Join me in prayer for our young adult ministry team that is being sent to Los Angeles this week. They are heading there to partner with our ministry friend, Dr. Derek Berry, and his newly planted church, Gospel of Christ Church. As a supporting church, ABC is committed to praying, giving, and sending to be a part of what God is doing in southern California.
It has been a joy to watch more of our members be sent on mission for him. This summer we sent several families to serve in Boston on our family mission trip. This Fall we have mission trips scheduled for both Egypt and Thailand. It is thrilling to see God continue to open doors for our church to make an impact in our nation and our world.
But I want to remind you that we are all being sent this week, even if we are not leaving our city. Paul reminds us, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Every Christian is an ambassador for God. Ambassadors are sent to foreign land to serve as representatives of their king.
You and I live in a foreign land. We are exiles (1 Peter 2:11) and our true citizenship is awaiting us in heaven (Philippians 3:20). God has placed you where you are on purpose and for a purpose. We are sent by God to extend his ministry of reconciliation. Every day you are on the mission field, and every day is an opportunity to point others to him.
May we pray for those whom God is sending to Los Angeles, but I also pray that your eyes will be opened to where he is sending you this week. Your mission field is all around you. And remember the lesson we learned from Paul last Sunday: “changed people will change their cities.”
Onward and Upward,
Dr. Jonathan Spencer
www.jonathanspencer.org 