Vision

BIBLICAL BASIS of Missions at CCC

Before we can explore the specifics of WHAT it is that God has called US to DO with missions and HOW we might structure our ministry to accomplish what He has called us to do, we must FIRST allow SCRIPTURE to answer the basic question of WHY we should we be involved in MISSIONS in the first place? Our VISION STATEMENT sums it up. God has called us … “ to BLESS ALL Nations and INCREASE God’s GLORY.”

Why is MISSIONS a Priority for us?

Because God has called us to be…

1. A BLESSING TO ALL NATIONS.
The promise of being a blessing to ALL the people of the Earth was initially given by God to Abram (Abraham) in Genesis 12:1-3, and was intended to be a promise that would be extended to EVERY believer. (Galatians 3:29)

Every believer has been given the privilege of entering into a relationship with God, becoming a “CONDUIT” OF BLESSING to the people of the earth.

Because the Church has been given…

2. THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.
Through our redemption, WE have been reconciled to (made right with) God, and as recipients of this wonderful grace, it was God’s intent to commit to us the “ministry” of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) If we are to be a “conduit” of blessing to the people of the earth, the PRIMARY substance of blessing that flows through us is the LOVE and GOOD NEWS of the Gospel and the availability of a RELATIONSHIP with Him through the REDEMPTION of JESUS CHRIST, the Son of God!

Because God calls us to…

3. A LIFE OF SELF SACRIFICE.
Our carnal bent is to be consumed with self. “What’s in it for ME, what about MY NEEDS, how can I be happy?” Yet, as redeemed children of God, scripture is clear that we are no longer OUR OWN, but were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and should no longer live for ourselves, but to fulfill the infinitely HIGHER PURPOSES of the Kingdom of God in the earth! WE, who were formerly slaves to SIN and who have been brought out of our bondage to the kingdom of this dark world and into the glorious freedom of the Kingdom of His Son, (Colossians 1:13-14) are called to follow Jesus’ example, laying down our lives for OTHERS! (Philippians 2:4)

Paul continues this point by encouraging US to have the SAME self-sacrificial attitude as Christ! (Philippians 2:5-8) It is an unchangeable principle of the Kingdom that AS we lay our lives down, we discover
a quality of life previously unobtainable. (Matthew 16:25)

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot, Missionary martyr who lost his life in the late 1950s trying to reach the Acua Indians of Ecuador

“If Jesus be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” – C.T. Stud

Because involvement in cross-cultural missions…

4. MAKES US MORE LIKE JESUS
Jesus was the first example of a cross cultural missionary.
Leaving the comfort zone of His heavenly home, He became a man and lived among sinful men in order to redeem them. (Philippians 2)

When we are willing to embrace a cross cultural mind set, our relationship with Jesus takes on a new depth, because leaving OUR comfort zone and prioritizing people of another culture over OURSELVES, helps us to relate to Jesus on a level that would otherwise be impossible.

Perhaps the best “why” we do missions is…

5. BECAUSE JESUS TOLD US TO (Simple Obedience).
THE marching order of the Church is the Great Commission, not the great “suggestion.” We can come up with many valid biblical reasons why it is imperative that the church be fully engaged in missions at home and around the world, but the truth of the matter is we need no further biblical basis besides the simple fact that God told us to “… go and make disciples of ALL Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you… ” Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

Luke 24:47 (NIV) “… repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to ALL nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Mark 16:15 (NIV) “…Go into all the world and preach the good news to ALL creation.”

“The Great commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.” – Hudson Taylor

Consequently we do missions because…

6. THE TASK IS STILL UNFINISHED.
Matthew 24:14 (NIV) “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, then the end will come.”

There are still over 7,200 entire people groups, representing 2.9 billion people who have NEVER heard about Jesus. The vast majority of which have NO Christian among them, NO bible in their language, and NO access to the Gospel. (Source: Joshua Project)

“No one has the right to hear the Gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once.” – Oswald J. Smith

Because we desire to increase…

7. THE GLORY OF GOD.
“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity; worship abides forever. Worship is the goal of missions because in missions we aim to bring the nations into the enjoyment of God’s greatness and His glory!”– John Pieper, “Let the Nations be Glad”

The point is that we were ultimately created to be worshipers of God. (1 Peter 2:9) A great global choir of every tribe, language and tongue, every people and every nation, dedicated to the purpose of declaring God’s GLORY among the nations! Missions exists to grow the global choir. To reach people from every tribe and language so that all people can glorify Him. (Revelation 5:9, Psalm 67:4)