A Note from John Roach
World Mission Offering (Pray, Give, Go)
God is moving in incredible ways in our city, across our country, and around the world! This time of year allows us to remember and celebrate what the Lord is doing and how He is using our church to make a difference around the world. GABC has a robust legacy of supporting church planters and missionaries. Many of you have participated in mission endeavors through praying, giving, and going, and I want you to know that God is using you!
Pray. So many of you pray regularly for our missionaries, pastors, planters, workers, staff, and laborers. One pastor said, “Nothing of eternal significance ever happens apart from prayer.” The book of Acts is replete with this truth in action. In Acts 1:15-26, believers prayed for guidance in decisions. Acts 2:42-47 records that believers prayed regularly for their daily ministry. In Acts 4:23-31, believers prayed for courage to witness for Jesus. Acts 7:55-60 records Stephen praying as he was being stoned. Peter and John prayed for the Samaritans in Acts 8:14-17. In Acts 9:36-43, Peter prayed before he raised Dorcas from the dead. Cornelius prayed that God would show him how to be saved in Acts 10:1-4. Believers prayed for Peter while in prison, and God delivered him from prison and death in Acts 12:1-11. The church at Antioch prayed, and the Holy Spirit sent out Paul and Barnabas to plant churches in Acts 13:1-5 and 14:21-23. I could go on and on, but I think you get it. Prayer is critical for Kingdom work.
Give. Consider this: Jesus appears to the disciples (Acts 1:3), He tells them they will become His witnesses (Acts 1:8), Peter preaches the first sermon (Acts 1:16-2:40), people accepted his message, were saved and baptized, and the church was born (Acts 2:41). Acts 2:42-47 then describes how the first saints (Christians) met together. They devoted themselves to the Word of God and the leadership of the Apostles (Acts 2:42), they were in awe of God’s power (2:43), they sold their possessions and met each other’s needs financially (Acts 2:45), they devoted themselves to meeting together regularly (2:46), they remembered the gospel as they broke bread together (Acts 2:46), and they worshipped (Acts 2:47). Focus with me on Acts 2:45, which says, “Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.”
Clearly, a unique generosity emerged among the first believers in the first church. I am grateful that a unique generosity is also present in our own church. Over the last two years, you have given over $2.5 million to the World Mission Offering. You also responded to disasters with your generosity, like the need in the Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas. Your generosity is abundant, and God continues to use it in tremendous ways—from ministry efforts right here in our own city to supporting church planters and missionaries around the world. Thank you for faithfully supporting the ministries of our church and worldwide efforts to bring the gospel of Jesus to people, make disciples, and plant churches.
Go. Jesus told the disciples in Acts 1:8, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 2-12 records the efforts of the early church to reach Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. Then, in Acts 13:2-3 Luke writes, “The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.” This is the moment the Holy Spirit turned the church’s efforts to the ends of the earth. They were “sent” by their church and “set apart” by the Spirit.
Since January 2022…GABC has sent almost 50 short-term mission teams to work with local churches and ministries in Hawaii, Washington (state), Colorado, Texas, Massachusetts, Maine, Florida, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Costa Rica, Mexico, Scotland, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Brazil, Colombia, and Pakistan. We have sent three missionaries to Southeast Asia. We have relaunched the Flint Campus, and we launched the Espanol Campus. We have hosted 45 block parties distributing over ten thousand 3-Circles gospel tracts. Our Connect Groups continue to serve our city in incredible ways, partnering with Bethesda Health Clinic, Breckenridge Village, Disaster Relief, Hope Haven, Prison Ministry, Refuge of Light, School Outreach, the Fostering Collective, Triumph Village, and more. We have trained eight residents in our School of Ministry. One of the residents will be the campus pastor to our next campus (prayerfully in 2024).
Our church is taking the idea of “going” seriously! God is using our church in incredible ways!
WHAT’S NEXT?
As you continue to pray, give, and go, here are some opportunities we would ask you to consider and pray for:
Our next GABC campus launch in 2024
- Church planting efforts in Southeast Asia
- Church plants in Scotland, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Mexico, Colombia, Italy, Hawaii, Washington, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, and Brazil
- Crusade in Zambia to plant five churches in one summer
- Summer missionaries, semester missionaries, year-long missionaries, and long-term missionaries sent out from our church
- Church planters and teams sent out from our church
- More short-term teams
GET EQUIPPED!
Sharing the Gospel with those from a Catholic Background
GABC Missions invites your Connect Group to listen as Local Missions Director Samuel Sadler interviews a former Catholic on how we can effectively share the gospel with those from a Catholic background. Click HERE to register for this free evangelism training event (Childcare available) on Wednesday, November 8th at 6 PM in Crosswalk!