Emmaus Bible Institute graduation ceremony was held April 4th, 2011. This was the 14th commencement exercises of EBI, and the theme was “God’s Mission in God’s Way” (see message outline below, which also related to the recent ACM KAIROS workshop held at EBI on March 25-30). There were 6 graduates in this year’s class: Janice Fuga, Eduard Estrabela, Jerome Gotera, Dwight Lumberio, Edwin Thompson and Rolando Catubig. Janice is from Bulusan; she plans to work as PAMI volunteer, to assist in the small group and as assistant teacher in the Compassion, or assisting Ptr. Chito in administrative works like- encoding reports, library works and bookkeeping. Eduard is youth from Matnog. He wants to work as PAMI volunteer too. Jerome will be handling his local/sending church because his pastor will be assigned in manila; Dwight is youth from Church of the Nazarene; Edwin Thompson is Ptr William’s, he’s been prepared to assist in the Matnog church; and Rolando Catubig is our very own church leader in Emmaus Church. He is praying to go back to his place in Donsol, to reach out for his family. He wants to work/coordinate with Ptr Abner Cornelio.
Please continue praying for the ministry of each of them.
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TOPIC: GOD’S MISSION IN GOD’S WAY
TEXT: 1 Cor. 2:1-5
Introduction:
·Nevertheless, God is so good, because prior to this graduation, we hosted a seminar called KAIROS course. And God opened our eyes about mission into a better perspective. Because we have misconceptions about mission. For instance: Mission is defined ‘the Purpose of God of seeing All nations discipled. The emphasis is not just on the task of discipleship, but on the word “nations.” Nations which is not equivalent with the word countries like Philippines, China, Japan, Indonesia; but from the Greek ethnos meaning peoples or people groups, with distinct language and culture. A more correct usage would be “Maranao nation”, Iranun nation and kalagan nation of Mindanao; Molbog nation of Palawan; The Sama Bangingi; The Yakan of Basilan.
·Then, when you are working with your own people group without crossing any barrier, it is Evangelism (E1); whereas Mission is going cross-culturally with the gospel (E2 or E3); crossing the barriers of language and cultures. So technically, by that definition and Bible usage, we are not fully into mission.
·This is why the theme GOD’S MISSION IN GOD’S WAY. That is looking at the mission from God’s eyes. Baka masyado pang local ang ating orientation at hindi global ang tingin natin sa Mission (We might have yet local/parochial orientation in mission and not global). Today’s thrust is called GLOCAL, looking at the mission both in the local and global setting.
·MAJOR Blocs of unreached people: Those who live in the 10/40 window; or the 10/70 window:
Ø The Buddhist bloc of Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Tibet, Mongolia
Ø The Hindu Bloc of India
Ø The Muslim Bloc about billion followers from North Africa to Far East Islands of Indonesia; now in Europe
Ø The Tribal bloc; we have many ethnic groups in the Philippines like those I mentioned…
·The Great Imbalance: Large proportions of mission work are being done in places that are considered Reached Groups.
·Mission God’s Way therefore must be:
1. going to the unreached people groups.
Ø In your vision
Ø In your prayer
Ø In your program
Ø Thus a World Christian –thrilled at what God has done and is doing to establish His kingdom; fervently desire to be a part of that kingdom program. Matt. 28:18-20.
2. Is Partnerships. Scripture calls for believers to work together in unity. John 17:20-23 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
Ø Why? Because it is God’s will
Ø Because the task is great.
Ø Consider our partnerships with other missions: Compassion International, Faith Comes By Hearing; The E2E program; Operation Blessings; Feed My Starving Children; Samaritan Purse/OCC; BGEA; just recently with ACM. Locally, we open our wall to partnership with the Body Ministry both in the province and in the city.
Ø Finding your role as Mission goers, senders, mobilizers, welcomers & intercessors. Who may have the greater rewards in God’s economy? Answer is: 1 Sam. 30:24 “The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.”
3. Is Prayer and Power. 1 Cor.2:1-5
Ø “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaim to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.”
Ø Power Encounter – Eph. 6:12
Ø Prayer is a linking activity. First, prayer links with God to receive His power and direction as we pray for the unevangelized world and carry out our ministries; secondly, prayer links us with particular unreached groups and Christians laboring among them. Matt 9:37-38 “The harvest is plentiful but workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
Ø 1 goer: 100 intercessors
4. Requires Integrity of Heart and skillful hand. Psa. 78:72 “And David Shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.
Ø Criteria for all men and women of God.
Ø Character issue that might bring trouble during mission work: Pride, tempe; impatience, unteachable spirit; moral issues.
Ø Skillful hands: skills in Leadership; diligent study; equipping; advancement; preparation; language study; doing your assignments; developing more skills; upgrading your craft; formal or informal learning; the tent-making mission.
5. The challenge:
Ø The remaining task is yet so big. It is bringing to closure the world evangelization as Matt. 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom of God will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Ø Why we should go/or why involve in mission? Rom. 10: 13-14 “Everyone who calls in the Name of the Lord will be saved; How, then, can they call on the one they have not believe in? and how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless, they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”
6. The response:
Unswerving decision to follow God’s mandate: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” “Go and make disciple of all nations.” Like Isaiah, by God God’s power and grace, we may be able to answer with all our heart, “Here am I Lord, Send me!”