Missiologist George Patterson has developed a list of the seven essential commands of Jesus. (www.paul-timothy.net) These commands are being taught all over the world and are bearing fruit for the Kingdom. How are they faring in your life?

Here is an adaptation of that list.

1. Repent, believe, and receive the Holy Spirit

2. Baptize new believers.

3. Love God and people.

4. Break bread together.

5. Give sacrificially.

6. Pray continually.

7. Go and make disciples.

Here are a few of the sites I have come to enjoy and even depend on in ministry through the last few years:

1. www.e-sword.net  Do you want to build a world class Christian library in just a few minutes for FREE? This is the site for you.

2. www.harvestime.org This site provides comprehensive Bible College cirriculum in seven languages on pdf files for FREE.

3. www.livingwaters.com Probably the best evangelism training site available today. Many FREE resources as well as low cost outreach training and materials.

4. www.sermonindex.net  Over 16,000 sermon audios from the last one hundred years. Hours and hours of instruction and inspiration.

5. www.newchurchreport.com Compilation site of the latest articles from across Christian cyberspace. Currently under new management.

6. www.biblicalspirituality.org Lots of articles and resources both FREE and low cost about spiritual disciplines.

7. www.biblegateway.com Premier site for dozens of versions of the Bible online.

8. www.oneyearbibleonline.com read the Bible in one year from the version of your choice for FREE. New feature lets you start on any day of the year.

9. www.ccel.org Christian Classic Ethereal Library. Hundreds of Christian books available FREE online.

10. www.cpforum.net and www.mentoringleaders.com  two of the most dynamic Church leaders today.

11. www.davidwa.org  David Watson is arguably the most successful church planter alive today. His site is full of provocative articles and video about soul-winning, disciplemaking, church planting, and missions.

12. www.raycomfortfood.blogspot.com Thius blog entitled “Atheist Central” is a no holds barred discussion of faith with agnostics and atheists.

BONUS SITE: www.pandora.com Register at this site and build your own praise and worship radio station.

Luke 10:1-21

1. The Call and the Cost: Deciding to become a missional  believer regardless of the personal sacrifice involved. (Lk 10:1)

                 The call from above: Isaiah 6:8

                 The call from below: Luke 16:27-28

                 The call from inside: 1 Corinthians 9:16-17

                 The call from outside: Acts 16:9

                 Three costs: Luke 9:58-62

                 Material, Relational, Spiritual

A key strategy: (Luke 10:4)

Surrender Wealth, Emotional Baggage, Agendas, Relationships

2. The Practice of Prayer: Developing an extraordinary prayer life. (Luke 10:2)

Persistence: Ephesians 6:18

Passion: Hebrews 5:7

Pattern: Matthew 6:9-13

Precision: Philippians 4:6

Patience: Luke 18:1-8

A key strategy: (1 Timothy 4:8) Consistency, Distance, Speed

3. Pockets of People: Gaining access to relational networks. (Luke 10:5) oikos

Noah: Genesis 7:1

Abraham: Genesis 19:12-23

Rahab: Joshua 2:17-20

Demoniac: Mark 5:19

Cornelius: Acts 10:23-25

Lydia: Acts 16:14-15

Philippian Jailer: Acts 16:30-33

A key strategy: L.O.V. E. (John 15:13)

-Listen & Learn

-Offer Help

-Verbalize your Faith

-Extend an Invitation

4. Person of Peace: Identifying God’s insider to reach the   network. (Luke 10:6)

Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

Worthy Person Matthew 10:11

Samaritan Woman John 4

Religious Leader John 7:48-50

Ethiopian Eunuch  Acts 8

A key strategy: 12 Step Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:2)

1) Invite them to study the Bible (John)

2) Go through the 10 Commandments with them (Exodus 20)

3) Challenge them to repent (Matthew 4:17-22)

4) Baptize them in water (Matthew 3:13-17)  

5) Lead them into the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1-2)

6) Break any family curses (Exodus 20:5,Ezekiel 18:20, Galatians 3:13)

7) Expel any demons (Luke 11:14-28)

Get them a Bible (1 Timothy 3:16-17)

9) Do a 14 day basic training (Matthew 5-7)

10) Train them to tell their story (Revelation 12:11)

11) Train them to do devotions (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)

12) Get them into a cell (Acts 2:42-46)

5. The Power of Presence: Establishing an outpost for the Kingdom. (Luke 10:9)

                 My church (Matthew 16:17-19)

Two or three (Matthew 18:19-20)

Four things (Acts 2:42)

All of You (1 Corinthians 14:26)

Motivate (Hebrews 10:24)

A key strategy:  Welcome, Worship, Word, Works, Witness

6. The People of Purpose: Multiplying workers into the

harvest. (Luke 10:17)

Disciples Luke 6:12-16

1×12=12  Luke 9:1

6×12=72  Luke 10:1

36×12+72+12=500+ 1 Corinthians 15:6

250×12=3000 Acts 2:41

A key strategy: James 4:7-10 Surrender, Deliverance, Devotion, Character, Compassion, Call, Expectation

7. The Promise of Problems: Dealing with difficulties.     (Luke 10:10-16)

Persecution Acts 4:1-3

Sin in the Camp Acts 5:1-2

Discontent Acts 6:1

Criticism Acts 15:36-40

Overwhelmed 2 Corinthians 1:8

Troubles and Hardships 2 Corinthians 6:4-10

Misc. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27

A key strategy: The armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)

1) Living in Truth

2) Walking in Righteousness

3) Prepared to Share the Gospel

4) Covered in Faith

5)  Putting on Salvation

6) Using the Word

7) Pray in the Spirit

Seven steps closer to reaching the world

In doing the work of global outreach, my church matters. Your church matters. The church down the road matters. Every local church can—and must—play a role if we intend to carry out the Great Commission. Consider these simple ways to increase your church’s commitment to global outreach:

1. Ask God to give you a heart for the world. I have seen entire churches burdened about the Great Commission after God moved first in the life of only one church member. Passionate, mission-minded church members are difficult to ignore!
2. Teach about missions. Train children, youth, and adults about the significance of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). Use every opportunity to show why every follower of Christ should be concerned about missions.
3. Promote, promote, and promote again any missions offering that your church supports. Challenge your members to give sacrificially. For example, encourage them to give to missions at least a tithe of what they spend on Christmas gifts this year.
4. Invite stateside missionaries to speak to the church. Nothing speaks to churches quite like a “real live” missionary does, and the time set aside for a missionary speaker is time well spent. Contact any missions agency to find the names of missionaries now on stateside assignment.
5. Challenge church members to pray daily for missionaries. Provide a list of names and needs, being careful to protect missionaries who serve in sensitive areas.
6. Sponsor a short-term mission trip for your church members. Teaching about missions is a starting point, but actually experiencing missions can be life-changing. Set a goal to send at least 10 percent of your church’s active attendees on a mission trip this year. Be sure to commission your members as missionaries as you send them out.
7. Pray corporately that God will call some of your church’s members to be career missionaries. Perhaps he will use some of your members to take the gospel where it has never been.

Where should you go?

It’s been 5 years already since I was frantically getting ready to travel with Pullman Foursquare Youth to Thailand and experience my first ever missions trip. I am not a passionate traveler, ready to go at a moment’s notice, anywhere or anytime. The thought of traveling overseas often brings out the worst in me, worry and fear and the unknown. I can recall now many wrong perceptions of what it was going to be like…. traveling in a foreign country.  Recently, a friend sent me a link to the following article:

*Despite Benefits, Few Americans Have Experienced Short-Term Mission Trips 

 
I was flooded with memories of a trip that changed my way of life and my way of thinking. My earlier perceptions were all ridiculous and my expectations were beyond realized. God used the time to shape me and bless me in ways I never imagined. He also built my faith in a way that only He could by showing me the miraculous in my own life.  We often have numerous reasons or excuses why we can’t possibly join in on a missions trip……I’ve used several of them.

Here at Pullman Fourquare Church, there are many possibilities and potential trips in the works. A team recently traveled to Kenya and another team is getting prepared to return to Thailand in the Spring. Have you considered making a short-term missions trip part of your life? Are you willing to let God influence your decision? Think about it…..your life will never be the same!