Yesterday, I found out that 218 churches got our small group study kit, "Compelled by Love: A Journey to Missional Living" in one week. That's pretty exciting and intimidating-- in one week, 281 churches started using our resources to help their people live missional lives. We are glad to hear that churches are studying missional living and honored they would use our resource.
Go to lifeway.com/compelled to see the kit. The webpage has a promo trailer and you can watch the first session to get a feel for the study. Go here to see the work book and download a preview of the first chapter.
In putting together the DVD teaching and member book, we hoped that it would serve as a challenge to believers and entire churches to live like missionaries in our culture. After all, I spend my professional time studying the Scriptures, out on the road speaking, pouring over data researching, and behind my computer writing about how churches and believers can more effectively make disciples in their communities. I'm blessed to say that my life's work is to help my wife, children, and everyone else in my path become passionate disciples of Christ who are on God's mission for His kingdom. "Compelled by Love" is the place where we are able to put the motivation with the mission and get going.
Here's one of my favorite paragraphs from the member book:
Love is to be the enduring quality of missional living. Just consider how love played a role in our redemption. It is because of love that the Father sent the Son. It is by His love that the Son obeyed. It is in love that the Son died for sinful humankind. And it is in love that the Spirit came to indwell the lives of believers when the Son ascended to His throne room. God's offer of love to us is expansive in every way. Because we are to imitate God, love should color our entire manner of living. (p. 140)
The "Compelled by Love" study will help believers better understand God's heart for their neighbors and the world. But more than just understanding, it is written to move people into action.
When we consider the heroes of human history (and imagination), we seldom think of Christ. Yet look at His life. When everyone else was running away, he ran straight into the most important event in human history--the cross. (p. 48)
If you've got questions about the study, interested in a Compelled by Love event or leading a church-wide of "Compelled by Love," contact Philip at philip.nation@lifeway.com. I'm always out speaking and Philip will be also. One of us would love to get involved with what God is doing in your church to make much of Christ and spur you on to love and good deeds.
You can find the actual book here from New Hope Publishers.
Lifeway was gracious enough to send out these postcards.
On the back of the postcard it says,
A missions trip seems out of reach for many of us. But here are six ways to be missionally minded-- anywhere and all the time.
- Look at people with eternity in mind. We need to see them as God does and care for them like it counts.
- Show some hospitality. Believers should be the people that everyone else wants to be around. Remember, you're the ambassador for Christ so get into the lives of people living outside the kingdom.
- Watch for a chance to serve. People give away all of their energy on family, work, and menial chores. Look for ways that you can care for your neighbors--even if it is just cooking a simple dinner for them.
- Visit someone new. Look around and find someone who needs a friend. Maybe it's visiting in a nursing home or rocking babies in the NICU. Make your days count with people who feel they don't.
- Whatever you do, don't do it alone! Take your family, your small group, or the whole church. And be sure to take the kids. They're ready to change the world, so let them.
- Love like Jesus. He lived a robust life of caring for the lost. He did it by meeting their needs and telling them the truth.
If you're looking to take your small group through what it means to be missional, this is a great place to start.
Posted on July 29, 2009 at 10:49 PM ~ 2 Comments
Tagged with: compelled by love, missional, small groups
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Looks like a great study. We recently purchased Sent for our small groups to go through this Fall. You may have already addressed this, but how do Sent and Compelled By Love differ and compare?
Love (agape--produced by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of yielded believers): "to pursue always and unconditionally--despite all costs to myself--the total wellbeing of another simply for the prize that one has become to me"
The Great Commission, in and of itself, requires no love; the Great Commandment, however, is all about love. When the Great Commandment is made by the Holy Spirit in the lives of yielded believers, the Great Commission will virtually take care of itself. How could it not?
A Great Commandment Emergence; not a Great Commission Resurgence. That's what we all need.