Baptized Into Mission

Over and over in scripture we see God bring his people safely through frightening ordeals. But rather than bringing them into a life of comfort and complacency, the people frequently seem to land somewhere far outside their comfort zone, with a mission to claim the victory God has already guaranteed. This dynamic continues in our lives and churches today. God gives the church the sacrament of baptism to tell Christians we are safe, loved, redeemed and released into a life of mission for Christ.

Questions:

1. In Isaiah 43:1-4 how many reasons does God give us to “fear not”? What are they?

2. How does the love of God propel Christians into a lifestyle of mission?

3 .Where in your own life do you see the temptation to complacency? Consumerism?

4 .What might happen if Christians don’t respond to the call to plant churches? What might happen if we do?

5. Acts 9:31 describes comfort from God in the midst of church planting mission. How do we reconcile this with Jesus’s call to “take up your cross”?

6. Will you prayerfully consider how God may be calling you out of your comfort zone to support the church plant?