Missions on Point

Isaiah, the evangelical prophet, probably more explicitly than anywhere else in the Old Testament predicts the Suffering Servant who would die for the sins of the world. Yet, this gospel hope is directed toward the nations of the world. Salvation for all nations comes through the exile of God's chosen servant. The missionary's call is quite similar to Isaiah's, yet listen to this episode to find o...

Right missions methodology is highly dependent on how we understand the kingdom of God inaugurated with Jesus as King. How do we relate to the kingdoms of this world? How is Jesus the king leading his kingdom of priests in this world now? The history books of the Old Testament offer to us a helpful contrast between the failed kingdom of Israel and God's design for the church in the new covenant.

God's story to redeem mankind is a story that spans all of history. If the church hopes to understand its place in obeying the Great Commission now, then we need the history books of the Bible to rightly situate us in time. God is gaining for himself an inheritance of the nations, and the Old Testament faithful did not received what was promised to them because God was insuring that the Gentiles w...

The law of God is essential for missions. Rather than simply a cultic and ritual code of conduct for the nation of Israel, Deuteronomy shows us the Spirit of the law, which has been made universally applicable for Gentiles through Jesus Christ who fulfills the law for us. Each of the ten commandments leads us to a need to preach these laws to all people everywhere. It is a worthy effort to conside...

The Israelites are on a journey from Sinai to the Promised Land. Rather than a book about genealogies, this book gives us the story of the gospel, and the pattern of all of time, where a second generation replaces the first. There is hope in God's mercy and covenant faithfulness. Listen to this episode and learn about four motivations for missions from the book of Numbers.

Leviticus is the central book of the Pentateuch, and at its center it teaches us an important lesson - a lesson which motivates us for global missions - the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. Man is not justified by following the law, his uncleanness is too great. But God's unilateral grace toward fallen man makes us holy. As the nation of Israel once gathered at the one place where sacrif...

God's people are called out of their slavery to their sinful cravings, and called to be holy, separated as the people of God, strangers and aliens on this earth. Yet, like Moses, we are called to go into the world and rescue the lost. The book of Exodus lays a blueprint of God's dwelling with mankind, and the church now is the temple of God, preaching God's word to God's people, calling believers...

The book of Genesis begins God's story of his global glory. Jesus Christ completes that story. And now through the church, we get to tell all nations how they fit into that story. Beginning with God's intentions in creation, his plan for a second Adam to rule to world, and for Jesus to be everyone's hope of undoing the curse and reversing the division at Babel. The hope for all nations of one offs...

There are dangers when preaching about missions, because we want to avoid reading into the text something that is not there. But how can we preach about it rightly. This episodes offers one primary way we can do that: biblical theology. From this recognition, we explore ten topics that are commonly found throughout scripture, and we see how they are naturally and easily connected to thinking about...

Is it possible to preach about mission in every sermon? Does every text of scripture lead us to this topic? Certainly you have preached or heard biblically faithful sermons where missions wasn't even mentioned. But once you start to see missions in the entire Bible, you can't help but to see it more. Consider this with us and we explore four ways to think about preaching and teaching missions from...

As you get ready to leave for your missions field, here is a conclusion of last thoughts. There are some things that will prove very useful to you and your church, which are contained as Appendices in the print book: A. Practical guidelines for security concerns B. A Sample partnership agreement between your sending church and the sending missions agency C. Questions for missionary candidates, usu...

You may have come to a different conclusion of your plans to go to the missions field. Maybe you've worked hard for quite a while and found that you cannot go to the field. The doors have closed, at least for now. Then what will you do? Don't despair! God is still sovereign! He has plans to use you whether you make it to the field or not, whether you stay on the field or not. Get humble! Ask God w...

The capstone of your preparation and qualifications is the grand send-off service or weekend. Traditionally, this is called the commissioning service. You are recognized by the church as having completed all the requirements to go to the field. You are officially SENT from your sending church. It is a wonderful opportunity to praise God, thank all those who have helped in the process, and mark thi...

This is one of the hardest topics to deal with. Yet, historically, God has been pleased to use the process of raising personalized support, and the consequent partnership is material and spiritual, which has been the predominant means of missions ministry for hundreds of years. This now becomes an integral part of your ministry. It is not "other" than your ministry. It is a priority part of your m...

You've already done a lot to grow in life, knowledge, and skills to become a missionary. Now, let's give attention to the last things, the final brushstrokes on the canvas of your training and qualifications. You want to be fully commended and affirmed by both your home sending church and your missions agency before you are free to leave for your field of ministry. Today's episode will help you ma...

There are many necessary questions to ask when researching a mission-sending agency partner. Remember, though, that your local sending church needs to be involved in the decision. The process of becoming a member of a missions agency is a big step. It will frame the context of your ministry into the foreseeable future, perhaps for a lifetime. So, your diligence now will bring large dividends and e...

Winning the support, relationship, and equipping of your local sending church is important. Now, you turn your attention to selecting the best fit for a sending agency in concert with your church's leadership. It is a very important relationship. You need to have a good sending agency that respects the role of your church in your life and ministry and has expertise and experience in your target fi...

Church planting among the least-reached people groups of the world is a priority. Very few workers sent to do that ministry have had guided or curated exposure that equips them to do it. You want to be one of those few. Begin your cross-cultural training HERE, before your feet hit the ground "over THERE."  Do the work to discover ways to understand culture, particularly your target culture. Get co...

A startling hole in most missionary training is a broad foundation of personal ministry in the local church content. Church planters desperately need to understand the dynamics, the highs and lows, the disappointments and joys, of ministry with and to real people in their sending church. The rewards are great! Relationships, skills, and growing in grace found in this context are foundational to lo...

Somewhat surprisingly, the role of a missionary mentor in your training process as a missionary candidate is almost never acknowledged. For you to have a trusted friend and counselor (or several) as you wrestle through all the various aspects of personal change and growth is invaluable. Pray and ask and seek that God would give you a great mentor from within your sending congregation. This episode...

One of the early crucial steps you can take toward the mission field is to become deeply connected and involved in a healthy sending church. College and university students rarely see this as a priority. If you want to be a faithful and effective missionary, you must! This episode describes qualities to look for and how to help yourself, your case as a missionary candidate, and your chosen church....

After the mountain-top euphoria of commitment to becoming a missionary candidate, the candidate needs a road map to help navigate the unfamiliar path ahead. The mentor helps you, the candidate, take stock of your special calling and position. There are a lot of new commitments that go along with becoming a missionary. Then, there is the careful and wise communication of your new commitment to thos...

Whether you want to be a missionary or are a friend, family, or fellow church member of a missionary candidate, this series of podcasts is for you. We will walk through the typical qualifying process to get from HERE (your home place) to THERE (your desired missions field). It's a daunting task to become a well-equipped missionary! It takes patience, time, and vision for personal growth and skill-...

There are many streams of influence that affect the big picture of global church planting. We won't be able to address them all and certainly not in great depth. This episode deals with a few key thoughts about church planting around the world. We'll talk about effectiveness, the negative effect of American-influenced pragmatism, and hope for future changes coming.   A key foundation for biblical...

Church planting in a foreign culture has to consider all the concerns of every other type of church planting and adding both language and culture to the mix. Missionary church planting is the most exciting and most exacting of all church planting. Thankfully, missionaries may be more aware of their challenges than church planters who don't have the obvious stark contrasts. We talk about special co...