Every Believer

by Matthew Ellison
Chief Ministry Officer
Sixteen:Fifteen - Church Missions Coaching

God is doing a new thing in local churches across America and around the world. Until recently most churches engaged in world missions primarily in a support role, limiting their participation to sending money and people through mission organizations. As a result, participation in missions was oftentimes delegated to a few mission-minded folks in the church. But now, church leaders everywhere are rediscovering the importance of the Great Commission as a key part of the church’s call to seek and proclaim God’s glory. Church-wide involvement in missions is replacing the more traditional approach of missions by committee. Opportunities now abound for Every Believer to be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Every Believer should be engaged in world missions because our God is a missionary God. From cover to cover, God’s amazing plan to make His glory known among all nations, tribes and tongues is clearly enunciated in Scripture. Missions is unmistakably central to God’s thinking and activity. Therefore, if we want to be like God, we must not marginalize that which is central to Him. This doesn’t mean we are all called to go, but it does mean we all have the incredible privilege of participation. Oswald Chambers states this point well.

“The special person called to do missionary work is every person who is a member of the church of Christ. The call does not come to a chosen few, it is to every one of us.”

Every Believer should be engaged in world missions because reaching all people groups with the gospel is a complex process that calls for the gifts and contributions of Every Believer. Imagine a businessman, a homebuilder, an engineer, a schoolteacher all working together to plant churches among an out-of-reach people group at the ends of the earth. Most folks cannot leave home for an extended period of time to minister on the mission field. If they are to participate in world missions, they must be engaged where they are, in the context of their local church.

Every Believer should be engaged in world missions because God is glorified when His people work together to fulfill His purposes (John 17:20-23). When God’s people participate together in a cause that is bigger than themselves and bigger than their own interests an amazing bond of fellowship takes place (Philippians 1:3-5). Dr. Allan Fromme once said,

“People have been known to achieve more as a result of working with others than against them.”

A church that unifies around a vision to make Christ known where He is not yet known and encourages Every Believer to meaningfully participate in the process, is a church that will open the door to a rare and sweet camaraderie between believers that results from co-laboring in the work of the gospel (Psalm 133).

Every Believer can be engaged in world missions.

George Miley in his book, “Loving the Church, Blessing the Nations,” writes,

“…reaching unreached peoples is a complex process. It calls forth every gift. It woos the contribution of Every Believer…Visualize an overall process of initiation, strategy development, implementation, management, pastoral, support, and funding, and you will begin to see a wide range of roles, each of which is a channel for involvement.”

Calvary Chapel Grass Valley, with the help of 16:15, has developed a church-wide missions portfolio that includes ongoing ministry in Ghana, India, Ireland and Mexico. Within the scope of ministry to each of these countries there are opportunities for Every Believer to participate in a significant way. As mentioned previously, in the past missions was largely the exclusive domain of the missionary. But now with a strategic, holistic approach that integrates missions awareness and opportunities into the life and activity of the whole church, missions opportunities are now within the grasp of Every Believer.

No matter what you do or how you are gifted, you have an important role to play in fulfilling the missions vision God has given to Calvary Chapel Grass Valley. Whether you are a teen, or a senior citizen; a businessman, a mother, or an investor; whether you are gifted to teach, to administrate, to pastor, to heal, to help, or to serve… there is a place for you to meaningfully engage in world missions.

In closing, I offer a final thought from George Miley,

“During the reformation of the church, the reformers wanted to make the Word of God accessible to Every Believer. Now we live in a time when God’s leaders recognize that we must make the work of God accessible to Every Believer.”

At Calvary Chapel Grass Valley the work of world missions is accessible to Every Believer. You can and should be engaged in the imminent completion of the greatest work in the universe, namely, populating heaven with worshipers from all nations, tribes, and tongues. Are you engaged? If not, what are you waiting for? Remember, God’s work of world missions is for Every Believer!

For more information on how you can find your personal mission within Calvary Chapel Grass Valley’s vision for world mission contact Ed Lech at elech@ccgv.org .

For more information on how 16:15 can help your church bring its mission vision to life, call to talk with a 16:15 Church Coach at 505.248.1615 or email info@1615.org.