REASONS FOR MISSIONARY
CONFERENCES!
It is said that the Christian ministry is the worst of all trades, but the best
of all professions. The great offer of the gospel is adventure. We're God's
representatives. In this outline sermon we list some of the most important
things that we much do in all of our lives, from minister to lay person.
The gospel must be preached afresh and told
in new ways to every generation, since every generation has its own unique
questions. The gospel must constantly be forwarded to a new address, because
the recipient is repeatedly changing his place of residence. - Helmut
Thielicke,
The modern world is said to have made
discipleship harder. But it has also made evangelism easier. Today's world
is said to be multiplying crises all around us. But we must never forget
that, for the gospel, each crisis is an opportunity. - Billy Graham,
Every generation is strategic. We are not
responsible for the past generation, and we cannot bear full responsibility
for the next one; but we do have our generation. God will hold us
responsible as to how well we fulfill our responsibilities to this age and
take advantage of our opportunities. - Billy Graham.
I. We must be reminded that we must obey the
great commission!
- Matt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (KJV)
- Matt 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
II. We must also all be involved in last day harvest!
-
Matt 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is
plenteous, but the labourers are few; Matt 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of
the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
- Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the
labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send
forth labourers into his harvest.
- John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?
behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are
white already to harvest.
- Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice
to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is
come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
You cannot pull people uphill who do not want to go; you can only point up.
Crops go through three stages: green, ripe, and rotten. Harvest is effective
only at one stage. Likewise, intervention, at the right time, can produce a rich
spiritual harvest. Marshall Shelley
III. We must Challenge Intercessors and make Make Prayer Warriors of them!
-
Matt 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
- Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
- James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that
ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
The future of the Christian work which is now
being carried on with such great intensity does not depend upon curtailment
or reorganization. It depends upon whether the Spirit of God can persuade us
to take up the work of prayer. - O. Hallesby
IV. To try to bring Vision among saints and
churches!
- Prov 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that
keepeth the law, happy is he.
Attempt something so impossible that, unless
God is in it, it is doomed to failure. - John Haggai
Vision is merely hope with a blueprint.
If we lose the vision, we alone are responsible, and the way we lose the vision
is by spiritual leakage. If we do not run our belief about God into practical
issues, it is all [over] with the vision God has given.
Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.
V. To know the Fields of ministry. Bring Fields so Close to home that all
will want to get involved!
1 Thes 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour
among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
I don't perceive my call as one to protest the culture but to proclaim the
Savior.
VI. We should try to connect Ministries! Network them.
-
2 Cor 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye
receive not the grace of God in vain.
VII. We should raise support and money for missions.
-
2 Cor 8:15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over;
and he that had gathered little had no lack.
- 1 Thes 4:12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that
are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
- Phil 2:30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding
his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
- Phil 4:15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel,
when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning
giving and receiving, but ye only.
We should give as we would receive: cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation;
for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers.
VIII. We should all be involved to reach the World!
-
Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of
Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
If you and I are going to be faithful to the ministry God is calling us to, then
we had better understand that. I reflected on the attitudes of key people
throughout the Scriptures and the history of the church.
The worlds a better place because a German
monk named Martin Luther did not say, "I don't do doors."
The world's a better place because an Oxford don named John Wesley didn't
say, "I don't do preaching in fields."
The world's a better place because Moses didn't say, "I don't do Pharaohs or
mass migrations."
The world's a better place because Noah didn't say, "I don't do arks and
animals."
The world's a better place because Rahab didn't say, "I don't do enemy
spies."
The world's a better place because Ruth didn't say, "I don't do
mothers-in-law."
The world's a better place because Samuel didn't say, "I don't do mornings."
The world's a better place because David didn't say, "I don't do giants."
The world's a better place because Peter didn't say, "I don't do Gentiles."
The world's a better place because John didn't say, "I don't do deserts."
The world's a better place because Mary didn't say, "I don't do virgin
births."
The world's a better place because Paul didn't say, "I don't do
correspondence."
The world's a better place because Mary Magdalene didn't say, "I don't do
feet."
The world's a better place because Jesus didn't say, "I don't do crosses."
And the world will be a better place only if you and I don't say, "I don't
do."
-- Leonard Sweet,
IX. We must strife to send out Workers and
Missionaries!
- Acts 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they
laid their hands on them.
- Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples
multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were
obedient to the faith.
- Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them,
they sent them away.
A. We must reach the unreached.
Percentage of Christian missionaries who go to countries with a majority of the
population professing Christianity: 99%.
X. We should leave a missionary conference encouraged and blessed!
-
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were
assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake
the word of God with boldness.
- Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
XI. We need to all pledge our money and ourselves to the winning of souls!
-
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed
down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For
with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
There is a subtle false teaching that says we
can be evangelical without being evangelistic. It has to believe we "go" to
church rather than we "are" the church. The richest topsoil for growing
dollars for ministry is a vision for the Great Commission. - Wayne
Pohl
God bless you and yours!
On behalf of this generation,
Your friends in the service of Christ,
Tony
and Marge Abram
Abundant Life Crusades
If we could be
of more help or if you want more information please visit:
www.tonyabram.com or
www.abundantlifecrusades.com
