Willing to Send our Best!

“1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”  Acts 13:1-3

A couple days ago we saw how God’s grace allowed the gospel to take root in Antioch and a Gentile (non-Jewish) church was born!  As we pan forward to Acts 13 we see a multi-ethnic leadership team at Antioch – Simeon, was presumably a black African; Lucius who was from Lybia; Manean seems to have been born in Palestine in a wealthy, privileged family, the household of King Herod; Barnabas from Cyprus and then Saul from Tarsus.  The gospel unites unlikely family members!

God led and unified this multi-ethnic leadership team while they, along with the church, were worshiping, fasting, and praying!

These leaders, these believers were already engaged in ministry when the Lord unfolded His purposes for them, unleashing Paul and Barnabas as the very first missionary team to be intentionally sent out by a local church.

We don’t have any idea how “Holy Spirit said…” what He said.  An audible voice, subjective internal leading?  It’s not clear.  There is a healthy hesitation we should have when people say the Holy Spirit “said” something:  “God told me this…” and “God told me that…”.  God’s self-revelation, His word, is a more sure source of direction and the ultimate source of revelation (2 Peter 1:16-21).

However, pastoral teams, churches and individual believers should anticipate God leading/speaking in subjective ways to accomplish His purposes.  Worshiping and ministering to the Lord together...fasting together...praying together...all of it has a refining effect on our hearts and minds.  We begin to shed anxieties...with the Spirit’s help we crucify our selfish plans and desires...and as our minds are renewed, God brings into view His good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2). 

As churches and as individual body parts we need to be willing to SEND OUR BEST and SACRIFICE when God calls us to.  In Antioch, centuries ago, this new christian church had plenty of demands and needs to occupy the leadership team.  

But in the midst of the various things clamoring for their attention within the church in Antioch, these prophets and teachers gathered together:  Simeon, Lucious, Barnabas, Manaen and Paul and as they continued to serve the body they engaged in fervent, intentional prayer about how they were going to fulfill their calling to publish God’s mercy to the world.  As a result, Paul and Barnabas were willing to GO and the church was willing to SEND them.

David Livingstone, a doctor/explorer/missionary, spent 11 years of his life taking the gospel to Africa.  He was quoted as saying: “God had only one son, and He was a missionary!”

We are ordinary people, saved by extraordinary grace and sent on an adventure of faith to publish God’s mercy to the world!

“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.  And for their sake I consecrate (set apart) myself, that they also may be sanctified in the truth.  I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word…”  Jn 17:18-20

PRAY today for Crossway Wilmington and for your own heart, that collectively and individually we would be willing to follow God’s leading to GO and SEND…no matter where GOD sends us!

CHURCH PLANTING REQUIRES THE FEAR OF GOD AND THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” Acts 9:31

The church was experiencing peace, being strengthened and it was multiplying.  God was growing His church! In  the midst of that climate of growth and multiplication, Luke captures two things that defined how the believers were living or “walking”:

WALKING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD & WALKING IN THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The fear of the Lord is a massive theme in the bible and has profound implications on how we live as God’s people.  Let me share one way I believe the fear of the Lord intersects with church planting, and more broadly the way it impacts our willingness to step out in faith to serve Christ.

The fear of the Lord subdues all lesser fears.  This is similar to how our love for God subdues our lesser loves.  Walking in the fear of the Lord will cause us to forsake our own comfort for the purposes and glory of God.  

We lose our lives for Jesus instead of trying to preserve our lives.

“7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”  Php 3:7-8  (see also Mt 16:24-28)

We don’t COUNT our lives as more precious than living for CHRIST or serving CHRIST.

"22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”  Acts 20:22-24

When we are walking in the fear of the Lord we become open-handed instead of tight-fisted.  Open-handed with our desires, our comforts, our goals, our pursuits and ultimately our future!

In losing our lives, finishing our course and testifying to the gospel of the grace of God – We will forsake our COMFORT, but in God’s kindness when we lose our COMFORTS they are replaced with HIS COMFORT! 

Following Jesus will be difficult, it will often be uncomfortable, it will likely be accompanied by real loss.  But God’s COMFORT will help us finish the COURSE He has laid out for us.  Jesus speaks of one element of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives:

“26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Jn 14:26-27

The peace Jesus leaves with us and gives to us, flows from the Holy Spirit who is given to us and who will always be with us!  So whatever shade of discomfort, difficulty, trial, loss or affliction that comes as we follow Jesus, our hearts need not be troubled or afraid.

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.”  Ps 119:50

As we fear God and follow Him, part of the comforting ministry of the Holy Spirit is to help us remember all Jesus has said – Both promises and commands!  Today, as we pray for our own hearts and as we pray for church planting, church planters and church plants…may the Holy Spirit bring to mind the promises and commands of God, to drive us to be faithful to Him and fruitful for Him.

CLICK THIS PRAYER GUIDE TO HELP YOU PRAY TODAY FOR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CHURCH PLANTS WE SUPPORT.

Whenever We See the Grace of God at Work, We Should Be Glad!

Join us TONIGHT @ 6:30PM for the night of prayer and worship!  
We will spend time praising God for what He has done in and through the gospel, and we will also spend time praying for our own hearts and for various church planting efforts.

I spent a lot of my life competing.  One of the things I noticed pretty quickly when I became a Christian is how difficult it can be to be competitive while being filled with the Spirit.  For the record, as it relates to competition(s) I do believe it’s possible to be both competitive and honor God!

But what happens when a “competitive spirit” collides with Christian ministry? 
The Kingdom of God isn’t like a game of Risk where we are making moves to take over territory and then spending the rest of our lives trying to protect the little kingdom we have created for ourselves.  At the end of the day, the church isn’t ours.  We plant, we water, God brings the increase!  He gets the glory!  

There is no place for being territorial in the Kingdom of God.  It is possible, and in fact it is imperative, for us to do ministry with excellence while at the same time remaining humble and open-handed with the fruit and scope of our ministry.  

The church in Antioch was a significant hub of ministry for the early church.  In Acts 11 we see the genesis of the Antioch church and  believe what Luke writes is really instructive for us:

“19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”  Acts 11:19-20 

Firstly, make note of the fact that one of the most significant moments in the early church, the birth of a Gentile Church in Antioch, was the result of average, every day believers faithfully preaching Jesus.  God used them to change a city and change the world.  The influence of these scattered believers isn’t found in their reputation or fame, but in their faithful proclamation of the word of God!

As a result of God's work in Antioch, the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to confirm what was happening in Antioch.  Remember the deep “chasm” between Jew and Gentile.  Would the Jewish Christians be receptive to and accepting of the continued work of Jesus among the Gentiles? 

"23 When [Barnabas] came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord."  Acts 11:23-24

Barnabas saw the grace of God and it made him glad!

He rejoiced to see God’s grace on display!  When Barnabas came and saw the “delightful display of God’s favor” in Antioch, he was delighted!  Often, when we see GRACE on display in other places, our sinful competitiveness can stir up envy, discontentment and insecurity.

We need to celebrate the work of God in other places, through other people and in other churches.  

Wherever the grace of God is evident, it should be encouraging to us! 

Where there is GRACE there should be GLADNESS!

• PRAY today for God to give us humble hearts that are glad to see God's grace at work.

• PRAY for God to guard us against being territorial, while stewarding well the ministry He has entrusted to us.

• PRAY for a culture in our church that reflects what happened in Antioch...everyday believers, scattered throughout our region who are proclaiming the gospel to people...that many may come to believe! 

Church Planting Means We Are All GOERS and SENDERS!

It is easy to disassociate yourself from church planting.  After all, you’re not going to start a new church!  You will gladly pray for others to plant churches, you see the biblical pattern as healthy, but ultimately this is something other people do…right?!

As local churches plant other churches there is a simple but significant thing that happens in a church – some people GO and some people STAY.  Those who stay aren’t bystanders simply watching their friends and others GO, but their STAYING is an act of SENDING and SUPPORTING.  Some people GO, some people SEND, and that means everyone is involved and invested.

The book of Acts chronicles the planting and supporting of new local churches in the 1st Century.  It paints the picture of countless people who WENT and who SENT!

Have you heard of Simon the Tanner?

You won’t find Simon the Tanner in the “Who’s Who” of the most influential Christians in history.  But, Simon opened up his home in Joppa where the Apostle Peter stayed “...for many days…” as he preached the gospel and helped those who had come to know Jesus.  (Acts 9:42-43)  Simon may not have gone out to plant churches, but he supported the effort of church planting through his hospitality.

How about Aristarchus, Justus or Nympha?  Have you heard of them?

Colossians 4:7-18 is a great example of how God uses all sorts of people to plant and support healthy, reproducing churches.  Paul notes several men as being a “comfort to [him]” in his ministry (v.10,11).  Epaphras initially planted and led the church in Colossae, but even in his absence he was “...always struggling on [their] behalf in his prayers…” (v.12).  Luke and Demas were faithful companions to Paul.  An untold number of brothers and sisters in Laodicea were part of Paul’s ministry, which included the open-handed hospitality of “...Nympha and the church in her house.” (v.15).

God used the friendship, comfort, support and prayers of these believers to strengthen and build the church at Colossae and beyond.  Paul (and others) WENT and countless others SENT! 

You are likely familiar with the imagery of the church being one body with many parts (1 Cor 12:4-31) and those parts are arranged exactly the way the Lord intended in His wisdom.  However, it is also clear that as individual body parts we have to see ourselves as an integral part of the body and ensure we are functioning the way God intended.  Peter captured this call to all Christians in this way:

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…”
1 Peter 4:10

Throughout history the fruitfulness and multiplication of the local church has been the result of God’s people being engaged in the mission of multiplication.  As Crossway Wilmington seeks to plant more churches, some of us will GO and many of us will SEND…but we will all be involved!

“13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"  Rm 10:13-15

TODAY, JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR GOLDEN CITY CHURCH (Golden, CO)
Matt & Cheryl Brown and their core team launched this Crossway church just two weeks ago!

• PRAY for sustained gospel impact in the City of Golden and the surrounding area.

• PRAY for new visitors to plug into community groups this Fall.

• PRAY for additional leaders to join the Browns from other Crossway churches in Colorado.

• PRAY for unity in the relationship between GCC and the Presbyterian church where they are meeting.

• PRAY for the supremacy of Jesus in the hearts of the people as they study through Colossians.

The Great Commission is a Call to Plant Churches!

““All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

— Matthew 28:18-20

Could it be that these famous words of Jesus at the end of Matthew represent a call to plant churches?  What does it even mean to “plant churches” and why would we spend a week praying about and for that type of work?

Let’s firstly address the question of “What is church planting?”.

Church planting is the work of the local church to equip and send out a group of leaders and other believers to start a new church in an area where there is a need for the gospel.

Jesus told his people they would be His witnesses “...in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).  The book of Acts is the unfolding of that “witnessing work”!  The pattern of the early church was to send out pastors, leaders and missionaries to preach the gospel where there was a gospel need.  As people responded to the gospel they were gathered together in local assemblies where they were shepherded by pastors and where they also found the encouragement and support of other believers.  

Next, “How does church planting fulfill the great commission?”

Jesus commands us to make disciples, and he specifically notes that a disciple is baptized and taught to obey the commands of God.  During our baptism services we will often highlight how baptism signifies our union with Christ in His death and resurrection.  It is also true that baptism signifies our union to the people of God…to a particular local church.  So in that sense when a new believer is baptized, they are baptized “into” a local family of faith…a local church.

As the gospel is preached and people respond in faith, they are drawn into the local church to be baptized and for the church to aid in the discipleship and care of that new believer.  The 13 letters written by the Apostle Paul were to individual local churches, or leaders/believers in those churches, who came to faith through the evangelistic and missionary activity described in the book of Acts.  Simply put, the gospel was preached…people believed and were baptized…and a church was established!  Over and over!

With this NT pattern in view, we strongly believe the local church, and more specifically the multiplication of the local church, is God’s chosen mechanism to reach the world and mature the believer.  That’s why we plant churches!

If you would like to read more about this topic, we would encourage you to read “Why Plant Churches?”, an article by the late Tim Keller.

Each day this week we will ask you to pray for a particular church plant we support.  Today, please take time to pray for Crossway Burgaw and Genesis Church (Charlevoix, Michigan).  

CROSSWAY BURGAW:  Jason Faircloth is the pastor of Crossway Burgaw and previously served as one of Crossway Wilmington’s pastors before being sent out in 2021 to plant the church.

GENESIS CHURCH:  Jim Desmond is the pastor of Genesis Church, Charlevoix.  Jim came to faith in the early years of Crossway Wilmington and served in various leadership roles at Crossway before planting Genesis Church a couple years ago.

PRAY for protection over the pastors and leaders.  Pray for them to love their families and prove to be examples to the believers in their congregations.

PRAY for additional elders and leaders to be raised up to help lead and shepherd the church.

PRAY for gospel impact and influence in their cities – that many would come to believe and be baptized.

PRAY for vibrant gospel community to be formed and experienced in the life of their church.