What is Missions?
FBC defines “missions” as any cross-cultural ministry beyond the normal outreach of the local church which has as its purpose the fulfillment of the Great Commission by making disciples of Jesus Christ through planting churches and/or the training of indigenous leaders to do the same.
“Missions” comes from a Latin word “to send off”. “Missionaries” are “sent ones”. In one sense, every believer is charged with responsibility to share the Gospel and disciple others for the glory of Jesus Christ. But when we call someone a “missionary” we mean an individual especially selected, trained, and sent by their local church to minister across cultural and/or geographic and/or linguistic barriers with the purpose of establishing and strengthening biblical local churches through evangelism, discipleship, and leadership training.
Why do we do missions?
There are many biblical reasons for involvement in missions. Each of them would be sufficient on their own. Together they present an irrefutable case for joyful, priority engagement in God’s global purposes.
God is a missionary God.
From the beginning of time, God has planned for the salvation of individuals from every ethnicity of earth. Gen. 12:1-3; Eph. 1:3-5; Acts 17:26-27; Ps. 67:1-2.
God desires that people of all nations worship and glorify Him.
We are His primary designated means to spread His glory to all peoples. Isa. 61:11;
God’s Word, by example, prophecy, and command, instructs His people to evangelize and disciple people from all nations.
Isa. 66:18-20; Hab. 2:14; Zech. 2:11, 8:22; Matt. 28:18-20; Ac. 1:8.
The love of Christ moves us to tell the Gospel to “all men”.
2 Cor. 5:14-21.
God’s mercy to us as sinners and believing recipients of His grace through the cross of Jesus obligates us to share the Good News with those who haven’t heard it.
1 Thess. 1:6-8; 1 Cor. 9:16; Col. 1:26-29.
How do we do missions at FBC?
Faith Bible Church is dedicated to making disciples of Jesus Christ among all the nations in obedience to His command in various Scriptures which are collectively known as the Great Commission. We, as a church, are committed to:
- Missions education and training for all ages as an integral part of Faith Bible Church;
- Earnest commitment to consistent and fervent prayer for our missionaries;
- Intentional identification, training, selection, commissioning, sending, and caring for both short-term and long-term missionaries as individuals, families, and teams from our own church;
- Honoring and cultivating relationships with our missionaries as significant partners in our church’s ministry; and,
- Zealous evangelistic witness by our members throughout the schools, workplaces, and communities represented by our fellowship.
