About Missions
1. What are “missions”?
Missions, simply put, is reaching those, who don't know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, with the Gospel of Jesus. It knows no limits in territory, people, places, or methods used to reach those who are lost.
God’s desire is that none should perish. So, how has He designed it so that all can hear?
#1 Through His Holy Spirit
#2 Through His creation
#3 Through us . . .
God has a specific plan for us; A direct Call and a clear Will for every person.
God's Call to each individual is unique and specific to them. He uses their upbringing, surrounding environment, and experiences and couples them with His vision, goals and desires, to shape them into a unique tool for His hands to mold and guide and use. Eph 4:10 says that, "we are Gods workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which He prepared in advance for us to do."
God's Will is for each individual to Love God and Love People, that's the 2 greatest of commandments as seen by Mathew 22:36-40. Now this love thing is expressed directly through the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:18-20: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age." In that, we need to look at what Jesus said right before this, "all authority has been given to Me on heaven and earth. . .." That is why we have the power to go into all the world, because all authority has been given to Him. And we need to realize that it is enacted by His Presence, "and surely I am with you, even to the end of the age."
God's Command, to Love Him and Love Others, drives us towards His Commission to Go, Make Disciples, Baptize, and Teach, which is enabled by His Power and His Presence.
2. Why do we go on mission trips?
To reach the lost for Jesus and to train participants how to hear
God's voice and to have a heart for the lost. We are not only trying
to reach this generation of lost people, but trying to disciple other
Christians, especially youth, to reach the lost until Christ returns.
We (as AIM staff members) go, plan, organize, implement, and lead mission trips as a response to Gods will for us. How each individual lives their life is a response to answering Gods call and living out His will.
3. How did missions begin?
You can debate who was the first missionary from Job to Jesus. The truth is that when Adam and Eve fell, God's plan to redeem mankind to Himself was put into action. The greatest missionary of all is Jesus. He paid the ultimate price to redeem man to God.
Missions was God's design and His heart from the beginning. We in the church today have mistakenly thought of missions as a New Testament thing, a relatively new idea. Not so is the truth of the matter. God has desired all peoples, nations, and tongues come to him, from the beginning. Gods covenant with Abraham was that he would bless nations. God has His sights on all the world to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus. That's His heart, His vision, His desire.
4. What are some common words/terms used in missions?
Unsaved or Unreached - those who haven't heard or accepted the message
and salvation through Jesus.
10/40 Window - the area of the world between 10 degrees north of the
Equator and 40 degrees north of the Equator. If you were to draw a
line across the globe in the region between these two points, except
for North America, the vast majority of unreached people live here.
This includes Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Animists.
As a side note: (As quoted from an AIM staff member:)
I think many people, especially the traditionally churched, have a very hard time bending their minds around any other concept of the term missionary except the traditional, "we are going long term to live in the jungle amongst the villagers." I believe this traditional view, and stereotype has and is hindering the position and potential of missions in the church today. It is hurting the church, the possible supporters to missions, and the potential missionaries themselves. the church today does not realize how many opportunities there are, and that missions is not just going and living with villagers and eating bugs. That's just a potential benefit for the wild ones at heart.
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