Discipleship and Work

Study 

As Jesus’ disciples are sent out on their first mission, they are given specific parameters as to what they are allowed to do.  At the time they were not to go to the Samaritans and Gentiles.  Later they were told to go to all the world to spread the gospel. 

God has a specific mission for us which lasts for a specific time.  We may or may not have lifelong missions but we will have complimentary “side missions.”  Some people know from early in life, “my job is to help the sick” or “I am called to go overseas.”  Even with a long term mission in mind, we must pay close attention to what God has set before us. 

God had a long term mission in mind for the disciples of spreading the gospel to the ancient world.  But in the short term, he wanted them to start in their own backyards.  Perhaps a person whose goal is to help the sick is first called into a different role such as teaching where they will gain compassion for others that will greatly help them down the road. 

What is your long term work? 

What do you see as the mission God has for you currently? 

Are the two the same or can you see ways that one might be used to achieve the other? 

As a church we too should have a goal.  It should be realistic and also not vague.  The goal should not be to reach an attendance of 150 but to realize why that 150 is important and to know how to make that important.  150 warm bodies in attendance is not a great goal, but if we desire 150 active disciples and workers, then this could be a start. 

Just as with individuals, a long term goal may be different from a short term goal.  There may be things that must be taken care of before the long term goal can hope to be realized.  It is not just enough to state what the goal is, but to recognize the steps that need to be taken to get there.  Without these steps, we’ll never know where to start and never be aware if we’re making progress. 

What is your church’s mission?  What should it be?  How do the two differ?

What needs to be done as intermediate steps to reach your church's long term goal?

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