How to Successfully Build a Mission Minded Church

The Main Idea:

To build a mission minded church establish contact with the residents in the city and provide services that meet known needs that are in the city where the church is planted and teach the word of God...

A strong church is a mission minded church.

17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.[a] 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.

In Berea

10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

Introduction

Paul and Silas had been commissioned by a city church, the church of Antioch in Syria. It was the first mission minded church in the New Testament era.

Antioch was a cosmopolitan city… which means that, it was a city where people from different backgrounds lived. And the lifestyles there were blends of various customs, cultures, and languages.

There are said to be over 1400 references to cities in the Bible and some 25 careful studies of a mission to a particular city.

The book of Acts moves from the most important Biblical city (Jerusalem) to the most important secular city of that day Rome.

Acts 1 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Matt 28 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Paul’s goal is to spread the gospel by planting churches strategically in cities.

Paul would preach in a city, plant a church their and use the new church as a base for further outreach into the surrounding area. He knew that if he planted strong Christian churches in cities, the gospel would eventually spread from the city (like most things did) to the outlying regions.

What is a city? For the purposes of today’s text, a city is a human settlement of a notable size. It can be defined as a permanent and densely settled place with administratively defined boundaries whose members work primarily on non-agricultural tasks.[3] Cities generally have extensive systems for housing, transportation, sanitation, utilities, land use, production of goods, and communication. Their density facilitates interaction between people, government organizations, and businesses.

In today’s text we see how Paul worked out his goal of spreading the gospel by planting churches strategically in cities, in this case, in Thessalonica and Berea.

The first example is Thessalonica. Thessalonica was an important port city.

The chief city of Macedonia. Most of the produce exports left from Thessalonica. And many of the items imported into Macedonia passed through Thessalonica.

Paul’s strategy for accomplishing his goal was simply to establish contact and to teach the people.

I. He established contact with the city’s residents

He first looked for synagogues… (explain why)

17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,

Just as Paul looked for points of contact, we should also, look for points of contact.

II. The church today should also established contact with the city’s residents by providing services that meet known needs

What are points of contact that we can look for? Those areas of city life where we Christians can be of service to the city’s residents. City residents are conscious of their needs.

Some examples could be, a need for …

Childcare or Preschool Services

There are likely homes where both parents work, and they need help with caring for their young children, (what about daycare or preschool services at a subsidized cost)

Housing Services

Bringing those in need of financial support together with non-profit funds

Bringing the homeless together with community housing resources

Food Services

Providing strategically located food pantries

Helping residents with accessing available governmental and non-profit services, such as prepackaged and ready to serve meals

Medical Services

Helping residents to identify and to gain access to needed available medical services

After making contact, next, Paul taught the people in the cities…

Phil 4 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.

Paul must have taught the scriptures in Thessalonica for some time. How did he go about it?

First, Paul began with the scriptures. The scriptures are the word of God. And God has promised to bless his word. Isaiah 55:11…

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

So, for theological and practical reasons Paul began with the word. Knowing theologically that God would bless it and that he would be more effective preaching the scriptures than doing anything else.

Secondly, he reasoned from the scriptures. Acts 17:2

2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

Quoting scripture is not all that Paul did, he told people to think about a verse. Think about what it says. Think about what it implies. Think what it says about Jesus.

Thirdly, he explained the scriptures. Acts 17:3

3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said.

Paul helped them to understand the bible by explaining the bible to them.

What did Paul not do?

1. He did not try to coerce (force, press, pressure or strongarm) them.

2. He did not hit anyone over the head with a bible.

Paul reasoned with them and tried to win them to his side, his point of view.

3. He did not entertain them.

We live in an entertainment age and some of evangelical Christianity is caught up in the entertainment business.

Ministry is not a business wrapped around an individual.

We are all in ministry… in the following sense…

1 Peter 2 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, priests did two things:

1. They had the right, privilege, and responsibility to go directly to God. They could pray and talk to God, worship, and fellowship with God. Everybody else had to go through a priest.

2. The priest had the privilege and responsibility of representing God to the people and ministering to the needs of other people (serving).

These are the very two things that are true about us when we become a believer. We are all in ministry to serve others...

Lastly, he preached Christ.

Who Christ is… What he came to do…

Acts 17 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said.

1 Cor 15 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

III The results were, the establishment of mission focused churches...

People’s responses may vary from person to person and that is ok, but the end results are undeniable.

5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.[a] 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. 10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

The Bereans were more noble… They were open to the gospel and did not prejudge it.

1. They received the message eagerly

2. The examined the scriptures

3. They examined the scriptures daily (not once or twice a week… but daily)

Some preachers want people to accept what they say just because they say it.

But good preachers want a congregation that hears the word, received it eagerly and then go to the scriptures daily to see if what is being taught is really true.

Mission focused Churches were founded in both Thessalonica and Berea...

Act 17 4 (Thessalonica) Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

12 (Berea) As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

1. The preaching was blessed by God.

I Thess. 1 4 For we know, brothers and sisters[b] loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

2. The people received God’s word eagerly.

I Thess. 2 13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

3. The believers tried to model themselves after Paul and his companions…

I Thess. 1 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

4. They became models themselves

I Thess. 1 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

5. The church at Thessalonica became a missionary church. They became missionaries.

I Thess. 1 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.

What we need today are churches in our cities

that have received the scriptures as the very word of God,

that are trying to imitate Jesus Christ and

that have a strong missionary vision, from which the Gospel spreads to others.

How do we build a mission minded Church?

Establish contact with the residents in the city and provide services that meet known needs that are in the city where the church is planted and Teach the word of God...

In Jesus’s name… Amen