Upward Call

I don't pretend to be a missions expert, but the church has to start somewhere. The Lord has been teaching me more and more about missions since 2015, and I've spent a lot of time  in the last two years   exploring  this important aspect of the church's life. Since Elynne and I are planning to migrate soon to study at TMS, I don't have much time to share what I've been learning with others. So in the next five months, January to May, I'm holding a weekly "Missions Study & Prayer Group" (MSPG) to equip them to help in the church's developing missions program. For overviews and links to all the lessons in this ongoing series,  click here . THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH We’ve looked at Paul’s missionary activity and the example of a number of New Testament churches, and we’ve ways the local church can participate in missions: Praying Upholding biblical truth (Ephesians) Evangelism (Thessalonians) Raising mis...

I don't pretend to be a missions expert, but the church has to start somewhere. The Lord has been teaching me more and more about missions since 2015, and I've spent a lot of time  in the last two years   exploring  this important aspect of the church's life. Since Elynne and I are planning to migrate soon to study at TMS, I don't have much time to share what I've been learning with others. So in the next five months, January to May, I'm holding a weekly "Missions Study & Prayer Group" (MSPG) to equip them to help in the church's developing missions program. For overviews and links to all the lessons in this ongoing series,  click here . “Missional” and “contextualization” are common terminology in evangelical discussions on missions. Many conservatives dislike the terms. However, others argue that they are very useful. Let’s take a look at these two words and see for ourselves. “MISSIONAL” One of, if not the first ap...

I don't pretend to be a missions expert, but the church has to start somewhere. The Lord has been teaching me more and more about missions since 2015, and I've spent a lot of time  in the last two years   exploring  this important aspect of the church's life. Since Elynne and I are planning to migrate soon to study at TMS, I don't have much time to share what I've been learning with others. So in the next five months, January to May, I'm holding a weekly "Missions Study & Prayer Group" (MSPG) to equip them to help in the church's developing missions program. For overviews and links to all the lessons in this ongoing series,  click here . INTRODUCTION When we talk about “missions” in the New Testament, it’s worth looking at the Lord Jesus Christ’s ministry as background, but the study of missions proper really coincides with the Church Age. It starts with Great Commission passages and ends with Revelation 3. We...

(I'm starting a weekly "Missions Study & Prayer Group" (future catchy title to follow), and includes orienting them with the church's current missions partners. Hence the "Missions Partners" series.) "Pastor James & Mari Bukhari" (I don't use their real names for security reasons) are a missionary family reaching out to the least-reached tribes of Pakistan. They attended HRCC for a number of years, and HRCC has been supporting their ministry for several years now. Ptr. James's Conversion & Ministry Here is Ptr. James's own testimony: I am the second generation from my family, my father was Hindu converted. I was badly beaten in the school by the Muslim teacher because my father became Christian. I didn’t like to become Christian. My father always convinced even once forced me to go to church. But I never liked it. I was so disappointed because I was badly beaten and given bad names, like “black demon” by my own s...

I don't pretend to be a missions expert, but the church has to start somewhere. The Lord has been teaching me more and more about missions since 2015, and I've spent a lot of time  in the last two years   exploring  this important aspect of the church's life. Since Elynne and I are planning to migrate soon to study at TMS, I don't have much time to share what I've been learning with others. So in the next five months, January to May, I'm holding a weekly "Missions Study & Prayer Group" (MSPG) to equip them to help in the church's developing missions program. For overviews and links to all the lessons in this ongoing series,  click here . Disciples can easily be confused regarding mission's relative importance to worship. Consider the following quotes from a biblical preacher that, when compared, may lead to confusion: "[Worship] is our supreme duty for time and eternity—to honor, adore, delight in, glorify, and enjo...

I don't pretend to be a missions expert, but the church has to start somewhere. The Lord has been teaching me more and more about missions since 2015, and I've spent a lot of time  in the last two years   exploring  this important aspect of the church's life. Since Elynne and I are planning to migrate soon to study at TMS, I don't have much time to share what I've been learning with others. So in the next five months, January to May, I'm holding a weekly "Missions Study & Prayer Group" (MSPG) to equip them to help in the church's developing missions program. For overviews and links to all the lessons in this ongoing series,  click here . It is important to distinguish between the terms ‘mission’ and ‘missions’. Some theologians use “mission” to refer either to God’s mission in the world or Christ’s commission to the church. Meanwhile, “missions” refers to whatever the Church does toward fulfilling its commission. Therefore mis...