When we view missions through this lens, what we do in our neighborhoods reverberates around the world and what we do around the world reverberates into our neighborhoods. When we raise our level of engagement in Alliance Missions, it can raise the level of engagement in your church’s local mission. It doesn’t take away from one, it can actually increase both.

Jesus described an essential part of making disciples as “teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you”. When we read this, we tend to focus on the what more than the how.

We all agree that society disintegrates when evil is embraced as acceptable. I’m not so sure we pay as much attention when we accept and substitute a good thing for an ultimate thing - when we give our time, so to speak, to pencil sharpening and tool refinement, all the while setting aside what is most important.

Fluency in a new language and culture happens when you stop having to pause to translate every word or idea and you start thinking, hearing, and talking in that new language.

To help us reach our goals there are many things that must take place, but one key ingredient is the process of assessment. It is like a taste testing or having a coach critique our swing. It is taking an honest look at how we are doing or what we have completed and evaluating it against a standard. As difficult as it may be at times to hear, if our desire is to improve or reach a target, we know deep down that it is necessary.

The question that we have to ask ourselves today, in this 21st Century, that is full of political unrest, racial tension, inequity amongst equals, a global health crisis, and beyond, is this: are we going to continue the legacy of prophetic leadership that we see evidenced in the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?

This Gospel perspective is a blessing to us as it allows us to see through the rapids, through the limitations of human understanding, and to approach life armed with the hope and peace of Jesus.

The New Year is around the corner, and with it, the natural bent toward new starts, new plans, new intentions. Some of us have a principle-based aversion to New Year’s resolutions, while others see the new calendar year as an opportunity to explore something different or try something new. Without making any kind of statement about the pros and cons of action plans for the new year, I thought I’d pass along some ideas on developing new habits of listening to Jesus. My hope is to start a conversation about how we can lean in to Jesus’ counsel as we move into a new year.

We don’t live in a time when God’s sending has been paused. God’s sending doesn’t stop until the world is renewed. The Father sent Jesus to the world to reconcile us to Himself and Jesus has sent us to carry on His reconciling mission of seeking and saving the lost until the Father sends Him again to bring His final righteous judgment and then the renewal of all creation.

What if you had information that could truly be transformational in understanding your church and its function? What if it provided a key to unlock and unleash your church for greater Kingdom impact?

When it comes to our church’s engagement in Alliance Missions, how do we know if we are engaging well? How do we know if we have succeeded, so to speak, in helping our church to be a part of the global work?

In reality, from our very beginning, the Alliance has been a church planting movement. We have proved it over and over again around the world. On every continent except Antartica, the Alliance has preached the gospel, made disciples, planted churches and equipped leaders for those churches. How do we know when our work is complete?

In our day-to-day life in ministry, it is easy to avoid those kind of questions. People have needs. The church has needs. Sunday is coming with an unrelenting frequency. In the process of helping others experience God, have you lost yourself? Have you lost your own intimacy with God?

In his time on this earth, Jesus had a knack for speaking to issues that were much deeper than what seemed obvious on the surface. He often did this by juxtaposing the values of the Kingdom of God with the values of the current culture. As he did this it would often move people to question and response as to which value was the true value for life.

When Jesus looked at the crowds, He had compassion on them because He saw that they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36) What do the people of your church feel when they look at their friends, neighbors and coworkers? Are they compelled with compassion?

It is the Gospel that propels us to lead with passion and purpose, to equip the saints, to make disciples who make disciples, to develop others into kingdom minded leaders, to lead with love, to serve with compassion, and so much more. Without the gospel, it is easy to slip into management mode or lead out of performance or achievement.