Equipping people to follow Jesus into his mission is one of our high priorities. We aim to teach people how to follow Jesus and to obey his commands. We want you to be equipped to join him in his mission. We aim to teach people how to follow Jesus and to obey his commands. We want you to be equipped to join him in his mission.
Jesus calls us to follow him into his mission (Mark 1.16-20; Matthew 28.19-20; John 20.21). This means we need to find out what his mission is and learn how to do it.
Mark’s gospel tells us, ‘Jesus arrived in Galilee, announcing the good news of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is near, Repent and believe the good news”’ — Mark 1.14-15.
The mission of Jesus is two-fold: It is a message – God’s generous rule has broken into this troubled age and is now available to everyone through simple confidence in Jesus. It is a ministry – we demonstrate the presence of God’s generous rule by healing the sick, binding up broken hearts and driving out demons. We participate in the continuing mission of Jesus.
Jesus’ mission involves five major practices that demonstrate the nearness or arrival of the kingdom of God:
- Announcing good news to the poor;
- Healing the sick and driving out demons;
- Raising the dead;
- Eating and drinking with sinners;
- Gathering a display community to live out the life of the Kingdom.
A fully equipped follower of Jesus is ready to engage with him in his on-going mission in the middle of their real life.