In response to ‘I’m a missionary in my own church‘ – if believers are to concentrate on the three areas you mention within their own church, how do you suggest we reach the lost?
It troubles me that you can feel a stranger at times in your own church and there needs to be fellowship and friendships built for ‘..we are not to be yoked to unbelievers..’, but Jesus commanded that we spread the good news and make disciples. I would appreciate your thoughts on this. God Bless.
First, I believe the Great Commission is to individuals, but when a local congregation fully implements its three fold purpose people will want to carry its message outside the church doors. This spontaneous spreading of the Gospel is based on real life experience, not religious dogma or denominational philosophy and is much more powerful and effective.
No church sent Paul. He felt the call of God on his life and responded. The church reacted to this later by supporting him. And how about Billy Graham? What congregation appointed him to a career in evangelism? The most effective evangelists are always called by God and gifted for the purpose, not appointed during membership drives, and often work outside denominational and congregational boundaries.