What Missions is Not

Hi this is Steve Saint with a thought of you on what missions isn't. That's right, what missions is not. You see the purpose of missions is not to evangelize the world. Jesus gave that job To the church, not to missions. In Matthew 28:18-20. (Actually, it's in all the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.) But, in Matthew, Jesus is very specific where He tells His disciples (who represented the church, not missions,) "Go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations." Now, remember He said, "Go and make, not believers, but disciples. Jesus' disciples' were to make disciples, who could make disciples, who could make disciples well I guess you get it. It's like a franchise. Think McDonalds! A franchisee starts a new store or restaurant that follows the manual and keeps the standards of the parent company. But it isn't run by the 'Parent Company.' This allows the parent company to train more franchisees and good franchisees plant multiple stores. Think Family when you think missions. Parents raise children--not to be managed & supported for ever, but to grow up to be parents of children, who become parents and on and on. To make it clear, Jesus repeated in verse 20 what he said in verse 18. He said, "And you teach the disciples you make to observe (or do) all that I've commanded you to do." The commission to evangelize the world was given to the church. The church has to plant the church where it doesn't exist so that church can evangelize its part of the world. Pretty soon the church reaches the whole world. That's the purpose of missions, to plant the church where it doesn't exist so it can evangelize its world. Wow! I hope you get this. When you think missions, think family!