Introducing the Sending Church

Stop. Pick up a Bible and turn to Acts 13.

Read Acts 13:1-3.  What do you see?  Prophets and teachers, in short, church leaders, worshiping.

God speaks to them.  “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (NIV, Acts 13:2b).  What happens next?

The leaders lay hands on the ‘called out ones’ who then become the ‘sent out ones.’

Now read Acts 14:26-28.  Again, what do you see?  The missionaries return to the church that sent them out.  The church gathers together.  The missionaries report what God did in and through them.

This is the sending church:

• a worshipful community where God speaks, calls, and tasks for the Great Commission
• a spiritual context where  leaders send out their very best
• a warm place to return to share all that God has done

Other elements exist but you now see the basics of the sending church from a biblical perspective.  In the coming weeks we will explore these vital components of biblical Christianity in a series on the sending church.  Get ready to explore:

1. The Desire of the Sending Church – Do you want it?
2. The Description of the Sending Church – How does God see it?
3. The Development of the Sending Church – How does it work?

I’m perhaps more excited about this series of posts than I have been since ConvergeMissionary.com was birthed.  Join me as we explore how to help missionaries to be effective in life and ministry.

Don’t let these six simple verses continue to be ignored in the church where you experience God.  Successful church planting happens when the planting of the church is embodied with seeds that can be scattered elsewhere.

One last word.  I like my thoughts on the topic, as I interpret Scripture and share from my own experiences, but I want to hear your thoughts and relate to your experiences.  The more we interact, the more successful our churches will be in satisfying God’s desires to manifest himself to the nations through churches that send.

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