world christian discipleship

Lesson 15 World Christian Discipleship: What will you do with all you learned in Perspectives?

· Part One – Exploring the Next Steps

· Part Two – Overcoming Inertia

Part 1 – Exploring the Next Steps

Our Mission:

· Matthew 28:18-19

· Acts 1:6-9 Don’t just stand there…. But what do we do???

o What we want – (map slide)

o What we are given – (compass slide)

4 Points on a compass:

· 4 directions – Great Commission, Great Commandment, Gospel, God’s Word.

· Your compass has a name – Jesus… Bryant “Person Driven Life” Our involvement in the great unfolding narrative of Scripture.

· This is the practice of abiding. It must start, continue, and end here… IN abiding in Jesus. I cannot over state this (John 15)… Our goal is to walk WITH Jesus as he lives his global purpose THROUGH us…

Group Activity (Carla put you in groups) – If I had to do three things for global missions within the month what would I do? 3minutes

Our Practices of the World Christian Journey (the fruit)… Why practices and not roles…

1. The Practice of Going – hands on participation in cross cultural missions. (ask for examples)

a. full time cross cultural missions…

b. Short-term missions

c. business efforts – Ben and Denise (frontiers) in Egypt (Cross Fit Gym)

d. retirement years

2. The Practice of Welcoming… Students, immigrants,

a. World at Your Door, FIS, Neighbors

b. Wade Summer’s Story Leaving Islam Following Jesus “We have never felt this peace until we decided to follow Jesus” Mohamed’s* (*names changed) words are an answer to four years of our prayers. Mohamed and his wife Fatima* were some of the first students I met from the Middle East when I left banking to follow God’s invitation to reach the nations that are coming to Iowa. It has been a long and wonderful journey. When they arrived in the US, they expected Christians to be loose with their morals like the Americans depicted in TV and Movies. Mohamed told me that joining International Neighbor events and going on trips like International Getaway helped break down these barriers. Over time, they became curious about what we believed and joined our weekly dinners. As they read stories about Jesus, they began to be drawn to Him and His love for everyone, even His enemies.

c. Coe: Hellen, a Chinese student and Valerie: vision for international ministry at Coe and felt her heart burn for international students. As they thought about each of their strengths and networks, they decided to invite their friends and start an investigative Bible study together. They had so many international students show interest that together they started three studies, one for Japanese students just learning about Jesus, one for Chinese students just learning about Jesus, and one for a Chinese student who had already started reading the Bible on her own.

3. The Practice of Sending… we should all be involved in supporting, encouraging and praying for cross cultural missionaries… 3 John 5-8

a. Failures – couple felt alone and defeated… returned hurting…

b. Advocates at Grace – Small groups that advocate for specific missionaries. Eva Anderson/Elizabeth Schrock…

4. The Practice of Mobilizing (Perspectives)

Bryan introduce Wade

Break

Part 2 – Overcoming Inertia

Parable of the four Soils Matthew 13:18-23 – Reasons we might not bear fruit…

· Discussion – identify potential reasons we might fail to do anything with this seed.

o Solicit Feedback

o If they do not identify it discuss danger of “everything” is missions…

· Group Prayer – spend some time praying.

o Specifically tell Jesus what you fear might keep you and your church from bearing fruit.

o Ask God to intervene…

Bearing Fruit: Jesus job and our part… John 15:7-8

· Our task is to abide.

· Abiding entails some basic disciplines.

Disciplines of a World Christian – incorporating global discipleship into daily abiding… How?

1. Discipline of Community… Acts 13 as a model…

2. Discipline of Prayer/Word… Acts 2:42-47

3. Discipline of Simplicity… 2 Corinthians 8-9, Philippians 1:3-5

4. Discipline of Learning… Matt Ellison and 16:15… We don’t arrive until Jesus arrives…

Your next steps.

· Group Discussion in group rooms 3 minutes: What do you need to do next? (first step)

· Feedback –

· Prayer…

Closing Verse: Acts 1:5-9 Don’t just stand there…