The document discusses the importance of local missions based on examples from the early church. It encourages believers to work collaboratively by pooling resources and talents. Opportunities for local missions exist in serving those in need, preaching the gospel, and working together as the body of Christ without division. The needs in cities today are great but God has provided his people to meet those needs through cooperation rather than working alone.

1. Bloom Where You Are Planted
Local Missions in the U.S.
Presenter:
Naomi Bradley, missions coordinator
African American Center for World Mission

2. Objectives:
To discuss the importance of local missions in the
work of the early and present church
communities
To share collaborative methods for pooling
resources and talents in the city
To share opportunities for local missions in our
areas

3. Local Missions in the Early Church
“And in those days, when the number of the
disciples was multiplied, there arose a
murmuring of the Grecians against the
Hebrews, because their widows were
neglected in the daily ministration.”
Acts 6:1

4. To serve and to help
Ministration – diakonia
Attendance as a servant; aid

5. Wait on your ministry?
“…or ministry, let us use it in our
ministering.” Rom. 12:7 (NIV)

6. Work while you’re waiting.
“Until I come, spend your time reading
Scripture out loud to one another. Spend
your time preaching and teaching.”
1 Tim. 4:13 (NIV)

7. Work while you’re waiting.
“Don't fail to use the gift the Holy Spirit gave
you. He gave it to you through a message
from God. It was given when the elders
placed their hands on you.”
1 Tim. 4:14 (NIV)

8. Work while you’re waiting.
“Keep on doing those things. Give them your
complete attention. Then everyone will see
how you are coming along.”
1 Tim. 4:15 (NIV)

9. Local Missions in the Early Church
“I know thy works (deeds), and charity (love), and
service (attendance as a servant, aid), and faith,
and thy patience, and thy works: and the last to be
more than the first.” Rev. 2:19
“But to do good and to communicate (share) forget
not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
Heb. 13:16

10. Local Missions in the Early Church
• Antioch sends relief to Judea (Acts 11:29)
• Contributions to poor saints in Jerusalem
(Rom. 15:26)
• Relief for widows and orphans (Jas. 1:27)

11. Born to Serve
“Whoever will be great among you shall be
your minister. Mk. 10:43”
“For even the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give
his life a ransom for many.” Mk. 10:45
(To be an attendant, a waiter, a servant)

12. The Mission of Christ
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because
he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to
the poor; he hath sent me to heal the
brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Lk. 4:18-19

13. What Did Jesus Do?
• Preached (declared) the gospel (good
tidings) to the poor (beggar or pauper)
• Healed (made whole) the brokenhearted
(crushed or shattered thoughts or feelings)
• Preached deliverance (forgiveness, liberty)
to the captives (prisoners of war)

14. What Did Jesus Do?
• Recovered (restored) sight to the blind
(blind physically or mentally)
• Set at liberty (delivered) the bruised
(crushed)
• Preached (proclaimed, published) the
acceptable (approved) year of the Lord

15. DISCUSSION
Local Missions in the U.S.

16. USA – A.D. 2005
Population: 278 million (301 million today)
85% Christian (24% Protestant, 24%
Independent, 21% Catholic)
Missionaries from the U.S. – 60,200 in 631
agencies to 220 countries
Missionaries to the U.S. – 1,873 in 139 agencies
from 115 countries (Peru, Brazil, Philippines,
Mexico, Japan, Kenya)
Operation World, 2005

17. USA – A.D. 2005
“The USA needs revival.”
Biblical holiness – superficiality and
materialism
Spiritual unity – left and right
Christian withdrawal from public life –
schools, violence, poverty, etc.
Operation World, 2005

18. Missionaries in the U.S.
• Mission America
• World Vision USA
• Prison Fellowship
• Promise Keepers
• Christian Community Development Assn.
Operation World, 2005

19. A Major Barrier to Local
Lack of cooperation between churches, and
between church and para-church
organizations, resulting in waste of limited
resources.
“Christian Witness to Large Cities,” Lausanne Committee
for World Evangelization, 1980

20. Definitions
“Micro-ministry” “Macro-studies”
A vast scope of
Dealing with investigation—sociology,
individuals and their anthropology, economics,
needs in the city. politics, etc.
Charles Van Engen, God So Loves the City,
Charles Van Engen, God So Loves the pp. 246
City, pp. 246

21. Can our cities be saved?
“This know also, that in the last
days perilous times shall
come.” 2 Tim. 3:1

22. The Church at Corinth
“For I am with thee, and no man shall set on
thee to hurt thee: for I have much people
in this city.” Acts 18:10

23. Greece – A.D. 2005
Population: 11 million
95% Christian (48% Evangelical, 36%
Pentecostal)
2% in church on an average Sunday
Missionaries in Greece – 36 in 15 agencies (30 in
Greece)
Missionaries to Greece – 150 in 38 agencies from
12 countries (82 from the U.S.)
OperationWorld, 2005

24. WORKING
COLLABORATIVELY

25. God’s Urban Mission Strategy:
ONE BODY
building
ONE CHURCH
for
ONE CITY

26. Definitions
“Koinonia”
“God is faithful, by
whom ye were called
Communion, unto the fellowship
fellowship, sharing in (koinonia) of his Son
common Jesus Christ our
Lord.” 1 Cor. 1:9

27. Definitions
“Communion” “Fellowship”
The act or an The condition of
instance of sharing, sharing similar
as of thoughts or interests, ideals, or
feelings. experiences, as by
reason of profession,
religion, or
nationality.

28. An Ideal Relationship
The ideal relationship for the world Christian
community is one of interdependence with
a recognized system for shared decision-
making and resource allocation. Until that
is resolved there will continue to be
tensions and resource imbalances.
Wilbert Shenk, Changing Frontiers of Mission, pp. 114

29. No Schism
God gave us a diversity of members so that
there would be no schism in the body.
(1 Cor. 12:25)
Schism comes and the body suffers when we
think we can do it alone, that we don’t need
our other members to fully function.

30. OPPORTUNITIES FOR
LOCAL MISSIONS

31. Much people in the city
The needs in the city are indeed too big for
one person or one congregation or
organization.
But praise God! He never intended for us
to work alone!
God is with us AND he has much
people in the city.