missions

About Missions

Matthew 28:19-20 contains the words that Jesus spoke to the disciples gathered on the hillside that day. These words were not just a commission for those who heard it that day, but for all followers of Jesus Christ. They provide a mandate for the church to reach the lost and teach the converted to become devoted disciples of the Lord Jesus. Jesus additionally gave these first disciples a plan for accomplishing the assigned mission in Acts 1:8.

Following the Biblical mandate of Matthew 28:19-20 and the Scriptural outline of Acts 1:8, Second Baptist Church will intentionally seek to advance the gospel message through missions giving and mission endeavors on multiple fronts and multiple levels. At Second, we recognize the great advantage of working cooperatively to financially support local and worldwide missions. Additionally, we recognize the importance and mandate to personally go and be involved in the advance of the gospel. As a church we seek to accomplish this task by focusing on four locations.

Location 1 – Jerusalem

While spreading the gospel to the utter most parts of the world is important, a commitment to share the gospel in our own backyard is vital to a holistic missions strategy. Second Baptist Church recognizes Houston County as “our Jerusalem” and is committed to sharing the message of Jesus Christ with the population of our county.

Location 2 – Judea

9.8 million people live in the state of Georgia. Studies show that approximately 70-80% of people living in any community do not attend church on any given Sunday. Second Baptist Church recognizes our responsibility to be intentionally involved in sharing the Gospel with the people of our state.

Location 3 – Samaria

Studies indicate that since 1991, the number of adults in the U.S who do not attend church has nearly doubled, rising from 39 million to 75 million. Some estimates put that number at or above 100 million. Second Baptist Church is committed to follow the leadership of God in advancing the cause of Christ in the United States.

Location 4 – Ends of the Earth

An estimated 2.8 billion people around the world have not heard the Gospel Message. These people are totally unreached with the good news of Jesus and Second Baptist Church is committed to doing what God allows and directs us to do to advance the cause of Christ to the ends of the earth.

Levels of Mission Involvement
As a church, we recognize that there are multiple levels of involvement and partnership in the gospel. Second Baptist Church will seek to advance the gospel on four levels of mission involvement.

Level 1 – Giving

Throughout the Scriptures believers are commanded to give to the work of the gospel. Second Baptist Church is committed to the financial support of Gospel advancement through both Southern Baptist entities as well as other entities and organizations that we will support under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Level 2 – Going

Second is committed to organizing and conducting mission trips that are focused on sharing the gospel through meeting needs and providing humanitarian aid and relief. Through these endeavors, we will partner with other believers and organizations to serve and minister to physical needs as God directs us in all four areas. On these trips most participants will be doing manual labor while only a few will be preaching, teaching, and witnessing.

Level 3 – Partnering

Second is committed to mission trips that are focused on partnering with local churches and organizations in all four locations to advance the cause of Christ. These trips will involve ministry action such as the distribution of Bibles, Gospel tracts, and personal evangelism and require a greater level of training for participants. Partnering primarily involves Gospel advance in a particular area in support of a local church.

Level 4 – Planting

Second is committed to the planting of churches in all four locations. The local church is the lighthouse to the community and the God-ordained institution commissioned to share the gospel. Church planting mission trips are a part of the long-term partnerships SBC is committed to form in order to plant churches world-wide. These trips include equipping, training, teaching, and providing any assistance necessary to aid in the planting of indigenous churches.

Mission 1:8 Team
The Mission 1:8 Team is tasked with the responsibility of leading Second Baptist Church to practically and tangibly flesh out its comprehensive missions strategy. This responsibility includes:

  •   Casting a vision for missions involvement.
  •   Development of missions policies and guidelines for Second Baptist Church.
  •   Determining strategic priorities in our missions work.
  •   Leadership in the development of a financial plan for missions support.
  •   Coordination of the missions events calendar.
  •   Guidance and leadership in establishing mission partnerships.
  •   Promotion and leadership in missions giving and missions going.
  •   Maintaining a biblical, balanced and holistic approach to missions.
  •   Developing a prayer partner ministry dedicated to fervent prayer for our missions endeavors.

The Mission 1-8 team will include both pastoral staff and lay leaders working together to lead SBC in making both a local and global impact with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

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