous, God cannot and will not pass over wrongdoing. God became flesh and blood, Jesus, being born in human form; for only as a human could he die. In dying, he broke the power of the devil who had the power of death. Only in that way could he deliver people from death. In order for sins to be forgiven, Jesus had to experience God’s wrath when the sins of people were placed upon Him. Jesus is always equipping the saints because He is God with God power and authority.

God Is and has Done

Creator God is infinite, eternal, omnipotent, limitless in space, extent, and size. He had no beginning and will never end. He is all-powerful and can do anything that pleases Him, but His actions will always be in alignment with His character. There is good news about His character because God is also gracious. His grace includes His goodness, kindness, mercy, and love. His holiness would exclude people from His presence, but He desires to know each person personally, and does by His grace. Jesus is the incarnation of God. Some believe the payment for sins is for the elect only, some believe it is for everyone. In both cases, payment is only applied to some, and for those, the payment is infinitely valuable. The payment is Christs work on the cross. Equipping the saints is begun in those to whom the payment has been applied.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

How is forgiveness shown in the team? Is it easy to take advantage of forgiveness?  Would members describe it as easily overlooked? Is there freedom for team members to make decisions? Is there freedom to exercise their unique skills and abilities in the team? Are the boundaries clear within the team? Is there a difference between the team boundaries and Gods’ boundaries? Why? Are there differences and why they exist made clear?

7. Salvation by Grace

Salvation is only by grace through faith alone. God respects human choice and honors human freedom. Freedom is the movement of choice within Gods’ providence and God is obligated to no one and to nothing. He is not indebted to anything or anyone. People have been uniquely made with unique characteristics. They were created in the likeness of God, resembling God, mentally, morally, and socially. Humans were perfect in health, righteousness, and innocence. Like God, He gave people reason and choice. Through the first human, Adam, all people die through unrighteous choice, His and theirs together. Through the last human, perfectly righteous Jesus, all people may choose life. Saints equipping the saints is a demonstration of Gods’ grace, maturing His people past the general revelation of broken life to attain to the knowledge of the Son of God.

Salvation is a Special Gift

General revelation sufficiently condemns but is not sufficient to provide saving revelation. The existence of God and His qualities have been revealed to everyone from all times through creation. The truth of righteousness and wrath are known by all through creation. Special revelation is given only by God and only to some people at some times as He so chooses. It is an act of grace. Special revelation is special in scope and substance. Examples can be found in personal encounters, mighty acts, propositional revelation, and incarnation. Special revelation is required for salvation from wrath. God is gracious. His grace includes His goodness, kindness, mercy, and love. His holiness would exclude people from His presence, but He desires to know each of us personally and does by His grace. A persons’ works accompany their faith, but it is through faith and the grace of God alone that salvation comes.

Grace, Action, and Difference of Philosophy

For Calvinist oriented people, there is big emphasis on Gods’ work and what He has done, is doing, or will do. The drive for local missions may be more centered around His plans and purposes that only He writes and enables. The Arminian counter is the emphasis on a persons’ choice to engage in local missions and their initiative to engage. Certainly, following Gods’ will with a joyful heart is an important factor in equipping the saints for local missions. There is unity underneath the debate of, little choice versus mostly choice. It is only through faith and by the grace of God that any Christian can grow in the knowledge of the Son of God. Focusing on this foundational agreement can be a spring of motivation and effectiveness in equipping the saints for local missions.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

What are the boundaries in the team regarding pride? Is there jealousy, envy, or inappropriate dominance? Is recognition balanced with humility? How might a grace over works ethic unify the team? How might this motivate the team? Would the goals of the team change knowing God doesn’t need anything? Would the value of the team members change? Is there openness to unique gifts within structure? How comfortable are team members with discussing special revelation? Do any continue to express guilt in their tasks? How might this affect the team and goals?

8. Security of the Believer

If a person believes and has faith in Jesus, that person is and will be saved. This rests on faith through Jesus and receiving salvation as a gift of God by His grace. God is truth and cannot lie. He is Omniscient, He knows the heart. He knows the past, present, and future, including what people are thinking at any given moment. There is no need for a false sense of security. The body of Christ, working together, equipping the saints in truth, confirms this message.

The disagreement between philosophies comes in deducing what might happen after a person believes. For those who rest heavily in predestination, what is written is written and cannot be unchanged. It would go against Gods’ immutability, omniscience, and omnisapience. For others who take the view that human choice greatly affects Gods’ plans, salvation is a relationship, analogous to human relationships. God honors choice and human freedom and cannot violate His character in this way. Both are offshoots of common truth. Equipping the saints is not a class with a degree. This is lifelong because salvation is past, present, and future. Irrespective of what one believes after a moment of belief, both believe God is faithful to His word and saves the person who has faith in Jesus, Christ. Maturing that ‘moment’ is important and by Gods’ grace, equipping the saints magnifies His glory.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

Consider the security of the believer and the forming and storming stages of team development. How are new believers welcomed in the church? How do you welcome them? Is there attention to making new believers feel secure? What is in place to keep them secure? How might growing in the knowledge of the Son of God give all believers security? How does this translate to local missions? What does this look like in the church body? How does a team express security for the members? Is there appropriate time to develop relational trust? How is time-based relationship facilitated? If communication is not natural, how are you as a leader communicating security in Christ? As a follower, how are you learning and trusting in the security of Christ?

9. Gospel Proclamation

The preached gospel is the means to salvation and every believer is under the commission to do it. There is good news! Through Jesus, Christ, God has accomplished all that is ultimately necessary to bring about His glorious plan. This plan is to manifest His glory in and among His people throughout His good creation. Through faith and the grace of God, anyone can participate in that glorious plan. Participants are brought to the Father in the Son through the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is how saints are born. Once born, they are raised, God using His people, equipping the saints, magnifying His glory. These saints engage in local missions preaching the gospel, God magnifying His glory through them.

Silent Example is Not Enough

Scripture confirms that God uses His people to preach His words. Hearing Gods’ words is the means to salvation, this is the medium of special revelation. General revelation brings condemnation. Special revelation brings salvation from that condemnation. The special revelation is through words, heard or read, not simply acted out. Scripture also confirms that the commands given to spread the gospel were not for appointed leaders alone. It is for everyone. Of these things, philosophies do not come into conflict. My observation is that conflict arises because of lack of understanding the command and how it is acted on in practical life. Defensiveness comes in not feeling secure about one’s Christian life and purpose. Forming and storming in the team development stages address this security and ways to help people, equipping the saints. Local missions are directly related to purpose and the expectations withing the body of the church.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

Take some private time in prayer to truthfully consider your feelings on proclaiming the gospel. What is your understanding? Are you ever motivated to do it? What keeps you from it? How do you feel about the abilities God gave you to do it? How do you feel about the environment God gave you to do it? What would you like to learn? What can you teach? Are you challenged that quiet living is not gospel proclamation? If not, do you have biblical foundation for your conviction? What might be different between evangelism and your particular role to participate in local missions to declare the gospel? Equippers, how are you teaching this? Those being equipped, how are you maturing into this?

10. Church Mission

The mission of the church involves evangelism, edification, and exhortation. Church in the bible is the Greek word ekklesia and is defined as an assembly or called-out ones. The real meaning of church has nothing to do with a building, but everything to do with people. These are Gods’ people, participating in His plan through faith in Jesus, by His grace. His people seek ways to tell people about God that will lead them to repent. Gods’ servants work to build up the church in instruction, moral knowledge, and in bearing fruit. Christians call each other, they summon to encourage, admonish, and entreat others. These are people (saints) building each other up in relationship that matures with instruction, encouragement, and correction in love. Equipping the saints is intimate, in truth, and by the grace and will of God.

Boundaries, Freedom, Limitless

Denominations exist because God has given freedom with boundaries. All Christians are called to preach the gospel, grow in maturity, and look for ways to grow others. This may be applied in an infinite number of ways, each according to the unique way God made each person. Going to a denomination typically builds on the knowledge path of what one is convicted of. Calvinism or Arminianism, they both agree in the fundamentals. The disagreements are just discussions for the building up of Gods’ church. Many agree that another function of the church is to do good in the community. Local missions will include the Christian in the workplace, the Christian in community groups (not the church). Local missions might include teams that serve food to the poor and so much more. The success of the good done is, in part, related to foundational agreements and the treatment of differing thought.

Equipping Ideas to Take in Prayer

What is your view of other denominations? What is your practical view of church? Knowing church is not a place, but a relationship, how might that change your view of believers of other denominations? How might knowing that Jesus gave the same commands to all believers (the church) help you work with other believers? How do you receive words of instruction, moral knowledge, or rebuke from other believers? Especially those outside the building you attend with others. How does team membership for a common goal make you feel? How does membership with every denomination make you feel?

Wrap Up

“Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication. Communication does not always occur naturally, even among a tight-knit group of individuals. Communication must be taught and practiced in order to bring everyone together as one.” –Mike Krzyzewski. In the world, believers collide, members of the same God team, but not always members of the same philosophy team. Every leader and student should be aware that growth happens over time, like relationships. Forming, storming, norming, and performing happen in development by Gods’ grace. Every leader and student would do well to remember agreed foundational truths, so they become a united team that respects each other’s differences. God equips, God enables, and people transform through intentional communication. Communication with God (love God) and communication with other believers (love people). Equipping the saints for local missions never end until God makes all things new.

Revelation 21: 3 – 4

“Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.” How about that for a goal?!?! God desires all that are willing to be His people. He magnifies His glory in and among His people to bring people to Him. Through faith in Jesus, and by the grace of God, you and I can participate in His glorious plan. Focusing on what brings unity is totally dependent on being reborn in Jesus, the Nature of Joy.

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Resources and Notes

All scripture in this article is from the WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE (WEB). The World English Bible (WEB) is a Public Domain (no copyright) Modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible first published in 1901, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament.

This is a reliable translation, but it is always good to read other translations as well. Biblegateway.com has a multitude of translations to read from. It is a great resource.

Another great resource is Biblehub.com. There are multiple translations, commentaries, and so much more. Great research can be done on this platform.

One more I use regularly is Gotquestions.org. This is a great site to answer questions and find threads of related questions.

There are many resources. The key is that God wants relationship directly with you, the individual. His primary source for revealing who He is and growing in intimacy is His word, the scriptures. Don’t just read for instruction. Analyze and read for understanding. Explore, ask questions, and be transformed in Jesus every moment you possibly can. There is no dispute this is a key desire of God. People are brough to the Father, in the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This… This is the Nature of Joy.

Jeremy is an author, musician, and business intelligence manager. His mission is to equip and encourage those in Christ, to equip and encourage others in Christ. Jesus, Christ, is the Nature of Joy and melody of the heart. Jeremy unites business analytics (business intelligence), songs, and Scripture for Christian living in the power of the Holy Spirit.