A GREAT COMMISSION

CONGREGATION

Dr. Paul D. Borden

A Great Commission Congregation

Bottom Line of Congregational Health

A Continual Stream of New Disciples Coming into the Kingdom of God

Great Commission Congregations Practice

- Evangelism (The Presenting of Good News)

- Variety of forms and formats

- Basic DNA of the congregation

- This is the most basic CORE value of the congregation

A Great Commission Congregation

Great Commission Congregations Could Also Be Called:

Disciple Making Congregations

Outward Focused Congregations

Missional Congregations

Healthy Congregations

A Great Commission Congregation

Making a Disciple Means: Exposing People to the Gospel Message

Inviting People to Respond to the Gospel Message

Helping People Live Out the Gospel Message, Individually and In Community

Leading People to Reproduce the Gospel Message in terms of Both:

Salvation: The Great Commission

Kingdom: The Great Commandment

A Great Commission Congregation

Great Commission Congregations Reproduce Disciples Leaders New Congregations

While Working to Change Communities Advance God’s Kingdom

A Great Commission Congregation

MAJOR QUESTION:

How Do We Instill a Great Commission Value in

Congregations That Do Not Have that Value as Core or

Foundational?

THE BELIEF ISSUE

The Purpose of the Church (The Body of Christ)

Did God Design the Church for Believers As An Institution that Encourages Those Believers to Live and Act Together in order to Bring God Glory?

Did God Design The Church As A Missional Entity Designed to Mobilize Believers to Bring God Glory By Evangelizing Those Not In the Church Currently?

THE BELIEF ISSUE

Support for The Church Being Primarily a Missional Entity Jesus’ Statement about the Church

Mt. 16:18 The Mystery of the Church

Eph. 3:1-13 The Ministry of Reconciliation

II. Cor. 5:16-21 Christ Must Be Preached to Reach Others

Phil. 1:12-18 Jesus Christ Has Two Bodies

Eph. 4:4

THE LEADERSHIP ISSUE

Do the Leaders Embrace the Belief?

If So

Then Leaders Lead Congregations in Two Cross-Cultural Ways Reaching Those Not in the Church

Currently Mobilizing the Christians

THE CULTURE ISSUE

Is the Culture a Friend or Enemy to the Presentation of the Good News?

Enemy (extreme): Isolation

Friend (extreme): Assimilation

THE CULTURE ISSUE

Willowbank Report – Culture “the patterned ways in which people

relate to one another” Trinity Eden: Pre-Fall Incarnation – John 1:1-14 Loved by God – John 3:16 Multiple Outreach Strategies – I.

Cor. 9:19-23

THE CULTURE ISSUE

Culture is neither moral nor immoral but amoral

All Evangelistic Strategies are Acceptable Unless the Essence of the Message of the Gospel is Violated

THE SOCIOLOGICAL ISSUE(S)

1. Salvation is about both the individual and the community

2. Key concept is faith, not timing

3. Salvation Responsibility of Both Individuals The Community of Faith

THE METHODOLOGICAL ISSUE(S)

Salesperson or Travel Guide

Travel Guides: Help Others See God’s Clues Share Struggles Connect Stories to the Bigger Story Focus on Relational Involvements Journeys To/From God Invite People to Join God

THE METHODOLOGICAL ISSUE(S)

Invite People to Respond Jesus Did – John 1:43, Mark 1:15-17,

John 11:26

Peter Did – Acts 2:38

Paul and Silas Did – Acts 16:31

Paul Implored People to Be Reconciled – II. Cor. 5:20

THE METHODOLOGICAL ISSUE(S)

Rod/Reel Fishing And

Net Fishing

A STRATEGY FOR MAKING THE

GREAT COMMISSION THE VALUE OF THE CONGREGATION

A STRATEGY …

Become a Staff Led Congregation Elders/Deacons/Board/Council – Govern Pastor – Leads Staff – Manages Congregation – Does Ministry

Staff Members Set Goals – All Staff Members Have These Goals Evangelism Leaders Growth

DEVELOP FOUR MISSION FIELDS

First Mission Field – Your CongregationGeographically CloseRelationally ConnectedCulturally SimilarAssimilation Programs – Present

and InviteLarge Events – Help Serve

DEVELOP FOUR MISSION FIELDS

Second Mission Field – Those in Your Community Like the Congregation Geographically Distant – Not on your

Campus Relationally Unconnected Culturally Similar

Develop Ministries that Involved Participation with These People

Conduct Outreach Events Based Upon New Developing Relationships

DEVELOP FOUR MISSION FIELDS

Third Mission Field – Those in the Community Not Like the Congregation Geographically, Relationally and Culturally

Disconnected (Often these are the Powerless and People

without Resources) Encourage Laity to Target Specific Groups Encourage Freedom of Methods, Funding

and Recruiting Teach on Varieties of Ministries Not Just

Gifts Create Birthing and Support Systems for

These Ministries

DEVELOP FOUR MISSION FIELDS

Fourth Mission Field – Home and Foreign Missions

Usually Quite Distinct in Culture, Distant in Geography and No Relational Connections To Produce Various Levels of Commitment –

Short Term Mission Trips Send Teams Comprised of Disciples and

Non-Disciples to do Service and Conduct Relational Evangelism

DEVELOP FOUR MISSION FIELDS

CONGREGATIONS CAN BEHAVE BASED UPON A GREAT COMMISSION

VALUE SYSTEM WITHOUT BECOMING A SEEKER

CONGREGATION IN STRATEGY