Sunday, March 18, 2012

Re-Focus on Mission


March 18, 2012- This book was so refreshing. When I first saw the title, I thought, "wow, I need to read this". I thought it was a book that would show me this revelation on the mission of the church. But as I read, I found out it was so much more than that. This is incredibly simple and applicable, but so over looked in church and in the normal lives of Christians.
If you have never experienced a dry season in your life spiritually, you might not understand the genius of the first mission Steven lists, but it was such a confirmation to me. You can operate in ministry without intimacy with God, but you can't do it with any power or long term effectiveness. This part of the book was so helpful to me. Thank you Steven.
Next, he moves into a progressive discipleship strategy to accelerate that growth. Again, huge help. Then that discipleship flows into multiplication and fulfillment of the Great Commission. We are called to make disciples, not converts. This third mission is great for anyone wanting to teach or to do what Jesus called us to do. Incredible.
The last mission I think is a description of what every church in America should be focused on right now. That is to Impact the lives of non-believers. Not only in church, but in our lives, in our workplaces, in our communities, and in our families we should be doing this.
Then Steven gives a clarion call to all of us to play our part. We have a part in the continued Gospel to play. Ours is a story to be written. So what will your story say? I want mine to read like the book of Acts. This book has rekindled a fire inside to take the teaching of Jesus literally and to engage in a lost world the needs to know the savior of the world.
I'm sold. This was a great book and I highly recommend it to any church leader, and all Christians in general. Run out and grab a copy. Steven K. Scott knocked it out of the park.