;)
Go!
Posted by Chris Johnson in Baptist Life, Church & Missions
To move piercingly (poreuomai/peira) into the world. This is a magnificent command by Jesus Christ to his disciples as He is made to walk the earth in the beginning of the first century…. and now with a commission to serve, He lives in all disciples of His throughout the world in the person of the Holy Spirit. Go is what we do. The meaning of Go reveals continuous encouragement. If not, why not?
John 4:31-35 “Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” (32) But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” (33) So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” (34) Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. (35) “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”
The Acts of the Apostles is a work filled with Go. The supernatural forming of the earliest congregations around Jerusalem leaped into life through the piercing message of the gospel,.. ringing true, …shouting peace in the ears of the hearers. The message is Go!
Our local congregation came together several years back in Hermitage, Tennessee (a community about eleven miles from downtown Nashville) with the intention of living out the meaning of “Go” in the world. I want to give you a brief outline of who we are, what we do, and where we are going. It is a mission of Go. I hope it will be an encouragement to you as I explain our endeavor with the gospel while commissioned to serve Christ in this world.
Since we have yet to build any formal meeting place (not really sure if we will ever endeavor that project in this community), we meet in the Hermitage Community Center. It is a good place (at $50 an hour), where we have the opportunity to meet the workers of the center, their families as well as the staff of Library which is just across the parking lot. Gloria, the Librarian, will call ever so often to see if we are going to present another book review (we spent some valuable time in “Knowing God” several months back), since we use their conference facility that holds about a hundred people. Our clan of forty or so fits very nicely in the room on Wednesdays,…and the price is right at five dollars for the room, for the evening. On Wednesday as we leave the Library it’s good to wonder over to the park and meet some families that are taking advantage of the play gyms and walking paths. As we share the gospel message in the area, we focus on three neighborhoods (at least 80% without a church family) which are within walking distance of the park. So, our week consists of worship and teaching on Sunday and then with a bit more to learn on Wednesday….. it makes for a nice week.
Currently in Grace Church at Hermitage, we have three men that oversee the congregation and several other men that teach and are also engaged in discipleship and leadership training for our additional missions.
As we “Go” with the commission of Christ, we are assisting another church plant a couple of miles from Downtown Nashville in the Vine Hill community. This is a new work,…and we are excited to bring the gospel to several neighborhoods. We currently have one overseer at this church and are working hard to disciple others as God raises up an even greater number of qualified leaders to oversee the congregation while preaching and teaching sound doctrine. This will be an exciting Fall in the Vine Hill community. I believe they have about twenty folks in worship and training so far. We had the opportunity to take our entire congregation for worship with them in Vine Hill several months ago….and had fellowship and a meal through the afternoon. It was good!
As you can already tell, our mission is to “Go” into the city from about a ten to fifteen mile radius. Several years back, we began to realize that about eighty percent of the people in many of these inner city communities are without a church family and are not worshipping Christ in spirit and in truth. Our goal is to plant at least ten churches within ten years in Nashville as God provides,… and we will spread this initiative to other large cities as well. So let me know if you are interested (chris.johnson@fmc-na.com)…In a congregation of around fifty there is a need for about three to five Pastors (Overseers) and intentional training for more.…God has given the commission and He provides qualified men to lead!
Finally, it is good to say that the TBC (Tennessee Baptist Convention) has been a wonderful encouragement. I have met with all facets of the organization and church planting is a well understood mission. The men and women at the TBC are a great encouragement and our CP dollars are in good hands. We are encouraged with the opportunities to work with TBC. In fact, in June of 2010, we are working with the TBC in the community of Providence to plant another congregation. This next spring we will be taking the gospel to several neighborhoods around the Providence location telling the good news, inviting families to come and worship our God and Savior in spirit and in truth!
John 4:36-38 “Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. (37) “For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ (38) “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”
Let’s run to the fields… and Go,….God is Faithful!
Blessings,
Chris
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
What an encouraging word, from Texas. Thank you for describing your work, Chris. We long to see this kind of work here in Cleveland, TX (Northeast of Houston). There are about 30 Baptist churches within about a 20 mile radius of Cleveland and we are struggling right now with the Spirit’s motivation in this area. We are searching for both and evangelistic and teaching church here and they are far and few between. Right now, we are driving over 60 miles round trip to see this kind of activity. We will pray for your work and ask for your prayers as we search for a work that resembles what you have described above.
I am glad to see that you use the facilities available without having to pay large sums of money for a place to worship. It would be wise if others had the same insight and opportunity.
God bless you, Chris.
Brother Bruce,
Thank you for the kind words…..
One thing that we have found as we “Go”, whether in planting or serving locally; is that we have the opportunity to encourage other churches of like faith. For instance, we cooperate with First Baptist of Hermitage, a very small church that is about a quarter mile from where we assemble on Sunday’s. We participated in a leadership conference at their facility earlier this year where I had the privilege to present some brief thoughts on the importance of qualified leadership. We also cooperate with Hermitage Hills Baptist Church located about two miles north of the community center, where we have baptized and will be working with a few of their members in mission projects that we are leading early next year.
Unfortunately, we live in an age of apathy and sedentarianism in many many churches. This Laodicean attitude requires a return to the gospel and its power. Churches need leaders that understand the power of the gospel, not the power of a protected position or a lukewarm system of programs.
We have a Mexican couple from our Hermitage church that is moving to the west side of Houston in a few weeks. I am helping them find a church family that is passionate concerning the gospel,…they are hungry for the gospel as well.
Maybe its time for you to plant…its time to dine with the Lord.
Revelation 3:17-20 ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, (18) I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. (19) ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. (20) ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
I love what the Apostle John reveals to us…. Christ at the door…Calling us to harvest and feast on Him. Go and dine.
Blessings,
Chris
Chris,
Thank you for taking the time to share an encouraging testimony about God’s work.
I particularly like your obedience to begin a church plant even before you have grown to a certain size, as is often done. Why do we need to grow to 400 or 500 before considering a church plant? I think that the main reason is because we have to support the physical plant of our building. You have illustrated beautifully the fallacy of that line of thinking.
Chris,
Thanks for sharing an encouraging word about the many ways in which God is using your church. It sounds like you are having an awesome “GCR”!
Brother Taran,
I believe you have absolutely asked the right question while giving the answer as well. There never was a precedent set by our Lord for an actionable level of believers to plant a building…as we have artificially formed today. The Lord calls, we go, He forms. In fact, the scriptures simply say the church met here and there, more apt to mark out the people (members one of another), never a building. Since most of the SBC churches (over 95%) are an average of seventy five folks, a building consumes a dramatic amount of money and resources and more often than not it becomes a demoralizing drag on the entire congregation. It also becomes the main reason for attendees to attend. It would not surprise me, if you were to make an announcement that “we are going to sell the building in order to embark upon the great commission”,..you would have a lot of people ready to leave and find another building. Prioritizing around a facility is backwards to the commission of the gospel, and backwards thinking for church. It often leads the church to wrong conclusions.
Brother Dave,
Yes, we are having a wonderful time in the Lord…. I guess we were pre-GCR….but who cares about the timing anyway
The Apostle Paul squares with your remarks as well….
Romans 16:25-27 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, (26) but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; (27) to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.
Blessings,
Chris