Communities have a Common Mission

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Content from MasterLife by Avery Willis

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:9-10

for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.  For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.

Insights: Yesterday we learned about the values which drove Paul.  We also reviewed the actual and aspirational values of FBC Bowling Green.  Those values were family, preaching, worship, fellowship tradition world mission, evangelism, prayer and obedience.  Values drive behavior and direction.  In a organizational sense, values drive vision and vision determines mission.  As Paul writes to Timothy, he switches the vision and mission dynamics.  In today’s verses we see the mission of Paul being proclaimed to Timothy.  Paul’s mission is to proclaim Jesus so that the chosen may be found and obtain salvation.  Paul is willing to endure hardship and imprisonment.  In fact, he is willing to endure all things for the opportunity to tell others about Jesus’ salvational work for their lives.  At FBC Bowling Green we also have a mission with which we sense God has called us.  Our mission is to be a church that is Christ centered, gospel driven, joyfully united and prayerfully obedient.  If you have ever seen Avery Willis’ The Disciples Cross from his MasterLife Bible study material you could visualize this mission of our church.  Christ is the center of the cross and there is a vertical axis which goes up and down.  There is also a horizontal axis which goes left and right.  Because we are in a relationship with Jesus (Christ centered) we hear from Him through His Word.  This action is the vertical axis which goes down.  As we hear His Word, we respond back to Him in prayer (prayerfully obedient) in order to confirm His commands.  This action is the vertical axis which goes up.  His commands will lead to us being evangelistic in our witness toward lost people (gospel driven).  This action is the horizontal axis which goes to the left.  The final area of command is the fellowship we experience with our fellow brothers and sisters (joyfully unified).  This action is the horizontal axis going to the right.  Our personal missions need to fall within the corporate mission of being Christ centered, gospel driven, joyfully united and prayerfully obedient.  If we will live life in this fashion, we will see the Lord brought glory.

Questions:

 1. Of what mission has God explicitly called you to be a part?

 2. In what way does your personal mission fall into place to help meet the over arching mission of the local church?

Prayer: Father, forgive me when I falter in pursuing You with the mission You have commissioned me to do.  Grant me Your strength to be faithful to my devotion and obedience to You calling.  Amen.

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