Source of the Article: Devotional from the Church of God International office regarding the Great Commission written by Dr. Culpepper and P. Douglas Small.
THE MANDATE – Mark 16: 17-18 says, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
THE MEDITATION – In the early days of the Pentecostal movement we had marked-up Bibles. Fervent prayer meetings abounded. Everyone was expected to have a testimony. No one could be silent. Like the Acts 2 church, everyone was to be a witness, full of the Holy Spirit.
O God, have we backslidden as a movement? We are so clergy-dependent. We are so congregationally passive in terms of evangelism and mission.
In the early days, the saints could pray a prayer of faith. Now, it seems to take a special preacher. In the early days, power in the lives of ordinary believers was common. Now it seems extraordinary. It must not be, God. Fill us again with the power of the Spirit. Let your Word be like a fire shut up in our bones.
Forgive us when we have unwittingly taken prayer and ministry away from the people. Make us teachable, and give us leaders who will model ministry to others, who will impart all they have and know to equip the Body for ministry. Lord, may we follow the model of Jesus, who at first called the Twelve as disciples (learners), but at the end called them friends.
May we move us ourselves from a dependent spiritual status to being respectful co-labourers. May we make the radical transition – no longer passive members, all of us ministers for the kingdom purpose.
THE MISSION – 4 Steps to Becoming a Great Commission Christian:
1) Ask your pastor to begin a discipleship group. Help him or her recruit others to the group.
2) Volunteer to be a Partner to him or her in ministry first, to learn from him or her. Check your heart. Are you teachable?
3) Go with him or her on some kind of ministry venture.
4) First, you, watch. Next, you minister with a mentor watching. Then, you go with a watcher.
GREAT COMMISSION QUOTATION – It is possible for the most obscure person in a church, with a heart right toward God, to exercise as much power for the evangelization of the world, as it is for those who stand in the most prominent positions. – John R. Mott
GREAT COMMISSION FACT – Only two of the top ten reasons people leave a church are for spiritual reasons, and 14 percent say the church was not helping them to develop spiritually.
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