The great end of any missionary society or fellowship should not be the sending forth of missionaries, but the sending forth of God’s truth through missionaries. It is unwise and even perilous to make missions or evangelism a rallying point for believers or congregations of diverse or undefined doctrinal viewpoints. Truth and the desire to make it known among the nations must be the uniting force.
Since missions is primarily a task of communicating God’s truth to the nations, biblical doctrine is primary. Any missionary society or agency that does not concern itself with biblical doctrine or generalizes its doctrinal statement in order to maintain fellowship with the greatest number of professing Christians (i.e., supporters) has lost its very purpose and possibly its very soul.
This is a nice introductory statement - their doctrinal statement is found here.
Their Essential Convictions is well worth your time and consideration, too.
Jonathan Moorhead has posted some phenomenal pictures on his blog.
Do yourself a favor and check them out.
This is from Bethlehem Baptist Church's (where John Piper ministers) Affirmation of Faith.
Pretty strong conviction for missions.
Christ’s Commission to Make Disciples of All Nations
We believe that the commission given by the Lord Jesus to make disciples of all nations is binding on His Church to the end of the age. This task is to proclaim the Gospel to every tribe and tongue and people and nation, baptizing them, teaching them the words and ways of the Lord, and gathering them into churches able to fulfill their Christian calling among their own people. The ultimate aim of world missions is that God would create, by His Word, worshippers who glorify His name through glad-hearted faith and obedience. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. When the time of ingathering is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and the goal of missions.
Labels: Doctrines of Grace, Missions
The following was posted by Bob Bixby on his blog. I would hope that we could also apply it to every sermon we hear at our churches.
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I think C.J. Mahaney's closing statement on his commentary of the Desiring God Conference (John Piper) is something that we all ought to say after a great series of messages: I look forward to applying all I've learned so that by the grace of God I might grow in godliness, serve more effectively, reach out to the lost more consistently and hopefully bring some pleasure to God, who in the mystery of his mercy killed His Son for me.
Posted by Bob Bixby at October 4, 2006
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