Mission Work

Acts 14:19–28 KJV 1900

And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia: And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Houston Statistics

2.2 million people, 5th largest city in USA, only NYC has more Fortune 500 headquarters.

Houston-Woodlands-Sugar land area estimates 6.9 million people. If it were a state, it would be bigger than Mass or Tenn or Indiana or Missouri or Maryland or Wisconsin or Colorado of Minnesota or S Carolina or Alabama or Louisiana or Kentucky or Oregon or Oklahoma or Connecticut or Iowa or Utah or Arkansas or Nevada or Mississippi or Kansas or New Mexico or Nebraska or West Virginia or Idaho or Hawaii or New Hampshire or Maine. In fact, the Greater Houston Area has more people than Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, both Dakotas, Alaska, Vermont and Wyoming combined. If it were a country, it would be the 106th largest - bigger than Paraguay, El Salvador, Denmark or Norway.

In 2016, Greater Houston GDP was $526 billion dollars - 6th highest metropolitan area.

ABA book: 26 churches and missions. 265,384 people per church.

In 2016, Kinder Institute for Urban Research said 46% protestant, 31% Catholic, 5% other and 18% no religion. Houston Chronicle: “But during the last 35 years, the area's population of believers in non-Christian religions has tripled, Klineberg said.” [https://www.chron.com/local/history/culture-scene/article/Temples-of-the-gods-Houston-s-religious-10098734.php]

1.24 million “nones.” 47,769 “nones” per church. We have more nones than 8 states have people! If our nones were a country, it would have a bigger population than Iceland, Belize, Grenada and the Bahamas combined.

We have a quarter of Texas’ people, and less than a tenth of the ABA churches (307 in state book).

How would you like to report next year on the powerful door God has opened to Houston, the way that Paul and Barnabas reported on God’s work among the Gentiles? Could we ever see this economic and cultural powerhouse turned back from wickedness and turned to God? Could we see our churches filled once again, and many more established?

Preached the Gospel to that City

Acts 14:21 KJV 1900

And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

Explain: Gospel must come first! It was not preached in the churches, but in the city. (14:6-7) Taught is μαθητεύσαντες

Illustrate: A farmer with no seed, no amount of plowing and watering matters

Argue: Thom Rainer study of 1000 churches in 2013 and 2016: average of 19 members per 1 profession of faith per year. 5% had 10:1 or better - pastor led by example. http://evangelismrenewal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Effective-Evangelistic-Churches.pdf

Apply: Church leaders: we must be deliberate about telling people HOW to share faith, and must take an honest look at the numbers. Individuals: We must take the gospel OUTSIDE of the church walls to the city.

Confirmed the Souls of the Disciples

Acts 14:22 KJV 1900

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Explain: confirmed means strengthened. This is the word used when Jesus set His face to Jerusalem. I think it refers to assurance of salvation.

Illustrate: A builder laying the foundation over and over again will never have a building.

Argue: Many of our members never have any assurance, ask Jesus into heart over and over again

Apply: Teach people about eternal security, ask people specifically about their testimony and reassure them. Reassure your own soul.

Exhorted Them

Acts 14:22 KJV 1900

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Explain: Encouraged, comforted them. Not telling them everything was going to be rosy, but encouraging them by preparing them for tribulation. Built them up to expect trouble and to continue in the faith. We have an entire generation of Christians unprepared for trouble.

Illustrate: Moses, Exodus 430 not 400.

Argue: Don’t blame the Democrats or the Republicans. Don’t talk like the wheels have fallen off and God has slipped off the throne.

Apply: Pastors: Prepare your people for persecution. Teach them to respond to it not only by the voting booth, but by a renewed confidence in God’s faithfulness. Evangelism: Prepare people when they become Christians for trouble ahead, like Jesus did.

Ordained Pastors

Acts 14:23 KJV 1900

And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Explain: Paul and Barnabas knew they would not be there forever, and there was never going to be a time when the work was “done.” So they raised up men to carry the work on when they left. You and I will not be around forever. Whether moved by God somewhere else, or taken by God through death, we must raise up leaders! We have a famine of leadership in our churches.

Illustrate: Paul/Timothy

Argue: Clearly without generational reproduction, strong churches will be a flash in the pan. As I look at the strength of the men in the historical records of our minute book, I wonder - who has replaced them?

Apply: Build up young preachers, give them a chance to preach. Challenge people to respond to God’s call. Mentoring.

Prayed/Fasted/Commended

Acts 14:23 KJV 1900

And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Explain: Finally, they prayed, fasted and entrusted them to he God who had saved them. Paul and Barnabas demonstrated their faith in God, because if He was big enough to help them, He was big enough to care for His church. Prayer and fasting (is it any wonder that we have a Christianity unable to suffer, when it cannot do anything except joke about hunger?)

Illustrate: John Owen

I am going to him whom my soul hath loved, or rather hath love me with an everlasting love; which is the whole ground of all my consolation. The passage is very irksome and wearisome through strong pain of various sorts which are all issued in an intermitting fever… — I am leaving the ship of the church in a storm, but while the great Pilot is in it the loss of a poore under-rower will be inconsiderable. Live and pray and hope and waite patiently and doe not despair; the promise stands invincible that he will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

Argue: We cannot do the work. Paul planted, Apollos watered, God gave the increase. “I Know Whom I have Believed”

Apply: Do we pretend it is our church, or give it to God? Do we do all He has called us to do, and then trust Him to His work? Or lean on the two heresies of novelty and tradition?

Preaching the Gospel

Confirming the Saints

Exhorting the Saints

Ordaining the Pastors

Prayerfully Entrusting to God

The secret to seeing God’s hand is to build churches. We must reach the lost, confirm them in the faith, encourage them for the path ahead, train some of them up into leaders ad prayerfully hand them over to their Father. When we do this seriously, do you see what Acts 14:23 says? They were entrusted to God by their sending church, just as they had entrusted churches to God. The process, when followed, is a cycle which never ends.

Acts 14:26 KJV 1900

And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

What would happen if we all took this seriously? Which of these areas is your weakest? If we prayed today for God’s building up of His disciples? If we shared the gospel, specifically, with someone outside of the church this week? What if we made the painful side of following Christ a regular theme in our sermons, instead of scratching the ears of the saints and blasting the world with a hopeless heart? What if we talked to someone in our church this month about their salvation testimony to reassure them and confirm them? What if, this year, we made it a point to pour into the life of someone behind us on the road of faith? What if, right now, each one of us committed to just one of these, as a starting point. What would happen?

I think we know exactly what would happen. Next year, we would gather not to read mundane reports that, through many words, signify nothing. We would gather to testify about the wonderful work God had did in our midst. There are millions of people in our backyard, suspended over Hell by a thread. One drug overdose, one car accident, one blood clot away from an eternity without God. Houston needs churches. Houston needs Christ.