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And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
These words, spoken by our Savior to the disciples shortly before His ascension to heaven, provided the direction for ministry for the Twelve, but they have provided the motive and direction for two millennia of ministry. This is what also motivates Grace Bible Church in all its ministry — both in our community and across the globe.
Seven truths about the process of missions and ministry are found these verses:
- The responsibility to evangelize the world comes from the very throne of God Himself.
- The command of God is the privilege of both evangelizing and discipling the lost.
- The context of evangelism and discipleship is life — it happens while we are “going” (living our daily lives).
- The extent of our discipleship is worldwide — we are responsible for both our immediate world and the global world.
- The focus of our discipleship is the magnification of the triune God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- The content of our discipleship is the commands of Christ — the truth of Scripture.
- The promise of God to those who disciple is His eternal, sustaining presence.
As we approach ministry outside our church fellowship — seeking to influence those who are lost with the glorious news of God and His salvation — this is what we seek to fulfill. We want to shepherd and serve people in such a way that they will come to know the grace of Jesus Christ and the immense wonder and happiness to be found in glorifying Him.
The joy of serving God in this way was expressed so well in a letter written by Hudson Taylor to his mother in 1852 —
Oh mother, I cannot tell you, I cannot describe to you how I long to be a missionary; to carry the Glad Tidings to poor perishing sinners.…I feel as if I could not live if something is not done for China.
In the following pages, you will meet people with whom we are partners in this cause. Some of them are in our neighborhood, helping us expand the message of Christ in the community in which we live. And others of them are around the world, helping us expand the message of Christ “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
We trust that these pages will not only give you a sense of what Grace Bible Church is like, but that they will also stimulate your passion to spread the news of God’s supremacy and gracious salvation throughout the world.
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