MEMORY VERSE: And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”Mark 16:15 (NKJV)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 28:18-20.
INTRODUCTION
Cross-cultural mission means reaching out to people of other cultures with the gospel of Jesus Christ Acts 13:1-4. The practice of cross-cultural missions is the secret behind the civilization and developments as we have it today. This is because cross-cultural missions go with enlightenment and education. Therefore, cross cultural missionaries are those who go to an area or cultural environment different from their own to propagate the gospel. It should be noted that cross-cultural missionaries are not those going abroad to plant churches meant to reach their country/tribesmen living overseas. This is international church planting venture which is not cross-cultural. A cross-cultural missionary’s main target is the indigenous population in the foreign land 1 Corinthians 9:20-23.
OUTLINE
- THE CALL TO CROSS- CULTURAL MISSIONS
- THE HEART OF A CROSS-CULTURAL MISSIONARY THE CALL TO CROSS- CULTURAL MISSIONS The calling to cross-cultural missions is in various forms and God can use anyone who makes themself available,irrespective of “age”, economic, academic, professional, or social status. The calling could take different forms:
1. Apostolic calling: here, an itinerant missionary ministers to a particular people group in a particular location per time e. g Apostle Paul Romans 1;1.
2. Full-time Missionary: a person who has accepted God’s call to leave their comfort zone, go across the border to live, learn, and influence a community for a long time with the gospel of Christ.
3. Tent-making or Bi-vocational Missionary: a person who has passion for missions uses their job as a tool to enter a community with the purpose of financing missions with the salary from their work and winning souls for Christ.
4. Social Ministry Missionary: someone with the heart of missions rises to the pressing needs of a people group (the aged, children, prostitutes, uneducated, women, leaders, youths, etc.) with a physical relief aid to solve their physiological needs with the purpose of reaching and winning them to Christ Hebrews 6:10.
5. Modern Media Missionary: the person uses modern medium of technology to break barriers of entering restricted and free access nations with the Gospel of Christ through internet opportunities, social network, technological devices, visuals and audio clips, and graphical resources
Cross-cultural mission is important because people of all races must hear the gospel before they believe Romans 10:14; Jesus commanded it Mark 16:15. We are called to be actively engaged in this task Matthew 24:14. It helps to reach the Unreached People Groups (UPGs) in the world Matthew 9:36
THE HEART OF A CROSS-CULTURAL MISSIONARY
A cross-cultural missionary must have a passion for the lost Romans 9:1-3; an open mind which is always ready to accept people from a different cultural orientation Acts 11:9-12; have the willingness to go Isaiah 6:8; ability to endure hardship Romans 8:35 and should be a person of faith with absolute trust in God’s power Proverbs 3:5; 2 Corinthians 12:9.
CONCLUSION
God is waiting for men and women whom He will use to break barriers and make disciples among the remaining unreached people groups Matthew 9:37. Are you available?
FURTHER READINGS:
SUN: Mark 16:15- 16.
MON: Romans 10: 14.
TUE: Acts 26:15-20.
WED: Colossians 4:2-4.
THUR: John 20:22-23.
FRI: John 14:26-27.
SAT: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3.