Jeff and Anna Glessner
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The Goal – A Thriving Church

December 1, 2019 by Jeff and Anna Glessner

The heart of the Great Commission given in Matthew 28 is to “make disciples of all nations”. Ethnos360 and its global partners are focused on evangelizing those still unreached by the Gospel. The goal of that focus is church planting, establishing local groups of believers who are “[obeying] everything [Christ has] commanded”.

How do Ethnos360 missionaries plant churches among unreached people groups, like those in Papua New Guinea? To start, they . . .

  • Conduct a People Group Assessment— research the need for a gospel witness, openness of the people, logistics
  • Allocate a church planting team— secure permissions, build houses
  • Help that team through Culture and Language Acquisition
Photo credit: https://ethnos360.org/mission-photos/people-group-assessments

Pre-Church: Hearts Prepared (Matt 13; Acts 17)

  • Build relationships while learning the (often unwritten) language, customs and rituals, worldview and belief system of the people
  • Challenge their worldview and create anticipation for the Bible teaching
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/NTMPNG/posts/2457570557669182

Evangelism: Spiritual Rebirth (Luke 24; Jn 3)

  • Introduce the nature and character of God, Man, Satan & Christ through . . .
  • Foundational Bible Teaching (FBT) – a chronological, thematic approach to teaching God’s Story from Creation to Christ
  • Present God’s provision for salvation through Christ’s death, burial & resurrection
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/NTMPNG/posts/2621152667977636

Beginning Church: Nourished by the Word of God (1 Pet 1:23-2:2; 2 Tim 3:14-17)

  • Translate the Bible, starting with key Old Testament passages used in the FBT and continuing through the New and Old Testaments
  • Provide literacy training so that God’s Word can be read
  • Continue Foundational Bible Teaching— Acts through Revelation
Photo Credit: https://ethnos360.org/mission-photos/yagaria-bible-dedication

Developing Church: Increasing in Christlikeness, Withstanding Opposition & False Teaching (Eph 4 & 5; Col 2 & 3; Act 17:11)

  • Baptize and disciple new believers to walk in obedience, righteousness, and love for one another
  • Help them formulate a Biblical worldview and apply God’s Word to daily living
  • Support them in resisting cultural pressures
  • Encourage fellowship and unity as a community of believers
  • Teach them how to rightly divide the Word of Truth
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/NTMPNG/posts/2592571844169052

Maturing Church:  Established Church Leaders and Able to Reproduce (1 Tim 3; 2 Tim 2:2,14-16; Titus 1)

  • Establish elders and deacons
  • Train literacy and Bible teachers to continue the work
  • Work with tribal believers to see the gospel taken to neighboring villages and people groups
  • Foster their relationship with other national/tribal churches as part of the Universal Body of Christ
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/NTMPNG/posts/2658444400915129

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up . . . we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 4:11-16

As Paul explains in Ephesians 4, God has designed and equipped the Church, the “Body of Christ”, to build itself up in love until we all reach spiritual maturity in Christ. It takes many parts working together over many years. Through the Holy Spirit’s enabling, Christ continues to build His Church around the world!

Want to learn more?

This 30-minute documentary film gives a full picture of the missionaries’ journey and the strategic yet challenging process of transforming those lost in darkness into mature followers of Christ. Runtime 30:37

Also, you can follow the church planting efforts in Papua New Guinea by subscribing to the NTM Papua New Guinea* facebook page.

*NTM PNG is Ethnos360’s global partner in Papua New Guinea. We are trained, equipped, and sent by Ethnos360 (Aviation) to serve in the Aviation Department of NTM PNG.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

More Posts:

« Our Journey to Ministry
Aviation – A Critical Component »

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Jeff and Anna Glessner

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