<\/p>\n
Quick fixes.<\/p>\n
Fast solutions.<\/p>\n
Easy remedies.<\/p>\n
In this age of quick, fast and easy, it is natural to desire a quick solution for reaching the world with the Gospel.<\/p>\n
We would like\u00a0to go to the masses, give them a simple formula during a quick visit and leave behind thronging churches which are obedient to all of Christ’s commands.<\/p>\n
Apart from the miraculous intervention of God\u00a0the real world may\u00a0not work that way. The masses have yet to reach the remote tribes.<\/p>\n
For His life giving message, God’s chosen method of delivery is special delivery by personal courier. The courier is sent from those who believe\u00a0Him to those who do not. (Romans 10:13-17)(2 Corinthians 3:18-5:20)<\/p>\n
Establishing functioning\u00a0churches involves\u00a0discipleship. Communicating a clear message is part of building\u00a0a faith centered on the Lord Jesus Christ which results in a\u00a0multiplying, vibrant, living local body of believers. (John 15:5)(1 Corinthians 2:2-5, 3:10-11)<\/p>\n
On the highest authority in heaven and on earth, the command which our Lord gave to us was to go into all the world\u00a0and teach all nations\u00a0everything He commanded. (Matthew 28:18-20) What is the time required to teach someone everything?<\/p>\n
More than evangelism, the objective is to equip ambassadors for representation and reproduction. We are to equip equippers. (Ephesians 4:12, Hebrews 13:21) We are to pass on the\u00a0things we have learned to the faithful who will in turn teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)<\/p>\n
Church planting takes time. Discipleship involves\u00a0persistence. Establishing disciples of Christ\u00a0in a foreign country, in an unwritten language, across cultural barriers, where no Bible exists, takes perseverance, patience and planning.<\/p>\n
God’s Word is equal to the task. What will set people free, from generations of practices based on lies, is the truth delivered by a faithful messenger. The light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ will dawn on the listener.<\/p>\n
The great needs of the moment are\u00a0couriers and senders to reach people who are already asking to be taught. We need people.<\/p>\n
What a privilege awaits those who will get involved! Oh how great and wonderful is that transformation which occurs when God’s truth supplants\u00a0false beliefs! How beautiful is the joy on a face reflecting recognition of our Savior’s great grandeur!<\/p>\n
Planting indigenous, Bible-believing, maturing, reproducing churches takes time but the result is a new generation of the redeemed who are able to declare God’s glory.<\/p>\n
In my own temptation to find the shortcut and follow the easy path, I can only repeat to myself what the apostle advised: “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord<\/i>.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) Looking back at those times when\u00a0life was difficult I can clearly see that God was working to build His church the whole time.<\/p>\n
“He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.<\/i>” (Colossians 1:28)<\/p>\n
It seems that the marathon missions method has some historical precedent.<\/p>\n
1 Corinthians 9:24 \u00b6 Don\u2019t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!\u00a0<\/em> Do you know people who are willing to run the marathon? Could you ask them to join us?<\/p>\n Our\u00a0obedience to the command may include many short plays in the overall scheme but it seems to have a lot of going long and digging deep.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Quick fixes. Fast solutions. Easy remedies. In this age of quick, fast and easy, it is natural to desire a quick solution for reaching the world with the Gospel. We would like\u00a0to go to the masses, give them a simple formula during a quick visit and leave behind thronging churches which are obedient to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1016,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-552","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/randy-smyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/randy-smyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/randy-smyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/randy-smyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1016"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/randy-smyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=552"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/randy-smyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/552\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/randy-smyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/randy-smyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/randy-smyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nPhilippians 3:14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.<\/em><\/p>\n