Will we face change as an opportunity?

Key point #3: We need to look for changes that will allow us to be a part of reaching the world.

The World Is Getting Smaller. In many ways the world is more accessible. But, have you noticed that many churches are so busy and so over loaded with what they are doing that it is difficult for them to stop and notice changes.

There is stress to change. In the last two months we made several changes in our office attached to our house. This brings improvement but it has introduced confusion of where to relocate things from the old desk to the new. Now I even wonder if I need to upgrade the computer; but that would mean another learning curve and more time. It is easier to keep doing the same but the issue is can I do more with change? Even committing to this Blog creates pressure but I can see it can be part of casting the vision for “reaching the world”.

Last week I mentioned several changes in the world. Many think of these as limitations but “with every problem there is an opportunity.” Can we do more if we make the right changes? Will we face the challenges/changes and adjust so we can do more?

Increased mobility
High tech-communication
International business connections
Language translations, even digitally automatic
Plus many others

The wonderful record of 200 years of world missions causes me to rejoice. Now I just want people to evaluate 1. The basic issues of the Great Commission, 2. The productive things you now do, 3. The great opportunities if we adjust/improve our methods and 4. The potential of allowing God’s Glory to be revealed to more people.

There is no one miracle method. We need find effective ways of sharing the Gospel with “all nations.” One of those is to minister cross culturally to the 100’s of people groups living in USA.

More next week on my Key Talking Points.

The World Has Changed; Are You Adjusting Or Maintaining?

God’s plan for redeeming man has not changed but many of the national, communication, economic, travel and language barriers have been revolutionized.

This is the second point of 13 “Key Talking Points” to present the Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries concept. First, the Great Commission Has Not Changed! [that was last week]

Therefore, have we and will we need to change methodology to more effectively help people understand the offer of forgiveness and hope in Jesus Christ?

National. The names of nations and political leaders seem to change each day. Not once have I heard that they are more inviting to the Biblical message. How do you share the Gospel where you are not wanted?

Communication. I am using communication systems that no one dreamed of when I was born and then there are new ones they offer every day which I can’t understand. Today, you don’t even have to sit in a classroom to study for a degree. Person to person is still needed but this means restrictions can be broken.

Economic. Our dollar has less value, international trade is changing, the cost of sending U S missionaries has increased almost like our national debt, and the cost of doing anything has gone up. Think of how dependent you are on Internet and this is a new cost in the last decade.

Travel. Here again we can go further but at the same time there are more security restrictions, especially in the last seven years.

Language. More people are bi-lingual and English is more universal. Computerized translations increase but even so there are still 16.000 people groups.

Conclusion: American’s have to accept that winning the world must be shared with believers who can identify with their homeland and use the new methods. Nearly all of these people groups reside next to or near you and your church. Will we and can we win them to Christ so they can send or take to Gospel to lands American’s can’t go?

More next week. Please respond and join me.

Great Commission, Is it for professional missionaries only?

Is the Great commission only for professional missionaries we send away from our church?

We have focused on the word “world” in Mk 16:15 so much that the word “nations” in Mt 28:19 means some distant land of another culture and language. Oh, I know that we say that every man in every place, including the USA, needs Christ to be saved, BUT do our actions show it? Just look at the “nations”, the people groups of the world who live in our land, in our local community.

Anglo churches commonly seek to win Anglo people. Generally we assume that other cultures need to win the people of that culture. Sometimes we help a language group establish a church so they can meet separately. We may even support someone to evangelize that “other ethnic group” in our local area for us so we can stay in our comfort zone.

Mt. 28:19 gives the command and direction for offering the way of salvation and hope to the distant lands but also to the neighbor next door.

Let’s apply it. Where ever you are in your going, teach (disciple so they become followers of Christ in belief and life) all nations (the people groups wherever they are). Then we should welcome them to be baptized into Christ (one united body of believers). Baptism into Father, Son and Holy Spirit (accents the unity of those being baptized in this new human relationship as a preview of the unity of ethnic groups in heaven).

The Great Commission is more than a proper tool to challenge people to go over seas and more than an appeal to churches to support “full time” missionaries.” It is also our commission to seek out the Ethnic America and include them in a multicultural church, reflecting the Glory of God as it will be in heaven for eternity.

Let me know what you think.

Intoduction to Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries, Inc.

Notice the mission statement in the header. There are two issues!

1. God has moved people to America from "Every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;" [Rev. 5:9b]. We who have the Bible and know the truth regarding salvation from eternal death by faith in Jesus Christ should do all we can to reach the mission field that has come to us in America.
2. Increasingly the Nations of the world are restricting the traditional work of our American missionaries. Half of the world is closed. Many others are limiting the entry of the "white man" to the point that many mission fields are forced to allow the national to reach nationals before we may think they are ready.

Conclusion: we must rethink how we are going to have a share in the Great Commission. If we only continue to maintain the overloaded mission budgets and search for the the shortage of missionaries we will soon be shut out. Let's look to other methods while we continue to give wise effort to the past methods. But let's lift up our eyes and look at the fields ripe for harvest according to the current world conditions. Let's befriend our neighbors of another culture and help them hear about forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ the one creator of all men and the one giver of eternal life and hope.

Let's help them understand that freedom from the bondage of religions, based on fear of the unknown gods, is available so that God will give them a passion to share the good news with their family and friends in their ethnic homeland. They have abilities that we Americans don't have. Let's give them the opportunity to serve God by sharing with people of their own language group.

I hope you will respond with practical insight and questions so that we can watch God develop this ministry to assist churches. They are in place to win the world that has come to us.

Review my simple talking points below and contact me. Let's pray for people to catch this vision and prepare themselves.

Key points. Talking points for Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries
Eldon Brock info@ethnictoethnic.org www.ethnictoethnic.org
1. The Great Commission has not changed and God plans for people from every tongue, tribe and nation to be in heaven.
2. The world is changing. Let’s adapt our outreach methods.
3. We need to look for changes that will allow us to be a part of reaching the world.
4. God has moved people from most of the nations and people groups of the world to the U. S.
5. Churches are organized and have potential workers. We don’t need professional missionaries to go for this program.
6. Ethnic people here need freedom from their religion based on fear.
7. These Ethnic people can develop a passion for their own people group if we demonstrate a passion for the world, especially for their nation
8. These people have the best insight into how to communicate the message to their own ethnic group
9. They can find ways to send the Gospel even where it is dangerous for them to return to their homeland.
10. Some may return home but we should not try to program them for that purpose.
11. We should become brothers to such an extent that they will be able to share their needs.
12. We should assist where it is necessary but allow them to have ownership of their own passion and ministry.
13. American’s are not the only ones who can give the Gospel and plant churches. Let’s let God work.

Conclusion, so what can I do?
1. Begin praying systematically for the unsaved locally and worldwide. Start a plan such as praying for the lost: a. in each of the nations of the world, or b. on the six continents or c. those active in the major religions.
2. Survey the various ethnic groups in your church neighborhood and pray for them according to each nationality.
3. Encourage others to prayerfully consider this potential.
4. Encourage your church to plan an ethnic outreach and to organize training for members to help them become successful.
5. Pray with ethnic believers for the people of their home land and trust they will develop a passion that cultural group locally and internationally.