We’re pioneers this year.
None of us has had to navigate a global pandemic and a series of gigantic crises before 2020. If we’re honest, many of us instinctively moved into personal survival mode at some point. It seemed more reasonable to expect risk taking, innovation, and church growth to happen in better times.
But the church of Jesus Christ is designed for advance – no matter what is happening. How do we know this? Because Jesus is in charge of building the church. As he said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” In Acts 1:8 he foretold that his disciples would receive the Holy Spirit’s power, and he outlined a 3-part plan for how he would build his early church through the witness of his disciples. The book of Acts chronicles that advance.
First, the city. Peter preached a Holy Spirit-empowered sermon in Acts 2 and the church in Jerusalem literally turned into a megachurch overnight.
Second, the region. As persecution scattered God’s people (Acts 8), they preached the gospel wherever they went. The church’s message expanded throughout the neighboring communities of Judea and Samaria.
Third, the nations. Paul, the persecutor of the church, did a complete about-face and devoted his life to sharing the gospel with unreached Gentiles. Despite great opposition and peril to Paul’s life, the gospel spread rapidly throughout the known world.
God’s plan for his kingdom advancing has often included opposition and crisis. This season has been hard for all of us, but his heart is for the good news of the gospel to advance throughout the world so that every person hears. And because that advance depends on his power and not ours, we can trust that no matter the crisis, God’s kingdom will advance.
So instead of shrinking back and going into survival mode, we believe God is calling Summitview to advance and to pioneer new missions initiatives this year.
Our 2021 missions campaign began this past Sunday and will run through May 9. Throughout this time, we’re praying for God to provide $50,000 to fund various missions initiatives. This year’s campaign will follow the same structure the early church did in the book of Acts – City, Region, and Nations.
Read more about this 3-part initiative on our missions page, and be sure to join us for the next three Sundays to hear how you can be part of God’s advance.
