| WORLD EVANGELISM MINUTE
"electronic epistle"
Greetings,
WORLD MISSIONS was on God's mind
from the beginning; it is on His mind today; and it
will be on His mind tomorrow!
Moses wrote concerning God's word to Abraham, "And in thee
shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). And
millennia later Paul wrote, "And the scripture, foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before
the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be
blessed" (Galatians 3:8). Finally, John the Apostle wrote,
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could
number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood
before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes,
and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying,
Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb" (Revelation 7:9-10).
Messiah for All Peoples by David Parker
"JEWISH MESSIAH FEIGNS DISINTEREST IN HEALING GENTILE WOMAN'S
DAUGHTER." This could very well have been the headlines of a local
newspaper in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon during the first century.
Jesus had just given His disciples a lesson concerning the actual
causes of uncleanness (Matthew 15:1- 20). Jesus then took His
disciples to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon - a Gentile region - for a
TEST! He was approached by a Gentile woman requesting healing for
her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus completely ignored the woman (He
was watching for His disciples' reaction). They failed their test
when they asked Jesus to send her away.
Instead of sending her away and ignoring her further, Jesus
said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel"
(Matthew 15:24). We c most see the disciples quietly exclaim,
"Yes!" But after more dialogue with this Gentile woman (who
demonstrates great faith and fervent prayer), Jesus says, "Be it
unto thee even as thou wilt." My how persuasive this woman must have
been (and a Gentile "dog" at that)! The scene opens with Jesus
ignoring her; but it ends with her receiving her request. What
happened? I believe Jesus wanted to help this Gentile wom l
along as He had helped other Gentiles (the tenth leper, the
centurion, etc.). I think He merely set the disciples up for a test
to see if they had learned the lesson about what makes someone
unclean (they didn't). Jesus demonstrated His true intentions by
providing healing to this woman's daughter because He is a Messiah
for all peoples.
Pastoral Leadership in Missions by David Parker
- Stop thinking you are already "good to go" in Missions.
- Go to the field at least once a year.
- Change your view from one of a local church with a missions
program to that of a global church with a missions purpose.
- Educate yourself in missions.
- Set the example in living a life that supports missions in
deed.
- Don't expect things (and people) to change overnight.
- Give missions a permanent place in the pulpit, the classroom,
the academy, and the Bible institute.
- Teach your church the biblical basis of missions.
- Make the church look like a missions "war-hall" year 'round.
- Make yearly missions resolutions for yourself and for the
church.
Missions Links
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