Going on Mission Together

In review of Philippians 1:27b it says, “You are standing side by side with one strong purpose — to tell the Good News.”

Bottom Line:

That you stand side by side with others of a like heart, working together to share the Good News.

What this means to me:

I am to be linked up in community, standing side by side with others, working together to spread the Good News.

I was made for a mission. God wants me to share his love with others, my friends, family, and the people I work with; those who are not currently in his family.

He asks me to do this because God wants everybody in his family. God has never made a person he didn’t love and have a purpose for. God has never made a person that Jesus Christ didn’t die for. So God wants me to share that Good News.

But I’m not alone! God wants me to go on mission with others. Philippians 1:27b says, “You are standing side by side with one strong purpose — to tell the Good News” (TLB).

A great way to share with my friends that God loves them is in partnership with others (a small group.)

First, I pray together with them, asking my small group to pray for those I know that don’t have a relationship with God. I won’t be able to force anybody to love God, but I can pray for them. My friends may reject my arguments or refuse to listen to my logic. However they are powerless against my prayers. It goes straight to their heart!

The Bible says in Colossians 4:3, “Pray for us that God will give us an opportunity to tell people his message” (NCV).

I have been told that as I pray for opportunities, I’ll start seeing them everywhere! My act of prayer will help make me aware. Thus when I start praying, I’ll start seeing their needs and I’ll start becoming concerned with them and what’s going on in their lives.

And then, as I get to know the people around me better, I can start appealing to their common interests and create opportunities to share the Gospel with them.

Before I can share the Good News with others, I’ll need to establish a relationship with them. I can do this by thinking through what are our common experiences, interests, and needs? I can even solicit input with those in my small group about things I like to do, and then ask, “Who do we know who also enjoys that who isn’t yet a believer? Who can we invite to join us?”

Sharing the Good News with others is something I need to develop more in my life. As my wife and I settle into our new community and begin to get into fellowship with others, I ask God to link with us with others who have similar hearts and are out to share the Good News with others.

Today I will consider who in my family or within my group of friends/co-workers that God is leading me to pray for. I’ll also consider how I can get to know them better by appealing to any common interests.