Shared Mission

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DECLARATION:

Ephesians 2:20–22 (ESV)

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Our church family is built by God, upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.

We are joined together by union with Christ, we are growing, we are a dwelling place of God by his Spirit, and we are missionaries.

Prayer for...

Middle East: Israel vs. Iran

Kids going to camp

INTRODUCTION:

Review:

WHAT IS THE REASON WHY THIS MESSAGE IS BEING SHARED / WHAT IS THE PROBLEM THIS MESSAGE IS ANSWERING?…

The proportion of Americans participating in a religious congregation or community has slipped...

Those active in a community of faith in America numbered about 136 million in 2007, and [in 2022] numbers about 109 million, a loss of 27 million from both natural attrition and those who have fallen away." (SOURCE: Understanding Our Communities Report, 2022)

Many believers have reduced their faith to a personal, internal experience—believing in Jesus, but forgetting to follow Him into the world. The result is a church culture of spiritual consumers rather than committed participants in God’s redemptive plan.

This message reminds us:

We were never saved just to sit—we were saved to be sent.

BIG IDEA FOR TODAY: Jesus doesn’t just call individuals—He commissions a community.

We are sent together to reach the lost, care for the hurting, and build up the Church for the glory of God.

WHAT IS THE PICTURE OR ILLUSTRATION FOR THIS BIG IDEA?

A compass without a destination is just a spinning needle. But when you know the mission, every step has direction.

Application: The mission of God gives us direction in a disoriented culture.

Key Point: We’re not wandering—we’re commissioned.

Opening Scripture:

Matthew 28:19–20 “19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

This is not just a personal commission—it’s a shared mission.

A Shared mission of Making Disciples… “DEVELOPING MISSIONARIES”

Kingdom Partnership is About Collaboration

Jesus spoke the great commission to His gathered disciples— a community.

Partnership Fuels Mission

Mission is the Purpose of Partnership

After preaching on “Kingdom Partnerships” on Jun. 8 We were asked on Jun 10 to be a *Sending Church* for Cultivation Church in Madison, WI.

The purpose of Partnering with them is The Mission…to DEVELOP MISSIONARIES who Make Disciples for the Kingdom of God!

And He promised His presence not just to one person, but to all of them: “I am with you always.”

Shared Mission Means:

A Passion For The Harvest

Luke 19:10 “10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””

Context: Jesus speaking to Zacchaeus

If Jesus came to seek and save the lost, then His Church must be marked by that same passion. This mission isn't optional—it’s central.

132   We’re not called just to work for God. We are called to work with God.

John Ortberg If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat (2001)

We care deeply that people far from God encounter His grace.

We don’t outsource evangelism—we embrace it together.

Every conversation, every act of kindness, and every prayer can be a seed in someone’s salvation story.

Application: Who is God asking you to seek? What "lost" place is He sending you to?

Shared Mission Means:

Kindness Is the Bridge

Matthew 25:35–40 “35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” .

We serve the hungry, the sick, the incarcerated—not out of guilt, but out of love for Christ.

It’s about compassion, hospitality, and practical love that reflects the values of Jesus and His Kingdom.

The Church becomes a visible expression of Jesus when we meet physical and emotional needs.

EXAMPLES: Empty Tomb, Mahomet Helping Hands, Salt & Light

What if someone’s journey to salvation starts with a meal, a ride, or a visit?

Shared Mission Means:

Building the Church Together

Acts 14:21–23 “21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”

We commit to the long game—discipleship, leadership development, and church planting to support the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

We submit to leadership and empower others to lead, as Paul did by identifying others to lead.

No survey

No election

No ratification

Challenge: Are we committed to Developing Missionaries? Are we GOING & RAISING UP others or only building around ourselves?

In May of 1940, over 300,000 Allied soldiers were trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk, France, surrounded by enemy forces. Defeat seemed certain. The beaches were too shallow for military ships to reach, and time was running out. The situation looked hopeless.

But then something remarkable happened.

A call went out—not just to the Navy, but to everyday citizens. Fishermen, ferry captains, pleasure boat owners, and even weekend sailors—men and women with no combat training—answered the call. In total, around 850 small boats set out across the English Channel.

These weren’t warships. They were dinghies, sailboats, tugboats, and trawlers. But together, they rescued over 338,000 soldiers in what came to be known as The Miracle of Dunkirk.

It wasn’t the size of the boats that saved the soldiers. It was the willingness of ordinary people to step into the mission.

Jesus has given the Church a similar call:: “Go… and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19–20)

Conclusion/Reflection:

Not everyone is called to the same ASSIGNMENT or battlefield, but everyone is called to the mission. You may feel like your "boat" is small, your skills insignificant, or your role unimportant. But when every believer answers the call, miracles happen.

“The special person called to do missionary work is every person who is a member of the church of Christ. The call does not come to a chosen few, it is to every one of us.”

Oswald Chambers (Lecturer and Missionary)

The harvest is waiting. The mission is urgent. Are you willing to leave the harbor and cross the water?

In a culture of individualism, the mission of Jesus stands out. It's not me, it's we.

Mission is not only about reaching people—it’s about forming disciples and establishing strong, Spirit-led churches.

What part of this shared mission has God entrusted to you?

Where are you called to go, give, serve, or lead?

Your part in the mission matters. Every believer. Every gift. Every yes. Together on mission.

Closing Prayer:

“Lord, thank You for calling us not just into salvation—but into mission. Awaken our hearts with Your passion for the lost. Stir our hands to acts of mercy. Strengthen our churches through discipleship and leadership. And may we never forget that we are in this together—for Your glory, until the whole world knows. Amen.”

Talk It Over

In what ways can we actively participate in God's mission as described in Matthew 28:19–20?

What does it mean to be 'sent together' as a community in the context of Jesus' Great Commission?

How does the illustration of a compass relate to finding and following God's mission in your life?

How can acts of kindness serve as a bridge to share the message of Christ with others?

Dunkirk Source: https://www.britannica.com/event/Dunkirk-evacuation/The-miracle-of-Dunkirk