LEAD THE WAY
6. Mission (Part 1)

CONNECT

• Connect through care, prayer and loving accountability for previous “I will …” statements

DISCOVER

MISSION - Our Relationship to the World

• Devote yourselves to making disciples by living a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle

• Work through Be The Way - Mission (Part 1) (now or previously).

• What are your reflections and questions from Be The Way - Mission (Part 1)?

Mission (Part 1)

We’ll divide our consideration of the church’s Mission into two parts. Mission (Part 1) looks at how to live a missional lifestyle and Mission (Part 2) at how to make disciples.

Missional Living

1 Timothy 2:1-6 (NIV)

1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people.

• What does this passage say about God our Savior’s mission and our mission?

1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV)

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

• What does this passage say about our mission?

• How do these two passages speak to a missional LIFESTYLE?

The Mission

Our mission is to Join Jesus in making disciples of those around us by living a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle.

Join Jesus

• Why is it important to Join Jesus in mission rather than making mission happen on our own?

• How would this impact your focus and your faith?

In Making Disciples

Let’s define our term. The word “disciple” means “learner” or “student.” But don’t think of a student in a classroom. Think of an apprentice on a job site. 

• What’s the purpose and the process of an apprenticeship?

• What does this say about being a disciple of Jesus?

Of Those Around Us

John 4:35 (NLT)

35 You know the saying, “Four months between planting and harvest.” But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.

• Where is your mission field? In other words, who is Jesus calling you to reach for Him so they in turn can reach others for Jesus?

Here are some possible mission fields:

1. The most obvious is your circle of influence or natural network—THOSE AROUND YOU.

   • Where you live, learn, work and play. You don’t have to go somewhere else to be on mission with Jesus. Just look around you.

   • As you interact, connect, eat and do life with others see this as an opportunity to share Jesus’ love and life with them.

2. God may call you to look beyond your given circle of influence to see some other people, place or pain.

   • People - An ethnic group, sub-culture or age group

   • Place - A foreign country, part of your city or college campus

   • Pain - An addiction, a medical condition, a financial situation or an injustice

• Who is Jesus asking you to reach?

  Using the Circle of Influence Map below, who are 3 to 4 people that the Lord is calling you to focus on? Include people who need Jesus AND believers who need discipleship. Then see where all of this could lead. Fill in the possible people who could be influenced by your 3 to 4 people coming to faith and maturing in Christ. Get a vision for the mission!

• Use this Circle of Influence Map with your MicroChurch.

By Living a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare Lifestyle

PRAYER — Pray for others to encounter Jesus.

CARE — Care for others’ needs.

SHARE — Share each others’ stories and Jesus’ Story.

DARE — Dare others to be disciples of Jesus.

• Why is each mission priority important?

• Why is the order of these mission priorities important?

• How does each missional priority show up in Colossians 4:2-6?

  2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Missional Prayers

Start using these two missional prayers.

For Yourself

Start your day and regularly pray throughout your day (especially as you transition from one activity to another or one location to another) …

Jesus, how can I join You in mission? Give me eyes to see and ears to hear and courage to do what You show me.

Stay attentive and be ready to follow the Lord’s leading.

For Others

Regularly pray this prayer for the people on your Circle of Influence Map.

Father, I pray for _______'s salvation. Help me to live a consistent and attractive Christlike life around _______. Show me _______’s needs so that I can serve him/her with Your love. Do something in _______’s life that can only be explained by Your presence and power. Deepen our relationship together. Open doors for me to have spiritual conversations with _______ and help me to share the Good News of Jesus with him/her. Overcome Satan's blinding of  _______'s heart and mind so that he/she will turn from sin, trust in Jesus as Savior, follow Him as Lord and join a community of believers.

Contact4Impact

A great resource for mission, especially to those where one lives, learns, works and plays, is Contact4Impact.com. Where there’s no contact, there’s no impact. So join Jesus and another brother or sister in living a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle in your circle of influence.

Mission and Kids

• Get your kids involved in mission. For example, encourage them to practice a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle with their friends and at school. Also, take them with you when you go out for prayer outreach. Kids have a way of making people feel comfortable so it’s often easier to start conversations with people when a kid is present. And, of course, bring them along when you do other mission activities like park cookouts or work days.