Thursday, April 3, 2008
Perspectives, 729 Assignment
Please read and respond to the article, "The Awesome Potential for Mision Found in Local Churches," by George Miley, beginning on page 729 in your Perspectives on the World Christian Movement book. You will be required to respond to at least one other student's comments to successfully complete this assignment. Please ensure that you put your name in parenthesis if you post anonymously.
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9 comments:
George Miley said very clearly and I believe stated his basic premise that not every individual or church can nor should be involved directly first hand with a particular mission project. He states the, “God-given potential within each one of us becomes even more infective when it is blended together and expressed in harmony with the unique, God-given potential of our brothers and sisters.”
God has given spiritual gifts to each and every person as He sees fit. Scripture tells us that. Furthermore, I believe God leads individuals to the individual church that He would have them worship, grow spiritually themselves, and utilize their individual spiritual gifts in that particular body of believers. By doing that, I do not believe, myself, that any particular church will have every spiritual gift. However, every church will have, or should have, every spiritual gift that that particular church needs to fulfill God’s plan and purpose for that church. That assumes every believer is where God would have them to worship.
That is why George Miley says, “Gifts of administration order and facilitate the energies of the visionary. Gifts of discernment protect against unwise investment of strength and resources. Ability to shepherd and heal frees people for productive ministry. Entrepreneurs, when their skills are focused on kingdom ends, create enterprises which are channels for kingdom extension.”
I believe, this is why we have, 1Cor. 12:20 & 21, “But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.” Applied to the individual local church could mean that one church is the feet, and one church is the hands, and one church is the veins. Then we see Eph 4:16 “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
Mark A
The article about George Miley is very detailed and helpful for local churches. It gives insight into why mission works fail, and also gives additional insight into how mission works can proseper. When it comes to methods, I'm not usually stuck in stone on one particular way, so I try to see different views of the work. The five points of why the work is executed poorly are great, but I believe there are so many more. But on the contrary, the four helpful, descriptive points concerning work well done are very good training tools. I think above all, though, our walk with Christ and our prayer life with Him determines which way, whether good or bad, the mission work goes. John Hyman
The article about George Miley is very detailed and helpful for local churches. It gives insight into why mission works fail, and also gives additional insight into how mission works can proseper. When it comes to methods, I'm not usually stuck in stone on one particular way, so I try to see different views of the work. The five points of why the work is executed poorly are great, but I believe there are so many more. But on the contrary, the four helpful, descriptive points concerning work well done are very good training tools. I think above all, though, our walk with Christ and our prayer life with Him determines which way, whether good or bad, the mission work goes. John Hyman
This is a very inspiring article. It makes me want to go into a church and inspire them to get on board. I can’t help but feel a little sad that this is not already being done in our churches across America. I think that if we did all use our God given gift and come together as a whole, one body, in him this could become a reality. Miley brings up some very good ideas about how this should be done and what it takes to accomplish the Mission long term. Sad to say our churches are not full of people waiting on the edge of their seats for an opportunity to serve the Lord. He gave some example of churches that are reaching out to others and sending their own people out. I am curios to know if the idea of joining churches and mission agencies has been done and truly worked. Oh I know we say that we are joining with the mission agency in our own fellowship, but as a missionary out on the road looking for support, I would have to say this is not really the case. Yes churches support WBF missionaries and they support the mission office, but so far as partnering with the mission agency to really be involved with the missionaries on the field, it is just not happening. Churches are more than happy to send financial support, but I wonder how many have as a group visited a missionary on the field. Do churches really know what is going on out there? I am hoping that one day my sending church will senda group to the field to put hands and feet to their prayers and their money. I’d like them not only to see where their money is going, but to experience it firsthand. I could get fired for this kind of thinking. Oh yeah I forgot I’m not hired I’m called by God. (Meisha Deane)
"George Miley said very clearly and I believe stated his basic premise that not every individual or church can nor should be involved directly first hand with a particular mission project."
Mark-
Wow! What a bold statement! You stuck yourself out on a limb that I don't think is going to support your comment. Mark, I think you're a great person, and I think you have a heart of gold, but to say that everybody or every church shouldn't have to be involved directly with a mission project is exactly opposite of the Word of God. Look at the life of Paul! The places that Paul went, he emphasized the extreme importance of evangelism. In the life of Christ, we see the importance of providing a way to heal the needs of the sick, the wounded, etc. I take a lot of offense when it comes to missions because that is my calling, and that's where my heart is. I'm not mad, just confused with your courageous statement. John Hyman
Mark,We just discussed this in class. People take spiritual gifts test and rely on their results to know their place of ministry in the church. This is wrong. Yes, these tests can be helpful, but we are instructed in the Bible to grow in the Lord. I believe that we are to strive to attain all the spiritual gifts and not settle on one that we feel we are strong in. This is the problem with our churches today. We are content to be lacking in the spiritual gifts in our churches. I believe that we are weak because of our lack of work in this area of our lives. I believe that there can be churches with full capacity of the spiritual gifts for God has given us the ability; we just have to let Him cultivate it in us. It is sad that this keeps us from reaching our full potential to spread the Word of God and glorify Him. (Meisha Deane)
How amazing would it be to see the potential for missions fulfilled in churches all over the world. Where a whole congregation rises up and cries out, "Spirit of God burn bright in our lives so that the lost can see and hear the Gospel of Christ". How amazing would it be? I'm reminded of what John Piper said, missions exist because worship doesn't. As born again believers we should desire for God to be worshiped above all and this should stir our hearts for missions. I was just envisioning, if I may, an uproar or an awakening. (Trey Hyman)
Hey Meisha,
I know you could totally relate to this article. I agree with what you said, "that our churches are not full of people waiting on the edge of their seats for an opportunity to serve the Lord." Instead they are more concerned about themselves. A common pew sitter's philosophy, "Does this pew make my butt look big", instead of, "Oh God of my salvation, use me to reach the lost so they don't spend an eternity in hell". I like McDaniels Willy Wonka Ticket metaphor. Now that I'm saved I can go back to doing whatever the hell I want, literally. (Trey Hyman)
John
I was just saying churches should not all be involved in every ministry action. Every church should be in missions but each church to a different extent. Churches need different things at different times. Not every church would God have to operate a bus ministry, orphanage, etc. I have seen churches so small that if the preacher’s family and people across the street did not show up no one would be at church that Sunday. Could you see that church operate a bus ministry?
I have seen churches so small their operating budget would not allow for many things that larger churches have, or can be involved in.
A church in Florida is so small the pastor changes the marquee, reads the mail himself, and vacuums the church and cleans the bathroom himself because the church is too small. Can you imagine him at tax time preparing tithing records and mission statement and making the bulletins.
Some churches can and should take mission trips and others just need to stay at home and support those who can go. If they took a mission trip they would close the church doors while the pastor himself was gone.
I hope I redeemed myself at least a little.
Love ya buddy
Mark
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