Shreve Send-Off

Introduction

We have called this meeting tonight for the purpose of sending Kyle and Hannah to the mission field to start, lead, and multiply churches.

The date was set with consideration to when they were going to leave for the field. But much more had to be looked at than just a calendar.

There were decisions that Kyle needed to make and there are decisions we as a church needed to make to bring us to this day.

Tension in Scriptures

Matthew 9:37-38 “37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”

Proverbs 19:2 “2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.”

How should a man think about his calling to the mission field?

Kyle did not call this meeting on his own. Romans 12:3 “3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

Regarding ability, three crucial categories are character, content, and competence.

Character: Do you meet the biblical qualifications for a pastor or missionary? What are your besetting sins? If everyone in your church followed your example, would the church become more holy or less

Content: How well do you know Scripture? How well can you answer doctrinal questions and dismantle errors? Are the wells of your mind deep enough for others to draw from?

Competence: How well can you preach and teach God’s word, counsel others from God’s word, and lead people to become more conformed to Christ?

The church has a role to play in the development and discernment of the missionaries we send.

[Chart]

1) Teach them well so that they will be able to teach others well; don’t send them until they have shown they can do the same. 2 Tim. 2:2 “2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

2) Make sure that they are able to articulate sound doctrine and refute false doctrine. Titus 1:9 “9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”

3) Proven godly character. This is something that can only be properly considered over an extended period of close interaction and persistent discipleship, not a session with a counselor and a personality profile. Hebrews 12:1 “1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

4) Let there be consensus in the sending church that these people being sent are called and ready. This will safeguard the ones being sent and give them an amazing boost of encouragement that they are part of something bigger than their own ambition, which can easily fade or redirect quickly. Acts 15:22 “22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:”