Topic: Missions

Title: Faith That Moves Mountains
Series: Therefore, Go

A sermon by guest speaker Pastor Joseph Sachariah.

Series: Therefore, Go
Title: The Good News for All People
Text: Acts 11:19-21

The Antioch Church had humble beginnings but eventually became a key missionary base to the surrounding regions. What can we learn from the Early Church from the beginnings of the Antioch

General Questions:

  1. What caused the news about Christ to take hold among many who heard it? What does this passage show us about the early church’s understanding of God’s role in evangelism? How does this influence our understanding of evangelism today?

Perspective Questions:

  1. Having certain preconceived notions or even stereotypes of people from different cultures can contribute to our hesitance in bringing the gospel to them. How does know that God is a global God help in addressing our reservations?
  2. The early church demonstrated that it was possible to live for Christ and His purpose in all circumstances. What are some personal circumstances (e.g. poor health, stretched finances) we are currently facing that can hinder us from living for Christ (including preaching the gospel to others)? What is God encouraging us to surrender to Him today? What would living for Christ amid these circumstances look like?

Application Questions:

  1. The hands and the heart are connected. What is one practical step you can take to develop our heart for missions? What is one step the LG can consider embarking on together?
  2. Think about the different relationships and interactions we have in our lives. Which of these are cross-cultural? How can we build bridges with these people that God has placed in our paths?

Why is church planting key in God’s redemptive plan for mankind? Learn from the Early Church on how they spread the Gospel and how we are called to go into the nations too.

Title: Look Far – God’s Heart for the Nations
Series: Neighbours to Nations
Text: Revelation 5:9-10

God’s heart is for people of all nations to come into a faith relationship with Him. How can we participate in this global purpose of God?

General Questions:

  1. Have you been involved in global missions in any way, either long or short term, directly or indirectly? What are your experiences like? What motivates you to want to be involved in missions?

Perspective Questions:

  1. If not for missionaries who took the step of faith to come to Singapore since the 1800s, Christianity would not have reached and stayed on Singapore’s shores. What should our response be to God who placed a tiny country like Singapore into the hearts of many of His faithful followers, such that they would leave their homelands and travel round the globe to share the love of Jesus with the people here? What can we learn from their examples?

  2. What are some fears or concerns that believers may have that hinder them from getting involved in missions?

  3. The missions field is full of happy stories of people coming to know God and also sad tales of people rejecting or leaving God. How does knowing that God is on the throne (Rev 5:1) help us to face the triumphs and tragedies we see on the missions field?

Application Questions:

  1. What are various ways you and your LG can be involved in missions? What are the practical steps that you want to take to prepare yourself or start to get involved? 

God has a great purpose for us on earth; one that includes nothing less than the world. Discover how God’s heart for all people will impact the way we respond to individuals who look, talk and live differently from us.

Series: The E Word
Title: A Desire For Boldness
Text: Acts 4:23-31

Being witnesses of Christ requires us to ask God for boldness in the face of opposition. 

General Questions:

  1. Would you consider yourself bold? Why? 

  2. How did recognising that God is in control affect the response of Peter and other believers? What did God do in response to the believers’ prayers (see verse 29-31)? How does this encourage you? 

Perspective Questions:

  1. Why do you think that out of all kinds of requests the believers could make, they asked God for boldness? Reflect on the prayers that you have heard other Christians say in the midst of a crisis. How similar or different are their prayers from that of the believers in Acts 4? What do you think their prayers reveal about their fears and concerns?

  2. Last week, we learned that compassion is also an important attitude in evangelism. Which do you think you need to grow in, compassion or boldness? Why?  

Application Questions:

  1. What can your LG do to cultivate a desire for boldness? What would your LG look like if everyone responds to God’s sovereignty with boldness to do His will?

  2. Sometimes when we face opposition, it is difficult simply to stand firm on our values, much less proclaim the Gospel. What kind of opposition do you foresee you would encounter if you were to share the Gospel? How can the LG support one another through such times? 

Series: The E Word
Title: A Call To Compassion
Text: Matthew 9:35-38

The call to share the Good News of Jesus Christ is a call for all believers to capture the heart of Jesus for the lost.

General Questions:

  1. What is so good about the Good News of the Kingdom (Matt. 9:35)? Why is it important that people are told of this Good News?

  2. What is evangelism? If a friend asks you about evangelism, how will you explain what it is? 

Perspective Questions:

  1. Jesus had compassion on the people. What is compassion? What is the difference between empathy and compassion? Consider a time when you progressed from empathy for people to compassion for them. What motivated you to show compassion? What stopped you from doing so? What is the right lens we should use to see the lost?

  2. Matt. 9:38 tells us that the harvest belongs to the Lord. How does this truth change the way we think about doing God’s work? How does it encourage or motivate us to participate in His mission?

Application Questions:

  1. What can we do to cultivate a heart of compassion for the lost? What would your LG look like if everyone steps out in compassion next week?

  2. It is difficult to reach out to people who are different from us because our differences may lead to tensions. How can the LG be more open to different types of people? What are some important qualities a LG needs to have so that it is able to accommodate different types of people? 

Is ‘Evangelism’ knocking on doors, giving gifts, or inviting people to events? While these could be effective methods, they do not capture the complete picture of what it means to evangelise.

Revisit and regain the deeper implications of evangelism as we explore how Jesus and His followers carried out their mission to preach the Good News.

WHY LET THE WORLD SEE?
Series: ‘Let The World See’ Hope Conference 2019

Discussion Guide

Is God an attention-seeking God? Is He a narcissist with a desire for admiration? Why does God want the world to see Him?

It is not out of ego that God desires for the Gospel to be preached. It is to fulfil His purposes of redemption that He calls upon His Church to witness, to Let the World See and hear the Gospel proclaimed. Out of love and kindness towards man, He seeks to lead us out of darkness and into His light. His heart is to bring salvation to all who may believe.

Reflection Questions

1) As God’s church, we are sent to the world. Why is it important that we make Christ relevant to people who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with Christian jargon and activities? What are the obstacles we may face? Who are such people in our lives today? How can we think creatively to reach them with compassion?

2) As we preach the Gospel, how are we preaching it with both our words and with our lives? What challenges do we face in it? What can we do as a community to preach in this way?