Sending and the Local Church

Date
June 9, 2024
Speaker
Pastor Ryan Flunker
Topic
Missions, The Church
Series
Sent
Book
Acts

God’s intention for the commissioning of missionaries was to function through the local church by leading of God’s Spirit. When this happens as designed, it helps grow those believers who “hold the reins” in their participation with the mission of God.

Preliminaries: Sending from the Local Church –

Long-term Missionary Sending

Commitment to the planting and establishment of local churches
– Ac 14:21-25; 15:36-41; 20:13-38; Ro 1:11-13; 15:17-20; 1 Co 2:1-5; 2 Th 3:7-13
Are identified and sent by God through the local church
– Ac 13:1-3; 15:22-30; Ga 1:1; 2:7-10
Serve & report back to the local church
– Ac 14:26-28; 15:2,12,33; 20:25
Develop a self-sustaining ministry team from local churches
– Ac 12:25; 16:1-10; 28:30; 2 Co 1:15-17; 2 Th 3:6-10; Phil 17-24

Short-term Missionary Sending

Relational building of long-term missionaries with the local church
– Ep 6:21-22; Co 4:7-8; 1 Th 3:1-5; 2 Ti 9-13; 3 Jn 3
Support & Resource of long-term missionaries by the local church
– Ph 2:25-30; 4:14-18; 2 Co 8:16-21; 9:1-5;12-15
Grow the short-term missionary’s faith/ministry for the local church
– Ac 11:22-26; 16:1-5; Ph 2:19-24; Co 4:7-9
Serve the local church’s vision for the Mission of God
– Ro 16:1-5; 2 Co 8:22-24; 1 Th 1:4-10; He 13:23

Observations & Conclusions:

Sending starts with local church worship
Sending is determined in local churches by the Holy Spirit
Sending requires diversification within the local church
Sending ties the missionary to the local church through fasting, praying, and a laying on of hands

Application:

Send Together – Go Together

Matthew 28:16-20

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

James 4:13-15

“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Acts 16:6-10

“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

2 Timothy 1:11

“And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.”

1 Corinthians 12:28-30

“And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?”

Romans 12:4-8

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”