d L i f Acts 1-2 & Rev 2-3 i o n G r o u p e Miss

OUR VISION:
Our vision is to pursue the humility, simplicity, clarity, liberty, ecstasy, charity, unity, and integrity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We want to pursue these things by planting relational communities who are Spiritfilled, Biblically-based, and are committed to our mission. Pursuing the of the Gospel

session 2
our vision & mission

We want to pursue that reflection of Jesus found in Matthew 11:28-29 where Jesus tells us that He is meek and lowly in heart, welcoming all those who are weary and heavy-laden. It is recognizing our spiritual poverty (Matt. 5:3), which means that when it comes to having something to offer God to get and stay right with him, we are broke. And these are the kind of people He welcomes to Himself. If this is who we are, and if this is who Jesus was, and if the church is Jesus' body on earth, then the church is to be this reflection of Jesus character of a welcoming humility. Pursuing the of the Gospel

Pursuing simplicity is a byproduct of pursuing humility. Humility produces simplicity. You can't get much more simple than poverty. Jesus tells us we're happiest when we're spiritually poor. Keeping it simple means pursuing the main thing, and thats the gospel of Jesus Christ preached through the humility He taught and demonstrated. Weve got nothing to offer. Hes done everything to make us right with God. Therefore we simply live in pursuit of Him instead of ourselves. This makes us a people who have been humbled by something simple, yet profound: God's work for us undeserving sinners. Pursuing the of the Gospel

Pursuing clarity is a byproduct of pursuing simplicity. When things are simple, they are clear, easy to understand, easy to grab hold of. The gospel is not rocket-science. Praise God for that. Keeping the gospel simple - with no "Jesus Plus" stuff - means people see it with clarity. There's one thing we present to the lost, and one thing we preach to ourselves, and it's not our distinctives and opinions. It's Christ, Him crucified, buried, risen, and coming again. At Church in the Boro part of our mission is to enable people to see the main thing, and to keep it in front of them in a clear manner.

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Pursuing the

,&

of the Gospel

Pursuing liberty, ecstasy, and charity are a result of pursuing clarity. When the gospel is made clear, people see three things clearly: Im free from sin! Im so overjoyed! Oh, how I love God and one another! At Church in the Boro part of our mission is to help people walk in the full liberty of the gospel that rightfully belongs to them now as a slave of King Jesus. Those who have been set free by Jesus are free indeed. We are free from sin. Free from its power. Free from its consequences. From its master, Satan. This freedom enables believers to live in victory over sin and over its master. The grace of God brings liberty to people formerly enslaved by their lusts, desires, habits, and lifestyles. This in turn brings unspeakable joy to our lives...a spiritual ecstasy which no substance of man can manufacture or improve upon. The gospel is a total package from God that leads us to experience an ecstasy in our hearts and souls that enables us to truly taste and see that the Lord is good. All of this enables and empowers each follower of Jesus to truly love one another. It is a love that with one another's differentness (Eph. 4:1-3), and a love that immediately and deeply each others' sins and offenses (Eph. 4:32). A soul that's been rescued by God is a soul in love with God. When the love of God fills the soul of man, it can't help but spill over to everyone else around. So even though believers are free in Jesus, they do not use their liberty as a license to sin against God or against one another. They are loving towards God and charitable towards one another at all times.

Pursuing the

of the Gospel

Pursuing unity is a byproduct of liberty, ecstasy, and charity. Those whove been freed from sin and Satan gather together to joyfully it, and to love one another by stimulating each other to love and good works (Heb. 10:25). Wherever this gathering occurs, especially in the local church, the unity Jesus Christ prays for in John 17 is being answered: I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are oneas you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. so that the world would come to believe in Jesus Christ. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me (John 17:21-23, NLT).

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At Church in the Boro, part of our mission is to preserve an gospel that is impartial toward denominations, backgrounds, race, language, or skin-color. Jesus died to make His people one. And He prays for it now. This is our obligation, our pursuit as members of His community, the church, to foster, maintain, and protect this unity.

Pursuing the

of the Gospel

Pursuing the integrity of the gospel is the capstone of what we pursue at Church in the Boro. Integrity is about the faithfulness of the gospel...and the fruitfulness of the gospel. means is about standing firm in the gospel we have believed, which was brought to us by those preaching and teaching the Word of God, and by the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). means that if the Bible has in fact been preached, and if the Spirit is in fact moving, then there will in fact be fruit (John 15:16), both quantitatively (in terms of numerical growth), and qualitatively (in terms of spiritual growth). A church that has faithfulness and no fruitfulness, is not truly being faithful. And a church that has fruitfulness but no faithfulness, is not really being fruitful. Integrity to the gospel will produce both.

OUR MISSION
Reconciling Sinners to God, People to Each Other, and the World to King Jesushere in Statesboro, the Southeast, the United States, and the nations. Question: What is the Great Commission given by Jesus? Question: Based on the Great Commission texts, what are the elements involved in it? From the Matthew 18:18-20 Text o Recognition of Jesus complete (v.18). o Going to the to make disciples (v. 28:19). o Making disciples in the wherever you are (v. 28:19). By them to obey what Jesus said (v. 28:19) By them in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit (v. 28:19) o Jesus is always with us until the end of the world (v. 28:20) From the Mark 16:15 Text o into every part of the world. o the gospel to everyone.
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From the Luke 24:46-49 Text o o o the biblical truth about Jesus Christ (v. 46). the authority of Jesus over the nations (v. 47). to the nations the message of the gospel, namely the forgiveness of sins to all who repent (v. 47). o Being a of the truth about Jesus Christ (v. 48). o Being with the Holy Spirit (v. 49).

From the John 20:20-23 Text o Believing that Jesus Christ really from the dead (v. 20). o Being filled with the of Christs presence and the He gives (vv. 20-21). o Embracing the mission the Father gave the Son, which the Son in turn gives to us. As the Father me, so I you (v. 21). o the Holy Spirit (v. 22). o sins (v. 23).

From the Acts 1:8 Text o Being with the Holy Spirit. o Being a of the truth about Jesus Christ everywhere, always progressing outward. From Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the most remote parts of the earth. The most remote parts of the earth have come to include us here in Statesboro, GA today. However, the instructions become a pattern for us in Statesboro. From Statesboro to the Georgia to the Southeast United States to the most remote parts of the earth.

Question: How did the Apostles ultimately apply or implement the Great Commission? By .

For You To Do: Take a few moments, synthesize the Great Commission texts and their application by the Apostles. Then on the following page, formulate your own restatement. Refine it so that you can lock it inside your heart and mind, and so that you will be able to
unpack it and teach others Jesus Great Commission for their lives.

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The Great Commission in My Own Words

A local church is to be

then pastoral.

A lie the devil has caused the church to believe is that local churches are primarily pastoral communities that care for members while the radical Christians are the ones involved in evangelism and missionary work supported by the normal Christians. Gods intention is that the Church itself is a with everyone involved.

We are a pioneering community on a mission and we will meet each others needs along the way. In , Jesus prayed for protection for His peoplebecause we are on a mission! In , Jesus prayed for peace for His peoplebecause we are on a mission! In , Jesus promised the power of the Holy Spirit (Comforter/One who comes alongside to help) for His peopleso we can engage in the mission!

The Great Work of the Gospel is Summarized in One Word:

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

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Our Mission: Reconciling Sinners to God. 2 Corinthians 5:11, 14-15, 17-21

11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others 14 Christ's love controls us.* Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,* so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Question: What does it mean to reconcile someone or to be reconciled to someone? The Greek word for reconciling is katalasso, and it basically means to change or , much like we exchange money. Theologically, it means o A return to someones favor (if you were at odds with them), or to receive someone into your favor (if they were at odds with you). (Thayers GreekEnglish Lexicon of the New Testament, E-Sword, G2644). o To establish friendly relations between two parties who are estranged, no matter on which side the antagonism exists. (Nicoll, The Expositors Greek New Testament, 3:73). Question: Who needs to be reconciled to who, according to 2 Corinthians 5? Question: Why do we need to be reconciled to God? (Hint: read verses 19 and 21 carefully)

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Question: Who initiates the reconciliation Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 5? . o Verse 14: Christ died o Verse 15: He diedso that o Verse 18: All this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself o Verse 19: For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself o Verse 19: And HE gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. o Verse 20: God is making his appeal through us o Verse 21: For God made Christto be the offering for our sin, so that Question: According to 2 Corinthians 5:20, what is really going on when we preach the gospel message of reconciliation to others?

Question: How do you think this reality changes the way you tell others about the gospel?

Question: Do you think there is any pattern here for how Christians are to view and practice the ministry of reconciliation?

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Our Mission: Reconciling People to Each Other. Ephesians 2:14-18

14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. Question: What are the two effects of Gods reconciling sinners to Himself, according to this text? 1. 2. Question: How does God view you and every other Christian whom Hes reconciled to Himself? Question: According to the text, what two things unify all Christians together as one people? Question: Have you ever felt like youre not unified to other Christians you know, whether theyre family members, Christians in your local church, or outside your church?

Question: What do you think or feel has separated you from your fellow Christians?

Question: Is this Gods desire, especially based upon Jesus prayer for the unity of His people in John 17?

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Question: Based on the pattern of reconciliation in 2 Corinthians 5, how should Christians think about and approach broken relationships in their own lives? Question: If you know of relationships between Christians that are broken, what role can you play in attempting to help reconcile people to each other? . Join with Jesus in praying for these people what He Himself does in John 17. . Jesus said in Matthew 5:9 that peacemakers are the ones who are truly called Gods children. . Paul attempted to do this in Philippians 4:2. Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. . The writer of Hebrews teaches that this is one of the reasons we gather together as a church family. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works (10:24).

Our Mission: Reconciling the World to King Jesus. Ephesians 1:21-23; Colossians 1:18-20
Ephesians 1:21-23 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything elsenot only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. Colossians 1:15-20 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't seesuch as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross.

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Being reconciled to God is a relationship. Being reconciled to each other is a relationship. When these two have occurred and are being maintained, the result is a biblical church, in which Jesus dwells and works, and through which Jesus has a profound reconciling effect on the world itself. Reconciling the World to King Jesus Therefore, is a Relationship.

Notice how Paul described the various dimensions affected by the work of Christ on the cross. (Find and list them here below.) Basically, anything and everything that has ever existed or ever will exist - no matter what it is or what it is made of or what it is not made of is under the authority and rule of Jesus Christ. This authority and rule of Jesus Christ extends to every single thing Hes ever created, no matter what or where it is. It encompasses everything. And Jesus Christ has given this authority and rule to the church. Jesus is the head of the body, the church (Col. 1:18). The fullness of God was pleased to dwell in Jesus, through whom God reconciled all things to Himself by making peace by the blood of His cross (Col. 1:19). God put all things under the authority of Christ and gave Jesus Christ as that authority expressly and specifically to the church, which is His body (Eph. 1:22-23). Therefore, the church of Jesus Christ is His authority and rule over dimension. People!

The most powerful force in every dimension of the world for King Jesus is a

This has an evangelistic effect on the world. The effect of living out the first two spheres of ambassadorship (vertical with God; horizontal with each other) is that we will be a group of people who are ready to reconcile the rest of the world to King Jesus. Knowing we are right with God and with one another, theres nothing stopping us from winning the world to King Jesus. And this is exactly what He prayed in John 17. that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly

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one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Its when you and I are reconciled to God and stay reconciled to each other that we are a force to be reckoned with in the world. When the world sees we are united with God and united with each other, then Jesus says they will know that God has in fact sent Jesus to save us, and that God does in fact love us just like He loves Jesus.

Session Two Assignment:

Think and Work Through the Following Elements of our Mission. Write and/or journal your thoughts below. Use the back side of this page for more space if needed. 1. My Role in the Great Commission: Based on what I learned in this session, what is the part I need to play / want to play in the Great Commission in Statesboro? What things in my life need to be rearranged or restructured in order to obey Jesus commission to me?

2. Reconciling Sinners to God: Am I truly reconciled to God? How do I know? On what basis do I put my faith in this reconciliation with God I say I have?

3. Reconciling People to Each Other: Are there relationships in my life that need to be reconciled? Who are they? What happened? Why did it happen? What do I need to do in order to be reconciled to them, or to reconcile them to me?

4. Reconciling the World to King Jesus: As I think about all the possible dimensions over which Jesus has authority, which dimensions am I presently connected to right now? (Marriage, Parenting, Vocation, etc.) How might God want to reconcile those things to Himself through me and my involvement in the local church?

Read 2 Corinthians 5; Ephesians 1-2; Colossians 1; John 17

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