United for a Mission

Written by Ian Jannaway

Why the church, why us? How do we engage with the world around us, when the world is constantly changing, with a timeless and unchanging message, the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Let’s look at some scriptures together and develop the story. The writer here in the book of Acts is Luke, who wrote his own gospel. The big issue of the day was circumcision, which was the Jewish custom, and was a sign of belief. Whilst the Jews rejected Jesus, Jewish Christian believers (Judaizers) insisted that gentile Christians (non- Jewish men) must be circumcised as per the mosaic custom.

Acts 15

1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”

2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question

7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe

8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.

9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

Paul was basically saying that circumcision was not needed as sign of faith because new believers were covered by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s look at a couple of more scriptures-

10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?

13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.

19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God…

The Yoke mentioned here is of a teaching of Moses, they were unable to obey all of the laws-over 600 of them! James then speaks, he is the half -brother of Jesus, so his voice carries some weight. What he says about not making it difficult for new believers flows into the vision of this church.

Vision
The heartbeat of this church is that Jesus be found in everything we say, think and do.

We want to be a church that loves like Jesus and to be a church that the unchurched love.

Mission
To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Strategy

To create an environment that-

1/ fosters intimacy with Jesus Christ.

2/ connection with those inside the church

3/ to have influence with those outside the church

John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him

…to save the whole world, not just bits of it, all of it through the love and grace of Jesus Christ.