bits from bob....

Heaven will be delightful. The worship will be excellent and the fellowship intimate. No divisions. No tears. Perfection! Why aren’t we there yet? Why doesn’t God take his faithful people directly to heaven? One reason is because we still have a mission to accomplish here on earth. Christ's Great Commission to make disciples of all nations is not complete (Matthew 28:18-20). Speaking of the second coming, Peter writes, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). God wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth (1Timothy 2:4). God continues to wait patiently for people to come to know Him and join the heavenly company. God is waiting for people like our families, our neighbors, our coworkers, our acquaintances, our friends to come to know him.

Today missionaries are going to the ends of the earth to preach the gospel. The gospel still needs to be preached and people still need to be saved. It is estimated that as much as one-third of the world's population of more than seven billion people are not within reach of any local Christian church able to effectively communicate the gospel to them (using the word Christian in the broadest sense). Evangelistic mission must be the motivating force of the church until Jesus comes again. Evangelistic mission is not another church program but the very air the church breathes. Missions, evangelism, and prayer concerning God’s eternal purpose go beyond being mere church programs; they are the church's oxygen. The church lives and grows and prospers in the rare air of evangelism and caring outreach.

The church must continue to explore and understand more fully how mission is linked to fulfilling the Great Commission.

• God's heartbeat is evangelism and missions. God’s purpose is to unite people under the Lordship of Jesus. This is the air of the church, and the church can't breathe without it.
• How should we define missions? Some have used the terms M1 (people like us), M2 (same language but different culture), and M3 (different language and culture). The definition of mission must focus primarily evangelism and church planting, although it can include social outreach like feeding the poor and medical ministry as ways to demonstrate the heart of Jesus, contact people, and take the gospel to those in need of spiritual life even more than the necessities of this physical life.
• How can churches get involved in missions? Churches can pray for unreached people. Churches can organize mission trips and outreach efforts, or support those who are willing to go and share the good news and work in the process of establishing and strengthening churches and Christians. Churches can help the poor and needy as part of an integrated mission model that has as its primary goal and result the reaching of people with the gospel.
• My prayer is that you will be motivated afresh to emphasize missions both personally and in your church.