Having a Global Vision
14 May 2010
‘A church fully involved in our shared apostolic mission to extend the kingdom of God globally through the recovery of New Testament church life, making disciples, training leaders and planting churches by all means, including wholehearted financial commitment, welcoming translocal ministries, regularly attending corporate gatherings, promoting our publications and communicating our news.’
Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time in Antioch. The church there became a vital base for them from which they were sent out to plant and strengthen many churches. What were the hallmarks of this excellent church? And to what extent should local churches today seek to model these qualities?
Receiving Church
The church in Antioch was established following the persecution of the disciples in Jerusalem and the subsequent movement of believers into the surrounding regions. Given that this church was formed in such a way, it would have been a quite understandable especially given the absence of 21st century telecommunications and transport, for believers in Antioch to have become isolated and detached from the church in Jerusalem, at the very least for fear of encouraging the spread of the persecution there. According to Luke’s account in Acts 11, this couldn’t be further from the truth, for despite distance and having become self established the Antioch church had a shared global mission and received a wide variety of input from outside ministries, not least from Barnabas and Paul who spent a year with them teaching and laying doctrinal foundations.
It is such a joy to be able to receive gifted men sent by God to help strengthen and establish the local church. At New Community we have been exceedingly blessed over the years, receiving apostolic and prophetic ministry from leaders based in other churches, some from churches in other nations, who long to see us as a local church become all that we believe we are called to be. Through initiatives such as Front Edge we have had evangelists amongst us who have been used by the Lord to lead many to Him, resulting in numerable baptisms. I’m so glad we’re not a forlorn, isolated church!
Sending Church
In addition to Paul and Barnabas, Agabus and other prophets spent time in Antioch, significantly prophesying to the church of a coming famine across Judea. Hearing of this crisis ‘the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea’ (Acts 11:28-30). This gift was taken to the church in Jerusalem by Paul and Barnabas. Such was the strength of relationship that existed between these churches that they were compelled to act, sending provisions to ‘the brothers’, for this was a family relationship.
Famine and deprivation are tragedies not confined to the 1st century. In recent years throughout Africa these humanitarian crises have been all too common. Last year as a family of churches we gave upwards of £500k during the crisis in Zimbabwe an astonishing figure that had been equalled in previous years following drought in Kenya. For us as a local church to have the opportunity to give our money to trustworthy men, who share with us a longing to see the advance of God’s Kingdom across nations, by feeding the poor and clothing the naked, is a humbling honour.
In addition to giving financially, the church in Antioch were also led by the Holy Spirit to send Paul and Barnabas who had become key leaders, “for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13: 1-3). As hard as it must have been to part with two exceptionally gifted and loved leaders, for a church like this, committed to apostolic advance there was no hesitation and in the process became a blessing to many. As a local church we have had the joy and heart-ache of sending many people to plant and lead in other church settings. It is always a bittersweet moment, for on the one hand you are seeing a dear friend move on and yet there is the hope that their leaving will result in many lives transformed through gospel proclamation in a new place- mission must supersede sentimentality. Had the church in Antioch buckled at this point how different might the evangelisation of Asia and Europe have been?!
Praying Church
Luke makes a point of noting that the church gathering to pray was central to sending Paul and Barnabas on from Antioch. Reading on through chapter 14 we see why covering this apostolic work in prayer was so vital, for with every moment of advance and fruitfulness, persecution and opposition quickly followed.
As a church we are committed in prayer to the apostolic mission we have as a family. In recent prayer weeks we have invited leaders whom we sent on in previous years and who are now leading new churches, to be among us that we might cover their front-line work in prayer, times like this are invaluable where faith is stirred afresh. The call of God upon us is both adventurous and dangerous hence prayer cannot be neglected, meeting with hundreds of other church leaders for days of prayer and fasting for example remains an occasion of utmost importance in ensuring all we commit to in the UK and beyond is commissioned in prayer.
Equipping Church
Having successfully completed the work they were sent to do, Paul and Barnabas returned to the church in Antioch, bruised and tired, but with a stunning story to tell. Luke paints a wonderful picture as he describes how they “gathered the church together” and “reported all that God had done through them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples”.
It is so plain from this account that mission into new places and nations, isn’t something done independently by a few but is an enterprise owned, from start to finish by the many, rooted and established in the local church. Not only does this give the Antioch church an exciting global vision, but also provides those sent, with a base to return to, where their needs can be met, where they can be served.
A few years ago following the death of Simon Pettit who was leading a pioneering work in South Africa, we as a church sent Dave and Liz Holden for several 6 month periods to provide support and leadership for the affected churches. What a privilege it was for us to be able to respond in such a way. Upon their return, we were so encouraged to hear that Dave alongside others had been used to identify new apostolic ministry and commission new teams to continue this work. For them being able to return to a church that loves them and is eager to hear about all they’ve seen and done is essential, equipping them for future tasks.
When we gather in Brighton each year for the leadership conference, we are similarly hearing reports of new breakthroughs around the world and receiving ministry from those spearheading what we’re doing apostolically, all of which filters through into the local church.
The result of all this is a church that lives and breathes apostolic mission that develops and sends leaders, ultimately resulting in transformed lives and Kingdom Advance. This is how it worked out in Acts and long may this continue today!
Tim
 
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