Discipleship Sends Far

Q: Let’s say you have two teams of five people being sent to Nigeria for a 3 year term. They’re going in pursuit of their respective missions, but one is being sent by a local association of Baptists, and the other is being sent by the Red Cross. I’ll let you fill in the blanks.

How might these two missions endeavors be similar or different?

Making disciples in far places is best accomplished by mature disciples who are sent with a mastery of the message, the means, and the mission- field.

The message - What are we proclaiming?

The means - How do we achieve the mission?

The mission field - Who are we ministering to?

The express goal of every Christian missionary endeavor is to make disciples. Every disciple making effort begins and is sustained by the gospel. Therefore we must begin with a thorough and established understanding of the message.

The message - What are we proclaiming?

1 Corinthians 1:17–25 NASB95

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. 18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

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Let’s be clear at the onset. There’s a place for wisdom and prudence in the church, but it doesn’t replace the simplicity of the gospel. Let’s try to put a few things in that category. What kinds of worldly wisdom should we be aware of in the ministry of the church?

If we can put together a really great advertising campaign, we’ll be more effective in evangelizing to the lost. (We want people to know we’re here, we don’t refrain from saying, “I go to TRCC”, but we don’t rest our effectiveness on things like advertising.

Whatever worldly wisdom we might be tempted toward in a place where we’re comfortable and everyone speaks our language is probably could very well be an even greater temptation in a difficult place where we’re having a difficult time communicating to people.

“What can we win them with?”

“What can we attract them with?”

Paul depended entirely on the sufficiency of the gospel and the fruit that it would bear.

1 Corinthians 1:18 NASB95

18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:23–24 NASB95

23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Paul started on the sufficiency of the gospel and he ended with the sufficiency of the gospel. When the church is being persuaded to fall back into their cultural norms, how does he call them back? He makes them aware of their sin, and he call them back to faith in the gospel through repentance.

1 Corinthians 15:1–6 NASB95

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

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If we do not know the gospel, We cannot effectively advance the gospel.

If we do not know sound doctrine, we cannot effectively defend the gospel.

Numerous places in the New Testament give testimony to how easy it is for young churches to drift and lose sight of the gospel. If our hope is to establish and plant new churches we must know the gospel and be able to defend it.

Theological education is important particularly for those who are going to put themselves in extraordinary circumstances.

Theological education is best done with the church because it attaches the knowledge to the means. That is the church.

The means - How do we achieve the mission?

There are numerous methodologies out there about how to do missions. Many of them have there advantages and important considerations, but at the end of the day. The sending and witness of God’s people cannot be separated from the church. And the growth of God’s people cannot be separated from the church.

What is the mission?

Matthew 28:19–20 NASB95

19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

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What do we do with converts? We baptize them into the church. We teach them! As we evangelize, me make a disciple in baptism, and that’s where discipleship begins! That’s where a life of being taught and hopefully being equipped to teach others begins, but it’s also the place where mature believers continue to minister from. Those who baptize and those who teach are not calling these disciples to go somewhere where they are not. It’s really a call to follow me.

Discipleship from the church and to the church on the mission field.

The Church Sending

Acts 11:19–26 NASB95

19 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. 23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; 24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. 25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Acts 13:2–3 NASB95

2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

The Church Supporting

3 John 5–8 NASB95

5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; 6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

Philippians 4:18 NASB95

18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

Romans 15:30–32 NASB95

30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; 32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.

The Church Being Planted

The how - the means are all delivered to us in this neat little package called the church.

We recognize baptism, one of the first acts of making a new disciple should coincide with involvement in the church.

All these who were baptized in Acts 2 are immediately united with a body of believers in a common teaching, a common care for one another, and a common fellowship.

2. When we seek out teaching for young disciples where do we look? Where has God appointed qualified men to teach? The church. 1 Timothy 3

God has ordained pastors and elders to lead and shepherd the church for the growth of the whole.

3. If we hope for these young disciples to grow, they need a body! We’ve been covering that recently. Young believers arguably need the church more than anyone. They need brothers and sisters to encourage them, to guide them, to love them, to lovingly correct them. New Disciples need the church. Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12

The means by which we make disciples among all nations , and the mission to which we are sending our disciples should very often be fundamentally the work of planting churches. That’s the fundamental means by which God has ordained people to grow and mature in their faith as disciples of Christ.

The mission-field - Who are we ministering to?

This is true in every discipleship relationship, but this is particularly true when we send people to far away places. A key part of discipleship is communication. Communication depends on two parties not just one.

I can go to Japan or China step on a box on a street corner and start preaching, but am I really communicating? No!

If we’re going to start by making disciples we need to do evangelism. We know the gospel. We know sound doctrine, but we need to know the language.

Language learning is a big part of sending far.

1 Corinthians 9:19–23 NASB95

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

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Many I’m afraid use this passage to justify all kinds of pragmatism. Let’s do whatever we need to to get the job done. “All things to all people.” Paul’s actually talking about using his freedom to relate with people of varying convictions. We’re talking theologically here, but I believe the same principle applies. What are we doing to relate with the people, to become like them, to walk among them as Christ did, share life with them. This requires an understanding of who we’re ministering to, an understanding of the language to begin with.

Sermon on Mars Hill

Acts 17:22–28 NASB95

22 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23 “For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’

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Paul knows their language.

Paul know their customs, standing in the Areopagus.

Paul knows their religion.

Paul knows their poets.

He’s applying the fundamentals of the Christian worldview to their worldview.

Sending far is a work of condescension. In many ways we become like Christ, surrendering our comforts and entitlements in order to become like someone else that we may win some. That we might walk among them. Gather them into a church, and disciple them into the image of Christ.