MISSION SCRIPT

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Why?! Why does it matter that we know our mission as a Chruch? I know this is the question that A lot of people ask internally but maybe don’t ask out loud for fear of what others may think.

I want to let you know today that this is a good question. It is important to ask why Mission and Vision are important. It is important to ask because in asking this question you are showing a real desire to live this one life we all have to the fullest.

Before we get to why it is important to value and participate in the Mission of BA Nazarene I want to talk about how important it is to have an accurate sense of our personal mission as Followers of Jesus.

Every once in a while I need to be reminded why I have dedicated my life to full time Christians ministry.

In fact we all need to know why we do what we do…because if we are not careful we can allow the expectations of other people to determine Our success or failure in fulfilling God’s plan in each of our lives.

This is a little harder than it looks like because in order to answer the question of why we do what we do we have to understand how our life experiences have shaped us.

Not just the positives things we have encountered but the painful experiences we have help shape who we are.

I have had a lot of experiences that have directly and indirectly influenced how I make decisions for my entire life.

My life has been full of challenges and Joy.

I had a father that was very impulsive and instilled in me the need to be in control of my fiscal future.

However it also instilled a sense of selfishness....

I had a mom who modeled what it was to love unconditionally. I watched her sacrifice for everyone of her children and my father who was not the greatest husband. This instilled a sense of loyalty in me.

I am loyal to a fault because of this example however I do not Trust easily either because I do not want to be taken advantage of like she was at times.

I have had great success in sports but spent a lot of time trying to please coaches and as a result often seek the affirmation of others too much.

I have a wonderful wife and child who have given my life meaning. There is joy the I would never have had with out them.

However at times I can

These experiences along with my relationship with Jesus are just a few of the things that have shaped who I have become and what I am becoming.

Whether we believe it or not our life experience along with our faith does shape what we do and do not believe about our life.

If we do not honestly look at these things we can easily have an inaccurate view of who we really are.

This usually leads to a bit of dysfunction. In that we often try to maintain our unrealistic views of ourselves so maybe we do not have to face up to who or what we really are.

After a lot of reflection and prayer over the years I have come to the conclusion that I am who I am and I do what I do because:

I want To Inspire people to embrace who God made them to be... so they will be able to live a life of purpose instead of a life seeking other peoples expectations.

I think this is done best by not only knowing but making the great commandment and the great commissions the center piece of my life.

English Standard Version Chapter 22

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

English Standard Version Chapter 28

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.”

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Not only is this what I am called to…it is why God instituted the Church or the Community of Faith.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

Not only is this what I am called to…it is why God instituted the Church or the Community of Faith.

Again this idea comes not only from careful study of scripture…it comes from experiencing this type of Church.

My call was solidified even before I accepted it because of the way Lynn Ind First Church of the Nazarene showed unconditional love to a family that had absolutely nothing to give to it.

They did not get caught up in who were were what we had or what we could do for them…they simply Loved us into a relationship with Jesus.

Then they continued with us by nurturing us, challenging us and encouraging us up until the day we packed up and moved to Huntsville TX.

When Jesus left this earth He never envisioned the Church as an organization. The reason being is that is exactly what the Church had already become.

The Israelites had replaced a relationship with an Almighty God with a relationship of red tape that forgot the faith of the Red Sea.

Our mission is important because Jesus wants His people

To Inspire people to embrace who God made them to be so they will be able to live a life of Peace and Holiness instead of a life seeking other peoples approval.

Or maybe an easier way to explain why our mission is important…is that God wants us to

HELP PEOPLE LIVE!

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

This is why God has given us the mission of Being and Training Engaged Followers of Jesus.

This statement communicates the idea of continual growth both personally and as a Body. It also communicates continual growth both Spiritually and Numerically.

You can always tell when a moment or a revival is coming to an end…instead of seeing a dynamic life change and exciting things happen people start to try to preserve it. How do they do it? By putting into place ideas that are more interested in preserving than propagating.

Continually looking for ways to be engaged and to help others engage in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

The Word Engaged is Key to what I believe God wants us to always be.

Engaged: involved in activity : OCCUPIED, BUSY greatly interested : COMMITTED

A Church that is fulfilling the Great Commission and Great Commandment is continuously involved, occupied, busy, interested, and committed to the ways of God’s Love.

Spreading the Good News to the entire world and training people to continue to grow in God’s love is the ONLY thing that matters to a people like this and is shows by continual growth in every way.

When we are fully engaged that means we understand what is at stake if we are not continually focused and refocused on the Good News.

For some this next statement may seem over dramatic. Our Mission is important because eternity is at stake for all who do not know Jesus as their savior.

This means that when we GATHER everything we do should point to our love for Jesus and our love for Each other.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

John 13:34–35 ESV

Gathering together is a form of showing how much you love each other. If you and I can easily miss times of corporate worship for one reason or another what we are saying is we do not care enough about the people we are in community with to gather with them to celebrate the name of Jesus.

I understand this seems pretty controversial and harsh. It is not meant to be. But I find that in today’s climate it is easy to make Gathering together on a regular basis optional or based on preference.

This is not only bad for us an individuals but causes great harm to those who need the support of a Worshipping community.

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

Imagine if you would a people that loved each other and God so much that the highlights of their lives would not center around an athletic event or even a religious concert but centered around being in the presence of God lifting Him up in the company of their family of God.

When this mind shift takes place people sense the love we have for God and Each other. Then I envision hundreds of people wanting to Gather on at least a Weekly Basis to worship God and encourage one another.

It does not stop there…I also envision hundreds of us Gathering together in smaller groups to Grow in the Knowledge of God through Friendship and learning.

Friendship is much more than simply going to the ball game especially when it comes to life.

The life expectancy in the United States has declined as of late and one of the reasons given is an up tic in this is the rise in opioid overdose and suicide. Both reasons have at least a couple of things in common.

Loss of Hope Escape from realityFeeling Alone.

It is a lie from the devil to believe that you and I do not need relationship with each other.

When a Church has groups of people that like to get together for deep relationships with each other and God the result is a positive outlook on life and faith.

If we separate relationships with each other from our everyday life our growth in faith and life is not going to bring the satisfaction we long for.

Life is meant to be lived together! That is why we Gather, That is how we grow.

As we Gather and Grow we find that we are then challenged to live or serve also as a group.

There was a small group in one of the Churches that I served that after a freak hail storm simply started going out as a group to see if there was anyone that needed help. One of the people they helped had a religious column in the newspaper and began to write about the love she experienced from a group of people that most of who she did not know.

Basically she pointed out that this group of people picked up glass from broken window, sopped up water and cut up limbs that had been blown down for her and her family even though the went to another church and did not know them personally…she was blown away by this….

I find it interesting that anyone would be blown away when a Church serves…but it happens…Being engaged means making service…well Normal…not Noteworthy.

This is how we multiply Jesus. We Gather to worship, so we can Grow in friendship and knowlege, so we are prepared to serve so we can multiply Jesus. Engagement in the life of the Church this way leads to making Jesus known to those who don’t know Him.

Instead of this happening though growing into a mega church (Which there is nothing wrong with) What if we had several preaching points, home churches or even small to middle sized gathering all through out the city Gathering Growing, Serving, together over and over again?

When a Church is engaged it takes ground from the enemy and expands the territory for the Kingdom of God.

This brings an eternal purpose for what may seem like an ordinary life.

This Mission brings meaning to what can easily become meaningless by replacing a flawed sense of secular life to a perfect sense of the sacred life.

When we live for the sacred...life itself becomes sacred.

Imagine if you will a vibrant gathering of hundreds of people all over the Broken Arrow Area? Several services at our renovated current location.

Dozens of Gatherings of people in small groups growing in friendship and knowlege of the world all through out the BA Tulsa Area.

People Called BA Nazarenes Serving in World Missions with short term mission trips all over the world. People called BA Nazarenes Serving in our local community so many of them serving that when someone asks where they are from they are NOT surprised to hear that are Called Nazarenes

Preaching Points, Home Churches, or mid sized congregations all over the BA Tulsa Area.

New people brought into faith, new Churches leading people to Be and Train ENGAGED Followers of Jesus?

It can happen…Jesus wants to pour out His spirit on BA and the Tulsa Area through you!

All we have to do is simply ENGAGE…SURRENDER AND…COMMIT…

TO HELPING PEOPLE LIVE!

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

I think you are ready for the abundant life God has for you and BA Nazarene!

What does that Engagement look like for you?

New Living Translation Chapter 4

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.