THE BODY OF CHRIST PART 2
When looking at the body of Christ or Christ’s body, we are looking at the church, which is the body of Christ. I will be comparing the relationship of the church in the following ways: the church’s mission and its purpose, the church’s relationship to Jesus Christ, church leadership and the authority in the body, the church’s relationship to the Christian and Missionary Alliance, and the relationship between the church’s members.
Genesis 12:3 says, “I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (NKJV). Missionary awareness starts with God to His creation. God said that the families on earth shall be blessed through Abraham, and Abraham was sent out by God. Jesus tells us to, “Go.”
Sometimes we do not know why or when the blessings will come or if we will see them or not. (Matthew 13:17) “for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (NKJV). We just need to trust and obey because there is no other way. We have so many Biblical examples with positive outcomes. Abraham did not see the fulfillment of all that God promised him, but he still went when he was sent. God told him to go to the land of Moriah and offer his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice; he went because he believed and trusted in God. Abraham did not know that one day we could look back at his testimony and see a portrait of Jesus. We just need to go because we do not know what part of our own lives will be an example of missionary work for God and who it will affect now or in the future.
Another example is given to us in Philippians 2:5-12, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (NKJV).
Jesus left Heaven being in the form of God and came down to earth in the form of mankind to be a bond servant. Jesus, God the Son, came down to earth to be obedient to the will of the Father even unto the cruelest death of the cross. He humbled Himself. If Jesus can leave the splendor of heaven how can we not go out in to this world and be a witness for Him? We are mere men; He is God and became a bond servant. We did not come from heaven nor did we transform from deity to humanity. Jesus took a huge leap from being the creator to becoming like the created to bring forth the Gospel. For us it is just a side step into our back yard, the world, to bring the Gospel message to others. So, how is it that we cannot go out when Jesus made Himself of no reputation to go out and become a bond servant to God for us? Jesus became the ultimate missionary when He was sent from Heaven to earth so He could show us the way to eternal life.
As the church, we need to engage in the mission in which God the Father sent His only begotten Son to do. We need to go out and to teach all things which He has commanded us to do through His word. The success of the Gospel is in your hands and mine. Christ is counting on us as ambassadors and the ministers of reconciliation to go forth and fulfill the Great Commission (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Matthew 28:18-20). The Church has to have a degree of missions or it will die! If we are the body of Christ, what are our hands doing? What are our feet doing? What is our mouth saying? Are they engaged in the redemptive work of our Lord and Saviour? Jesus went out, we need to go as He commanded. I believe it is important to structure a ministry to continue the redemptive work of Jesus Christ because without a perpetual ministry which crosses generations, the gospel message will cease to exist. We can see the decline of churches overseas as well as here in America. I believe that after the baby boomer generation passes, the church buildings in America will be empty. The baby boomers need to go out and spread the gospel message across the new generations of today if the churches in America are to remain a functioning part of the body of Christ. This needs to be done through an organized Church structure. The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) has a hub in Colorado which stretches around the world. It has solid doctrine and a missionary heart to go forth and usher in the coming King, Jesus Christ, to all nations. We need to ensure we have a strategy to reach all generation to keep the gospel moving forward so we can proclaim the salvation of Jesus our Saviour to preceding generations and those to come.
In Christ,
Greg

THE BODY OF CHRIST PART 1
When looking at the body of Christ or Christ’s body, we are looking at the church, which is the body of Christ. I will be comparing the relationship of the church in the following ways: the church’s mission and its purpose, the church’s relationship to Jesus Christ, church leadership and the authority in the body, the church’s relationship to the Christian and Missionary Alliance, and the relationship between the church’s members.
1.1 THE CHURCH’S MISSION AND PURPOSE
Our purpose as the Church can be seen in many forms throughout the Bible. We are to be the salt and light of the world to draw others to the Gospel and to disciple others so they can do the same. We can only do this if we truly believe in God and His word because we only do what we believe. The church must have an intimate relationship with God through prayer, Bible reading, devotionals, and fellowship. When the church has an intimate relationship with God, it will know what it needs to say and do in the world for its Saviour.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11 KJV). When we revere God as worthy to receive all honor, glory, and power; we have a holy fear of God (holy reverence or a wholesome righteous fear of not displeasing Him). When we realize we are created for His good pleasure then we can find our purpose in Him. We were created to be well pleasing to God by being in the right relationship with Him, and our purpose is to become more like Christ. If we become more like Christ we will be well pleasing to God; we will honor Him, give Him all the glory, and acknowledge His power and authority. “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17 KJV).  Jesus came to show us the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), and we are to be like Christ, well pleasing to God, our Father.
The Churches mission and purpose can be seen in Ephesians 3:10-12 “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (NKJV).
Through the Church the manifold wisdom of God is to be proclaimed according to the eternal purpose which God accomplished through Jesus Christ, so we can all be reconciled back to God. The church’s mission is God’s mission, to actively seek and save the lost. Jesus is working with us; Mark 16:20 says, “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with [them], and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Jesus also said in John 5:17, “My Father is working still, and I am working” (RSV). The church is to be about God’s business, working to further the good news.

If the church is going to be more like Christ, it must go as we are commanded in Matthew 28:19 -20, to teach all things that Jesus commanded. Did not Jesus send out the 12 and the 70? Then we should also send out others to teach all things that Jesus commanded. Therefore, the church’s purpose should include mission awareness and to go.
In Christ,
Greg

THE LEADER’S ROLE IN MOBILIZING THE LOCAL CHURCH IN GREAT COMMISSION COMPLETION
WORLD MISSIONS
World Missions start with individuals who disciple individuals, who in turn disciple churches to reach the uttermost parts of the world. We can see examples of this like Samaritan Purse. Digging wells for those less fortunate in other countries, and through giving to the basic needs of those who have not adequate clothing, food, or water. World missions start with individuals, moves through congregations, congregations connect with other congregations all over the world, and we need one more entity a world missions program like one of the fore mentioned organizations to be effective.
If we use the same model of selection, association, consecration, impartation, demonstration, delegation, supervision and reproduction to build a world mission model, what could it look like?
First we would need to build a network for a Mission Alliance. This could be done by associating with other local churches and building partnerships with churches, individuals, and mission organizations. Once we have built a relationship with these agents, we would then consecrate them for action by imparting a missionary strategy which would include the information needed to become a well effective team to reach the world. Once you have built an effective organizational outreach program for world missions, one could take that model and start it in another location. The program could then be imparted, demonstrated, delegated, supervised, and reproduced to be another effective organization or organism for Christ.
Recently I saw a program for mission which helped finance the installation of wells. The slogan was “Every Drop Counts”. Some churches got together and brought the information to their congregation. This resulted in money being raised for hundreds of wells overseas. This is just one way to access geographical locations where the gospel needs to be proclaimed.
In our self-centered churches of today it takes effort to begin to mobilize a congregation to begin to go out, instead of just throwing out money to support mission needs. Money helps, but the laborers are few.  We need to pray as Jesus said, “The harvest truly [is] great, but the labourers [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2).
We need laborers to go out into the harvest before the harvest rots. This and other statements like:
“Go, send, or disobey.” — John Piper
Charles Spurgeon also said: “Someone asked ‘Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved?’ It is more a question with me whether we – who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not – can be saved.”
These are quite convicting and may stir the hearts of some for a while, but for how long?
I also found this quote by Winter (1995), “Wouldn’t it be better to awaken one hundred sleeping firemen than to hopelessly throw your own little bucket of water on a huge fire yourself?” Mission work takes team work on all levels; from the individual, the local church and surrounding churches to remote churches and mission organizations. When you have a well-built team for Christ our Coming King we will truly be as Paul declares in First Corinthians 12:14 and 27 “For the body is not one member, but many” “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (KJV). We are not the body of Christ if we are just an eye or foot because we could not be effective without the whole body of Christ functioning for His will. Jesus came to save the sick and the lost and “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4 KJV).
The C & MA motto for mission is Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (KJV). Every Christian is called to go by the Great Commission and we should all be stirred up to see Jesus coming again. I also like Titus 2:13 where we are to be focused on looking for the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. But the surrounding verses make our lifestyle and work real as they say, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14 KJV).
I pray that all Christians would indeed be zealous of good works which would produce an effectual working for the outreach to all nations and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So we can usher in His Shekinah glory, participate in the harvest and see His glorious appearing. In Jesus name. Amen.
In Christ,
Greg

THE LEADER’S ROLE IN MOBILIZING THE LOCAL CHURCH IN GREAT COMMISSION COMPLETION
CHURCH MULTIPLICATION
I believe church multiplication starts from within. There must be a revival from within each individual for the excitement to grow and to be spread to others. Jesus had what others thought was a new doctrine. It drew their attention, and they listened. Their excitement was stirred up so much that they just had to tell someone else. But who?
We can tell everyone we see, and it may be like the parable of the sower where only one-fourth of the seeds which were sown produced fruit. When we consider church multiplication, we must help develop faithful and dedicated men and women to multiple congregations and not just individuals; although that is where it starts.
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things (2 Timothy 2:1-7 KJV).
2 Timothy 2:1-7, can be a great example of you tell two people and then they tell two people and so on and so on and so on… that is multiplication. When we begin to multiple a Church, we must first be diligent to commit them to faithful men and women who will teach others who will fight the good fight of faith and not get tangled up into worldliness. One way to multiply a church is to plant another one with committed couples to support the new church plant.
For example, by discipling six or seven couples who are faithful, loyal, and committed to support a church plant through tithing; they would ensure that the church would be stable until new members could be discipled and church growth could be established in that new local church. When we begin with revival by God’s transforming power, we begin with God’s will and not our own will. The individuals make up a church which support the outreach to others on a larger basis. 2 Timothy starts off with individuals and then moves on to other individuals. Church plants start off with individuals, then moves to communities and then to the world.
In Christ,
Greg