Missions

Missions is taking the message of hope and salvation to those who have not yet responded positively to it. Jesus wants us to make disciples …

Matthew 28:18-20, Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.”

The great thing about missions is that is an “anywhere, anytime” activity. It is a misconception to think “I have to go away to a far land to do mission.” Remember, where you live is a far away place to most of the world! God has placed people in you path who need love, encouragement, and the hope of Jesus.

In short, you can be a missionary … an ambassador for Christ right where you live.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This passage says:

  • When Christ comes into a person’s life … his life becomes new!
  • Our job is to help people invite Christ into their life. To get them reconciled to God.
  • This job makes us ambassadors for Christ, representing Him to our friends and family.
  • What makes us qualified as an ambassador? Our own life-changing experience with Christ. He has made us become the righteousness of God. We’re not perfect, of course, but where making progress.

Missions can be done locally. Sunny Hills has some ongoing local projects, including collecting food for the Agape Food Pantry, and helping with the Hope Packs weekend food ministry for local school children.

Missions can be done outside of Wythe County. Sunny Hills Cooperates with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board to conduct missions in Virginia, across the USA, and around the world.

The bottom line is changing lives. Our purpose as a church is to “help ordinary people experience full life in Christ.” As we fulfill this purpose missions will become, more and more, a key element of what we’re doing.

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