Spiritual Giftedness - Lesson 4

The passion for missions

Focus for Lesson Four

To understand the definition of passion for Missions

To understand the strengths and weaknesses of this spiritual gift (passion).

To understand the ways to utilize this gift (passion).

A reminder of some basic understandings:

It is possible to have passion in all the gifts, but all the gifts are not equal in passion

Don’t be a fool and limited yourself to one area of service. God can use you in multiple areas, but there will be one, hopefully, that will stand out above the others. Hopefully you will discover that as we do this series.

It is possible to have developed talent associated with a gift, but talent is not passion

Talent does not equate to passion. You may be talented in an area that does not bring you joy. May the Lord bring you to the place He wants you with the talent He gave you to bring you joy and to serve the body with passion.

It is possible to have joy with one, but still have responsibility in all the gifts.

WE all have things that bring us joy and we love to do those things. That does not mean we should neglect the hard, difficult, unfamiliar things, areas of responsibility God has called you to. (i.e. encouragement of downtrodden person). Or the passionate teacher who is a reluctant giver or server.

(The gift of missions slide here)

As mentioned in our last lesson, only about 6% of the church family have this passion.

Let’s develop this some so we have the right definition. First the scripture we are taking it from.

(The Gift of Missions slide inserted here)

Ephesians 4:11 NASB95

11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

When you think of apostles, you more than likely think of “the” apostles of Jesus Christ. The chosen ones as noted in (Mk3:14; Jn6:70)

I don’t want to stay in trying to defend apostles vs. “the” apostles tonight we are talking about the spiritual gift (passion) apostle (passion for mission)

Let’s take a minute and look up just the 1The2:6 passage.

1 Thessalonians 2:6 NASB95

6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.

Who is a Missionary?

•The one who deeply desires to start congregations where there is none.

•The one who possesses the unique ability to consistently hold a worldview of Christ and the church.

•Missionaries want to turn the world “upside down.” (consider Act17:6)

(Signs of maturity slide-1)

(Signs of maturity slide-2)

The mission passionate person is not attached to things and is willing to give up or leave things behind to go serve and establish a congregation.

(Signs of immaturity slide-1)

Mission work needs to be prayerfully and practically planned out. It is as the book says much more complex than buying a plane ticket to some God forsaken place.

Mission work takes planning, networking, fund raising, cost analysis, curriculum planning and making connections in the mission field going to go to.

You can read more on pg. 24 of your work-book about the immature mission passionate person.

(Ways to use the gift of Missions slide here)

Take a foreign mission trip

A survey trip to gather information about the area, the need, the culture, the people, the resources there.

Start a deaf ministry in your own congregation

This bring people out of comfort zone, oftentimes teaching a new language (ASL etc.) and opens the door locally to be filled locally

Raise support among the congregation for outside mission work.

Maybe you cannot do mission work yourself, but you can help raise funds for missionaries who are in the field or going into the field

Be active in the organization and participation of local missions.

There is plenty of local mission work that can be done, Food banks, Meals-on-wheels, nursing home, clothing ministry, etc.

Pray for specific mission teams across the globe

Take time for dedicated and purposed prayers for mission work local, mission work foreign for those involved and those God wants to get involved.

E-mail, write, and send surprise gift packages to foreign mission teams.

These small, but yet very meaningful gestures can be done with little cost, short notice and are highly effective and gratefully appreciated.

Conduct door-knocking campaigns, home Bible studies, and inner-city work.

The book has more on this, but let me say this that mission work will consist of door-knocking to get bible studies, to get a desire for people to have a congregation there.

Discussion questions (pg. 25 slide here, open book and look or read the screen)

Next week slide here

Right now invitation, song, prayer, exit