Jesus Centered Outreach

MISSION RESOURCES:  

Missions:  How the Local Church Goes Global is a great short book on the Great Commision and the church.

HERE is a link to a conversation Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman on how every Christian and every local church should be involved in global missions.  

Here are 10 especially powerful thoughts from this book.  After this list are several prayer requests for missions at West Cannon Baptist Church and the church in general.

1. “Evangelism and establishing Christ’s church is our first priority in missions."
2. “Our confidence in missions and our joy in salvation flow from a knowledge that God’s mission of mercy finds its origin in his desire for his glory, not in our ability or desirability.”
3. “The heart for God-glorifying missions starts with joy in the gospel. Our churches must first cherish the God who sent his own Son to save sinners like us.”
4. “I’ve seen churches that have tried to get their members excited about missions without being excited about the gospel. The result was pitiful.”
5. “The glory of the gospel–not the neediness of mankind–is the self-sustaining fuel for global missions."
6. “God’s mission is urgent…Yet God’s mission is not frantic or in danger of failing.”
7. “Churches are where faithful missionaries are made.”
8. “The best way to make sure short-term work is genuinely helpful is to send teams that your overseas workers request.”
9. “Whether great things happen in our time or not is in God’s control. We are called to be faithful in both fruitful and lean times. Success is in the hands of God.”
10. “Many of us don’t have to board international flights to reach people from other religions and cultures. We just need to open our eyes, look around, and engage the nations in our own cities and towns….80 percent of international students never see the inside of an American home during their stay.”

PRAYER REQUESTS BASED ON SOME OF THESE QUOTES:
As Christ-centered prayer requests are shared throughout this week, here is an article to help you understand what Christ-centered means - https://www.paultripp.com/wednesdays-word/posts/what-is-a-christ-centered-life

1. Pray that we would be thinking and living evangelistically.
2. Pray that we would be more concerned about God's glory than making a name for West Cannon Baptist Church.
3. Pray that we would cherish the God who sent his own Son to save sinners.
4. Pray that our excitement would be about the gospel and not the opportunities.
5. Pray that people in our church would be passionate about the Gospel.  An excitement to see people from around the world doesn't necessarily make you a missionary but it definitely makes you a Christian.
6. Pray that we would make the most of the opportunities God gives us to reach other religions and cultures right here in Michigan.

For more Theology Matters prayer resources click HERE