Lesson 10 Five Reasons The Local Church Should Oversee Missions

 

Lesson 10 Five Reasons
The Local Church Should Oversee Missions

Reason 1: Only The Local Church Was Authorize By Jesus

1. In every scriptural instance of the Great Commission it is clear that the authority to carry it out and carry the Gospel to the lost world was given to the local church body only.

2. Matthew 28:16 Then the eleven disciples (the original church) went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power (Grk: exousia, authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore (because I have the authority to send you), and teach (Grk: matheteuo, make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching (Grk: didasko, teach, instruct) them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway (Grk: pas, each, every one, all) , even unto the end of the world (Grk: aion, age) . Amen.

Mark 16:14-15 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Luke 24:47-48 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.

Acts 1:2-8 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: …8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth

No outside agency should be allowed to usurp authority from the local church. The local church is the only institution created by Jesus Christ for the spread of the Gospel and sending of missionaries.

Reason 2: Accountability Is Best Achieved Through the Local Church

Matthew 8:5-10 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Acts 14:26-28 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Paul was accountable to the church at Antioch. After every missionary trip Paul, Barnabus, Silas and those who worked with him, always reported back to the church at Antioch which had ordained and sent them out. This is the Biblical example of accountability for New Testament Missions.

If a missionary is not sent out by their local church, then they are authorized and supported by an outside, extra-church agency. This completely strips the sponosoring (sending) church and supporting churches of any rights or power and places the church in a subordinate role to the board or fellowship that pays the bills The missionaries entire support can be cut off in an instant without any church oversite or even input.
Consequently, it also means that a missionary can be working or not working without any oversight from the people who should know them best.

Reason 3: Stewardship Is Best Accomplished Through The Local Church

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Christians and Churches are not being good stewards with their missions giving, if they have no way to account for the amounts or the percentage of giving actually arriving in the missionaries account for the work of the Gospel.

When money is given to a board or denomination, some of those funds are siphoned off by the outside agency for salaries, rents, overhead, etc. money that could have gone to the missionary. For example, it is estimated that less than 20 cents of every dollar given by Southern Baptists through the cooperative program actually reaches the missionary on the field. 80% is consumed in overhead by the board. No one really knows the true percentage because the SBC refuses to be accountable to the local churches and give a financial report. In the vast majority of extra-church mission organizations, the boards, clearing houses, fellowships, or associations either take a percentage or they seek their own support which still takes from the support of the mission work itself.  

Reason 4: Scripture Gives the Means and Method of Missions

The New Testament contains multiple examples of missionaries being sent under the authority of the local church and then reporting back to the local church but there are no examples of any outside board or agency.

Phillip at Samaria. Phillip, who was a deacon ordained by the church at Jerusalem, went to Samaria and after the Holy Spirit begins to work and the people begin to respond (possible a continuation of the work begun by Jesus and the apostle in John 4) the church at Jerusalem sent John and Peter (who had been with Jesus in Samaria) to verify the Samaritans being included in the New Covenant Church of Jesus.

Acts 8:5-17 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city. …Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

Peter and Cornelius  Acts 10-11 The next outreach of the Gospel and the extension of the New Testament Church outside Jerusalem and Samaria takes part in Caesarea to the Gentiles, who had no connection back to the Old Covenant of Israel as did the Jews and the Samaritans.

Acts 11:1-4 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, Acts 11:22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.

Paul and Barnabus  Paul and Barnabus, now working with a Gentile church in Antioch, are selected by the Holy Spirit to carry the Gospel into Asia and Europe. This selection was through the local church at Antioch and authorized by the ordination of the men by the elders of the church.

Acts 13:1-3 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Paul and Silas Paul and Silas are now authorized by the local church to carry on the work begun by Paul and Barnabus.  Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:, Acts 15:40-41 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

All these show that the work of carry the Gospel to the lost world was always done through the local church with the cooperation of other local churches.

Reason 5: Growing A Love for Missions and Missionaries

Acts 21:10-14 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

1 Corinthians 16:1-4 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

Romans 15:26-27 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily

Philippians 4:10–19 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. …14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. 15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. 18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

Churches who don't send out and support missionaries through the local churches often lack mission zeal and a love for missionaries because they have not had any contact with missionaries. Without deputation church members do not come in contact with real missionaries. They are left with stories of Lottie Moon or some other dusty figure of history. Present day missionaries and their families touch lives and hearts because we know they are doing what God's commission tells them and us to do. We can see their sacrifice and obedience and through our local church support share in it. This love cannot be created or nurtured without the deputation, the raising of support, that only comes when missions is authorized through the local church and shared with other like minded sister churches.

Conclusion

There are many churches and Christians who have never seen an actual missionary or missionary family in their church. They have never heard their burden for a mission field or felt firsthand their love for people they have never met. To them missions giving is a duty instead of the means of fulfilling the Great Commissions commands though the local churches and its members.

Missions outside the local church was not how the missionaries of the first century “turned the world upside down” nor was it the way the Lord intended His church to storm the gates of hell.

The “Bible Way” is still the best way.