Global Missions.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8

Our Mission.

Our Vision.

Why Do Missions?

One of the common questions in the church in regards to missions is, “Why do we send people thousands of miles away when there is so much we could do right in our own backyard?” It is a valid concern and the church should, without question, reach out and serve locally, but we are also called to be witnesses for Christ around the world. The first reason we do missions is because we are commanded to by Scripture. Matthew 28:19-20, referred to as The Great Commission, says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Acts 1:8 gives a great model for missions: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  The model here is one of ministering within the local community - to neighboring communities and regions - as well as faraway nations. The church is not to engage in just one of these areas, but all three.

A second reason we do missions is because it is central to God's plan for the world. In Matthew 16, Peter makes his confession that Jesus is the Christ and Jesus says back to him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”  The most significant thing here is that Jesus says, “I will build my church.”  Missions doesn't depend on us, missionaries, or short-term teams; it depends on Jesus Christ. He will build his church with or without our help, but as we see in the Great Commission, he chooses to use us and reassures us that he will be with us.

A third reason we do missions is that it is a response to God for what he has done for us. Because he sent his son to save us, we ought to respond with the utmost praise and thanksgiving; we should be moved to tell others about what God has done in our lives. Isaiah 12:4 paints this picture beautifully: “In that day you will say: Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.”  In light of this, missions should be a natural outpouring of our hearts.

Lastly, God has blessed us so that we may be a blessing to others. In Genesis 12, God calls Abram to leave his home and go to the land that He will show him. God says this to him in verse two, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”  In Isaiah 49:6, God says to the nation of Israel, “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”  Paul speaks about this in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”  All too often we think that we are the end of the line when God blesses us, but all of these passages tell us that God blesses us SO THAT we may be a blessing to others. Whether it is with our talents, finances, or with the Gospel that has changed our lives, we ought to take that blessing and seek to bless others, giving God all the glory and honor, for it is from him that all blessings flow.

At Oak Pointe Church we strive to obey God's call to missions, not only to the uttermost ends of the earth, but also right here in our own local community and region.