Missions

Christ's Mission...To Seek and to Save the Lost

Jesus was sent into the world by the Father (John 3:16; 5:23-27; 17:21-25) to seek and to save the Lost (Luke 19:10). It is a statement worthy of acceptance that "Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim 1:15).

This is the Good News, the Gospel we proclaim.

Christ's Commission... Make Disciples

Jesus' last word to the Church before His Ascension was "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt 28:19).

A disciple is someone

• who follows Jesus.
• who learns of Jesus.
• who willingly submits to and obeys Jesus' perfect will.
• who has a living relationship with Jesus.
• who commits oneself to Jesus as He is, Son of God, the only Saviour, Lord of All.
• who is "in love with Jesus."
• who introduces others to this love relationship with Jesus.
• who carries on the Mission of Jesus.

Christ's Commandment..."Love one another as I have loved you."

John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

A disciple is someone who is in love with Jesus, and who out of love follows Him, and who becomes an agent of that same love, imparting it to others compassionately, giving freely of one's substance and self and pointing lost people to the love of Jesus who saves and transforms.

A disciple responds compassionately to the needs of others

• grounded in the love of Christ, demonstrated at the cross - Grace
• experiencing the love of Christ, received through faith - Conversion
• expressing the love of Christ within the Body - Unity
• expressing the love of Christ in action - compassionate and practical charity
• expressing the love of Christ in word - sharing the message of God's love to a lost and dying world, one person at a time.

Christ's Church...The Body of Christ Manifest in Cooperative Mission

Christ's Church in all times and all places, mystical and invisible is manifest in a dynamic missional 'ecosystem' of disciples, gathered communities, networks and institutions through which the presence of Christ is mediated to the watching world.

Christ has given gifts to the Church that unify and mobilize believers for mission that transcends and extends the bounds of localized ministry (Eph 4:11; Acts 13:1-4; 1 Cor 12:28;). It is biblical to set apart leaders who serve and have standing in the larger church.

The Spirit of unity and mission implants the impulse of cooperation and connection that prompts churches of like faith to make common cause for the Great Commission, to organize and support one another and to hold one another to account. It is right for there to be a mutual accountability in matters of faith, practice and conduct where the guiding principles are "Unity in Essentials, Liberty in Non-Essentials and Love in All Things" with Christ at the Centre.

Bethel is involved in the following Mission Opportunities

Local

• Community Soup Kitchen
  
• Lindsay Food Cupboard
• Heritage Christian School
• Teen Mania Global Expeditions
  
• Lindsay Crisis Pregnancy Centre
  

• Sudan [Chester Venhuizen]
• Italy [Raney Brown]
• Brazil [Ron & Jeanette Faw]
  
• Haiti
  
• EMCC World Partners [Sandra Tjart]