Missions
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
Grace Point exists to help more people become fully committed followers of Jesus (Mission) by building bridges for life change through Christ (Vision). Mission and vision are driven by values and strategies enabling us to evaluate, select, and prioritize the work in which we involve ourselves here, near, and far away. In missional efforts we hope to foster a sense of urgency concerning the Gospel, to promote all life as service to Jesus, and to engage in sustainable and reproducible ministries for His glory.
His last command is our first concern!
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Matthew 28:18-20
From the beginning, God’s people have been blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:1-2) for the purpose of glorifying God among all people groups (the nations). God’s people have always been called to be a light to all nations. The Church is called to be active and desirous of the Gospel, transforming people here, near, and far away, who will in turn glorify God and create disciples.
Our Acts 1:8
We believe that God has commissioned each of us to be witnesses in the three circles of influence from Here, Near and Far, as per Acts 1:8:
Here
This circle is about walking with Jesus personally, taking on His heart for others, and stepping out in risky faith with family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Discipleship, EV training, biblical literacy, and encouragement of risky faith are key. This relies heavily on the teaching/preaching/study mechanisms of church and our willingness to respond. Church events/activities serve as opportunities and support in this process.
Near
This circle is concerned with those who, although near geographically, are further in some significant way (socio-economic/cultural/religious). They may be next door, or we may have to travel regionally. The same things are true here as the category above, but with the added need to gain greater understanding to bridge differential gaps. Some may be ongoing partnerships or be project based and are mostly done through ongoing financial, relational, and prayer support coupled with local short terms or events to be a blessing to those involved fulltime.
Far
This circle specifically relates to cross-cultural international ministry. Focused global partnerships with missionaries, support/mobilization workers, indigenous Christian workers, and other like-minded churches/organizations who emphasize church planting among the unreached, while growing and sustaining the local church and showing holistic care to the suffering in efforts to bring Gospel transformation.
Our Global Focus - Lebanon
FOCUS is an acronym that stands for First Priority, Objectives Oriented, Collaborative, Untapped Potential, and Strategic. This means that the project chosen to be our FOCUS will receive priority among our missions projects and new initiatives. The basis of our FOCUS is that it is a partnership with strategic goals and objectives to help meet key ministry needs both at home and overseas. We hope that our FOCUS will be an opportunity for everyone in our church (regardless of your experience and/or skillset) to be involved in missions at a deeper level for significant Kingdom impact.
Ways to Get Involved with our Lebanon FOCUS
If you are interested in learning more about how you can participate in our Middle East FOCUS community, you can contact Denise Nichols, Middle East FOCUS Team Leader, by email at or by texting "FOCUS" to 267.291.0855.
Pray for Lebanon with us: Read our 21 Days of Prayer Guide and pray along with us.
Short-Term Missions
We understand that a short-term missions trip will do very little in the way of changing the world, rather God gets to change us through the experience. We go as learners open to understanding the complexities of mission work in a cross-cultural context. A trip forces dependence on Jesus through study, experience, prayer, and suffering. Seeing God move, we develop a deeper love for Christ and the Gospel which we bring home with us and by God's grace, personal evangelism increases, and prayer and Bible study become rich. With good training and debrief, we better understand the story of God, and our purpose in the Kingdom. We want to support our missionaries well have them feel blessed by our presence and that we will be better long-term partners in their work. We ask that the Holy Spirit have us return as better ‘Goers’, ‘Senders’, ‘Mobilizers’, and ‘Prayers’ for the unreached people groups of the world.
Short-Term Missions Interest Form
Helpful Missions Resources
- Websites
- Joshua Project - a great website for missions data and understanding the state of the unreached people groups of the world
- Videos
- Books
- Let the Nations Be Glad | John Piper
- Far Off Saints | Ivan Veldhuizen
- Operation World | Jason Mandryk
- Eternity in Their Hearts | Don Richardson
- Peace Child | Don Richardson
- Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus | Nabeel Qureshi
- A Wind in the House of Islam | David Garrison
- Encountering the World of Islam | Edited by Keith Swartley
- God’s Heart for Muslims | Keith Swartley
- Engage Muslims with Christ | Horizons International
- Engaging Islam | Georges Houssney
- Disciple Making Among Hindus | Timothy Shultz
- Toxic Charity | Robert D. Lupton
- When Helping Hurts | Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert
- The Externally Focused Church | Rick Rusaw & Eric Swanson
- The Art of Neighboring | Jay Pathak & Dave Runyon
- Living Out Loud | Kevin King with Christine Daniels
Looking for more info?
Got questions about missions at Grace Point? Email Jason Guynes, Pastor of Missions & Discipleship at .
