Monday, February 24, 2025
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
The Mission of the Church
Since the beginning of the year Pastor Jim has been preaching on the Seven Core Values of North Side. Yesterday we heard about our last core value.
Our Seventh Core Value is… Global Mission- We value that God has invited us into His work of renewal as we pray, give, and go to the nations in Jesus’ name. (1 Chron. 16:24; Is. 6:1-8; Matt. 24:14; Mark 16:15; Jn. 20:21; Rom. 10:13-15)
What is the mission of the church and how are we to participate in it?
In his last words to the disciples before he ascended into heaven Jesus told his disciples All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20) This was the mission of the church then and it is now, and it will be until the end of the age – until all the people groups on the earth have been reached with the Gospel.
The line Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations… is where we get our seventh core value of Global Mission. At North Side we understand the urgency and embrace the commitment to do what we can to go and make disciples of all nations in Jesus’ name. Missions begin at home -in our homes, schools, jobs, neighborhoods. But the command from Christ extends much further – to the ends of the earth. It wasn’t a choice for the disciples – it was a command. It is why we exist as his disciples. This was a command from Jesus not only to the disciples standing before him at that moment, but for every follower of Jesus until the end of the age. As his disciples we are commanded to go and make disciples of others. If we are not doing this, we are not being the disciples he wants us to be.
In our churches we are equipped. As his disciples we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. We could never do what Jesus is asking us to do in our own power, but with the power of the Holy Spirit we can. We learn how to be a disciple so we can go and make disciples – who can go and make disciples – who can go and make disciples… and on and on and on it goes. This is how the kingdom of God is built.
The mission of the church is the great commission - 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20
There are many ways we can participate in this mission. We can pray, give money and supplies, equip others, and go – sharing the Gospel in our local communities, in the United States, and to the ends of the earth. How is God calling you to to participate in the mission of the church?
