Fervent Prayer: Missions: Let God Lead
Father, may we be a Church that lets You lead. We repent for creating our own narratives and asking You to join us in what we want to do. We ask that You guide us, speak to us, and teach us in how You want to reach the world. We invite Your Spirit into our lives today and each day. May our heart be one with Yours as we reach out to the hurting, lost, and broken among us.
"He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”. Acts 1:7-8 ESV
My prayer in missions is that we do not let the cart get before the horse. Too often when we talk about missions, we talk from our perspective. Where we feel passionate, where we feel we should go, what we feel we should do.
But in establishing His Church, God is in the lead, not us.
Today's passage is a perfect illustration of this. We often cite Acts 1:8 when calling people to missions. But ignoring verses 1:6-7 rips away the context. The context is that, at the resurrection, the apostles still held the view that Christ's purpose was to establish the political nation of Israel. Even after walking with Christ for years, witnessing intense miracles, watching the crucifixion, and now seeing Him conquer death, the apostles still wanted God to fulfill their narrative. How often have we done the same?
May we return to simply pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven.”
By letting God lead, we are releasing Him from having to fulfill our vision of missions, and opening ourselves to what He is capable of doing. This is also a key part of 1:8 that we miss.
Missions is not only letting Him lead in terms of the big things (who, what, where), but in the small moments as well. Making space for His Holy Spirit to disrupt our daily routines to reach those right here around us. By walking in and with His Spirit, we will allow Him to reach our families, neighbors and world.
Father, may we be a Church that lets You lead. We repent for creating our own narratives and asking You to join us in what we want to do. We ask that You guide us, speak to us, and teach us in how You want to reach the world. We invite Your Spirit into our lives today and each day. May our heart be one with Yours as we reach out to the hurting, lost, and broken among us.
Why Italy?
Each year as we prepare for, or as the team is serving, I am asked about our trip to Italy. It is usually a question of “Why Italy?” out of a sense of curiosity. But, admittedly, some of the questions are much more pointed. Some ask why we would send people and resources to a European “Christian” country when we could have a much greater “impact” elsewhere.
While one is out of curiosity and one is more direct, they both provide the opportunity to dive deeper into our understanding of Christian missions. It allows us to dig deeper and have a clear understanding of where God is needed, how He has chosen to save the world, and how modern mission trips fit in.
Where is God Needed?
In our effort to send missionaries to the ends of the earth, in some ways we as American Christians unfortunately fall victim to our own efforts. In order to raise support, missionaries need to motivate people to give, and to do so they share their ministry as a compelling need. And what is more compelling than the picture of the hurt, poor and lost of this world. Think of the picture of the African child in tattered clothes looking up to the camera with sad eyes. It compels us, but it also very subtly deceives us. It deceives us into the notion that their need is “greater” than that of our neighbor next door, or a citizen of a European country. All three contexts share the same truth: there are people in each who don’t have the restoration and redemption of the Gospel in their life.
This is reminds us of Jesus when he said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV) We are called to all places at all times. And this includes Italy, a nation where Catholicism has become cultural and has minimal impact on a personal level. While 80% of Italians claim to be Christian, only 3% report actively participating in their faith.
How Will He Save?
So if God is needed in all places and at all times, how should we reach out? Unfortunately, this is where we once again fall victim to our own efforts. Since most mission trips involve a significant financial commitment, we have approached our trips as wanting to “maximize impact” and making sure the trip is “worthwhile”. We think in terms of return on investment.
But let me be clear. God’s salvation plan has not included one-week trips until the last 50 years. For the first 1,900 or so years God’s plan was focused on planting Gospel-centered faith communities among the lost of the world. His salvation plan was first the saving grace provided through His Son, and then proclaiming this good news through local churches animated through the transforming and restoring work of His Holy Spirit.
The hope of the world is first and foremost God’s saving work, and second, His bride the Church. When God poured out his Spirit He did so to a local community of believers who were committed to each other and to the Gospel, and through them the good news went out.
As a reflection of this, everything we do in missions at Mercy Hill Church for missions is centered around the local church wherever we serve. Whether we serve in Italy, Rwanda, Mexico or locally, we partner with and edify the local church in those communities.
So, How Do Mission Trips Fit In?
“If the hope of the world is the local church, then why go at all,” you may ask. But this question is still flowing out the view that a mission trip is about what we can accomplish or achieve. The proper question should be what will we allow God to accomplish on this trip?
And if His plan of salvation is our guide, then we know what is most important to Him is relationships. It is our relationship to Him, our relationships with each other, our relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ around the world, and our relationships with the hurting, lost, and broken of this world. Just as Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 ESV)
Because of this, our mission trips at Mercy Hill Church center on building relationships in all these areas. We design and create space on our trips for this to happen. There is individual time for people to reflect and walk with God. There is time in cafes in Italy, on the terrace at Solace Ministries in Rwanda, and time on our other trips. There is time ministering with our brothers and sisters in Christ in the local context so we can encourage them and they can edify and teach us. And there is time to be involved in reaching out in ministry. If this involves some construction work or a tangible project, cool, but that will just be secondary to our main focus on building relationships.
With all of this in focus now, I hope that you can see that our question of “Why Italy” can now change to the statement “Of Course Italy.” Of course Rwanda, and Mexico, and Royal Family Kids, and India, and the Middle East, and Milwaukee, and beyond.
May we be a church that at all times and in all ways is reaching out to all places. And as our church family is reaching out to our brothers and sisters in Padova, may we be lifting them up in prayer this week and beyond.
MH Missions Trips
Find out more about Mercy Hill missions trips at mercyhill.org/missionstrips
Fervent Prayer: World Missions
"...So it seems that God will most definitely accomplish this in the culmination of all things. So why do we need to be involved then? This reminds me of the story of William Carey. He was a lay Baptist pastor in 18th century England who went on to become known as the “Father of Modern Missions”. It was believed by most in the Church at that time that the Great Commission was only a command to the apostles and that those in other “heathen” nations were of no concern to them."
Mercy Hill leadership believes that one of the core functions of the Church is to be involved in the ministries of world missions.
Some Christians might say, “Why should we be involved in ministries overseas when there are plenty of people that need to hear the Gospel and be saved right here in the United States!?”
While that is most certainly true there is both mandate and model from Scripture that we are to be involved in taking the Gospel to the people of all nations. It is quite clear from God’s story in Scripture from the Old Testament to the New that he desires to forgive, redeem, adopt, and sanctify people from all the nations he has created so that we all may worship him as our Lord and King.
Indeed, this is the picture we see in John’s vision of the future that he recorded in the book of Revelation. The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before the Lamb and state “for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,” (Revelation 5:9 ESV).
A little later John sees those who have come out of the great tribulation:
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"(Revelation 7:9-10,ESV)
What a wonderful picture of celebration and exultation from God’s mosaic, people from thousands of different and varied cultures and languages worshipping their Creator, their Savior, their Redeemer!
So it seems that God will most definitely accomplish this in the culmination of all things. So why do we need to be involved then? This reminds me of the story of William Carey. He was a lay Baptist pastor in 18th century England who went on to become known as the “Father of Modern Missions”. It was believed by most in the Church at that time that the Great Commission was only a command to the apostles and that those in other “heathen” nations were of no concern to them.
When Carey presented the idea of going abroad with the Gospel to a group of pastors, one of them replied, “Young man, sit down. When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine.” Yes, God is certainly sovereign and He will accomplish His will. The question is, will we be obedient to follow His commands to make disciples of all nations and be used as instruments in His hands?
Along with Paul we must ask:
"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"(Romans 10:14-15, ESV)
With this in mind, we pray:
Lord, we pray that you use the people at Mercy Hill Church to help bring the good news of our Savior Jesus Christ to people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. We pray that you show us how to partner with our brothers and sisters in the church around the world to bring the Gospel to their nations. We ask that you give wisdom, strength, and endurance to the missionaries that we support around the world. We pray that you continue to raise up people among the body at Mercy Hill to be part of your mission to reach “people for your name” among the nations. Finally, we pray that you help Mercy Hill to reach people from other nations who live amongst us here in our own communities. Amen.
How you can help spread the gospel in Rwanda
We have exciting news! God has presented us with a unique opportunity to support our 2016 Rwanda team and the ministry they will be providing. An anonymous donor approached us and informed us that they will match every donation made to support Mercy Hill's 2016 Rwanda trip.
We have exciting news! God has presented us with a unique opportunity to support our 2016 Rwanda team and the ministry they will be providing. An anonymous donor approached us and informed us that they will match every donation made to support Mercy Hill's 2016 Rwanda trip.
In February, Mercy Hill Church will be going to Solace Ministries in Rwanda, Africa to encourage and edify the widow and orphan survivors of the 1994 genocide as well as the pastors who serve them.
In a place where resources and access to theological training are limited, these local Rwandan pastors have been inundated with materials saturated with prosperity gospel and other incorrect teachings. They hunger for the true Gospel and want to see God move in their communities.
In addition to the team supporting the work of Kwizera Ministries during the trip, Pastor Tommy Orlando will join the trip and be able to speak to the Rwandan pastors at a special conference and help deepen their understanding and ability to cling to the true Gospel.
We would ask that you prayerfully consider either joining this team or giving financially to help cover the cost of the trip and to provide for the Rwandan Pastor's Conference. This is a wonderful opportunity to come alongside local Rwandan pastors who live sacrificially to teach the Gospel in their communities - and for your financial support to be doubled by an anonymous donor.
We know that they will teach us just as much as we will teach them, and together we will see the Gospel advanced through the Holy Spirit!
Join the February Rwanda team
Is God calling you to experience missions? Our partnerships with Kwizera Ministries and Solace Ministries makes this trip a perfect opportunity for anyone who is feeling God calling them to experience ministry and missions overseas. Both ministries are very well organized and have a heart for building relationships and sharing the Gospel- just like our partners in Italy!
If you're interested in going on this trip the cost is $2,150 per person and a $1,350 deposit is due on January 13. To get more information please email Carol & Ray Gumm.
Your Support will be Matched!
If you aren't able to go, you have the opportunity to send others. Through January, your financial support of the Rwanda team will be matched by an anonymous donor. Click here to give securely and help the Gospel reach communities in Rwanda. (Please be sure to select "Mission Trip - Rwanda 2016" from the "Select Reference" dropdown menu.)
You can also give at church on Sunday by writing a check and including "2016 Rwanda Trip" in the memo line.
Fervent Prayer: Missions
In the modern-day American church “missions” many times is not considered an important part of the ministry of the church. There is usually some form of missions done, however, because it is a “good thing to do,” or “those poor people really need our help” or “Gee, foreign travel is exciting!” Missions is usually relegated to an add-on if there happens to be some leftover time or resources.
“Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him- to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.” Romans 16:25-27
In the modern-day American church “missions” many times is not considered an important part of the ministry of the church. There is usually some form of missions done, however, because it is a “good thing to do,” or “those poor people really need our help” or “Gee, foreign travel is exciting!” Missions is usually relegated to an add-on if there happens to be some leftover time or resources.
At Mercy Hill we often hear that we need to “be the church.” While this phrase, indeed, can entail many different aspects, being the church ultimately boils down to fulfilling the main purpose of the church which is the glorification of our God. The church exists to worship God and bring Him glory. In his book Let the Nations Be Glad, John Piper states, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” And worship cannot exist except through belief in the one, true gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul establishes this throughout his message in the book of Romans. In chapter one he states, “Through him and for his names sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith” (v. 5). Then in 15:8-9, “For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy…”
Let us pray with the Psalmist, “Let the peoples praise you , O God, may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy…” (Ps 67:3) and “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Ps 96:3). Let Mercy Hill be part of what God is doing among the nations and bringing forth the message that Jesus “with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them a kingdom of priests to serve our God…” (Rev 5:9). Amen.
Jeff Luecke
Elder of Mercy Hill Church