Ministry to the Villages

This Church is a “Village Mission’s” Church


By Pastor Dan Kennedy

© October 16, 2016

www.pastorkennedy.com


Today is “Village Missions Sunday”.  It is an opportunity to share with our congregations the ministry of the organization which supplies pastoral staff to churches in rural areas such as the ministry here in this church and in rural churches which cannot afford to have a full-time pastor.  If you wish to know more of this ministry, you may find it on the following web site:  http://villagemissions.org.


Village Missions:  Giving Opportunity for All to Hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have Fellowship in a Body of Believers – even in the smallest communities.


Luke 14:16–24

16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited,     ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”


A Great Banquet with Room for Many Guests


·  The Invitation to Come to the banquet, was given

·  The Excuses for Coming, was the response from the invited guests

·  The Command to the servants to Go out Quickly into the streets and alleys, to bring whoever would come.

·  The Banquet Hall was still not filled.

·  The Command was given again to the servants to Go out to the back roads and country lanes and make them come in…so that the Master’s house will be full.

·  A pronouncement was given by the Master, rejecting those who were offered the first invitation, but who refused to come.


Those who minister in Village Missions are ones who go onto the back “roads and country lanes” compelling families and individuals in the most rural communities to follow Christ and accept His invitation of Salvation!


Village Missions gives a basic Statement of Ministry to its pastors:


        “Preach the Word and Love the People!”


What does that mean to “Preach the Word”?


·  The Bible, the Word of God, is the primary Source of God’s communication with humankind.  Pastors in Village Missions preach and teach God’s Truth from the Bible.


·  Jesus Christ gave His disciples the mandate of “The Great Commission;” that, as they were going into all the world, to declare the Gospel of His Salvation and make disciples of all nations, to the very end of the age.


Matthew 28:19–20

19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”


Why do Biblical Christians follow “The Great Commission”?  Why is this essential?


We bring the Gospel of Christ to all the world so others can know the Salvation offered to them by God, our Creator, through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-6).


´ To Give Hope in this Life and the Next…

´ So that the guilt of an individual’s sin will no longer separate him or her in a growing relationship with God and inhibit them from eternal life in God’s Holy Presence.


The Scriptural “Job Description” of a Biblical Pastor is to “Preach the Word”


2 Timothy 4:1–5

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:

      2 Preach the Word;

      be prepared in season and out of season;

      correct,

      rebuke and

      encourage—

      with great patience and

      careful instruction.

3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

      5 But you, keep your head in all situations,

      endure hardship,

      do the work of an evangelist,

      discharge all the duties of your ministry.



Doctrinal Statements:


If you move into a new community and/or begin attending a different church or organization, you should find out what they believe before you become too interconnected with all of its participants, as nice as they may be, and associated with accepting its teaching.  Find out what they profess to believe and what they teach.


They may have a beautiful building, are organized and effective in their presentation… but what are the foundations of their belief systems?  Do you want to continually sit under a theology or philosophy that is something you would struggle to defend, or have to counter in what you teach your children?  Attendance in a church is more than being socially active in the community, or having great programs…it is definitely about what motivates us from the depths of our spirit, heart and mind.


This is where “Doctrinal Statements” can be very insightful.  Ask the leadership for a written Doctrinal Statement and/or Mission Statement.  If they do not have either – in writing, then be very careful in being drawn into such an organization.  If they have a statement of their faith, make sure you agree with each point.  Ask for clarification on statements you do not understand, or question.


In order to faithfully teach sound doctrine in an age of deception, myths, and humanistic dogma, organizations faithful to Biblical standards normally have a doctrinal statement, which clearly identifies the basic doctrine of what each church or organization teaches.  


This is true of Village Mission churches.  Individuals and families may come to our church, never having heard of Village Missions, and can look at our doctrinal statement, and that of Village Missions to decide whether or not they agree with what is being taught here.  That is the reason for a “doctrinal statement”.


Village Missions Pastors are to Preach Sound Doctrine:


The Doctrinal Statement of Village Missions


  1. The supernatural and plenary inspiration of the Scriptures – that they are inerrant and that their teaching and authority are absolute, supreme, final and complete;

  2. The trinity of the Godhead – God, the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit;

  3. The personality of God – the personality and deity of Jesus Christ, begotten of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, very God and very Man; the personality of the Holy Spirit;

  4. The resurrection of Jesus Christ – that His body was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that He ascended into Heaven and is seated on the right hand of God as the believer’s Advocate;

  5. The sinfulness of man – that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, are totally depraved and need a Savior from sin;

  6. The Atonement – that Jesus Christ became the sinner’s sacrifice before God and died as the propitiation for the sins of the whole world;

What does “propitiation” mean?  This word is used in several verses in the New Testament, in several translations.


Romans 3:25 (ESV)

25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.


The NIV translates the word “propitiation” to say:


Romans 3:25 (NIV84)

25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood…


1 John 2:2 also uses the word “propitiation” in some translations:


1 John 2:2 (ESV)

2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.


Again “propitiation” is translated “atoning sacrifice” in 1 John 2:2 in the NIV.


1 John 2:2 (NIV84)

2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.


Propitiation

“The satisfaction of the righteous demands of God in relation to human sin and its punishment through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ upon the cross, by which the penalty of sin is cancelled and the anger of God averted.”[1]



  1. The necessity of the new birth – salvation is by grace through faith and not of works; saving faith will maintain good works in the life of the believer;

  2. The literal resurrection of the body, both of the just and of the unjust;

  3. The everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost;

  4. The evangelization of the world – the supreme mission of the church in this age is to preach the gospel to every creature;

  5. The second coming of Christ according to Scripture.

Pastors serving with Village Missions preach and teach God’s Truth from the Bible, they “Preach the Word”.


Village Missions Statement of Ministry: “Preach the Word and Love the People!”


What does it mean to “Love the People”?


There are many verses in Scripture that tell Christians, including Pastors, to honorably “Love One Another”.


[John 13:34-35; Rom 12:10; Rom 13:8; 2 Cor 13:11; Gal 5:13; Eph 4:2; 1 Thess 4:9; 2 Thess 1:3; Heb 10:24; Heb 13:1; 1 Pet 1:22; 1 Pet 3:8; 1 John 3:11; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:11-12; 2 John 5 – see Endnotes.]


Let’s look at three of these verses.


The Marks of a Christian Visible to Others:  “Love for One Another”


John 13:34–35

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”


The Evidence of an Internal Transformed Life, by the Holy Spirit:  “Love for One Another”


1 Peter 1:22–23

22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.


The Protection against Carnal Jealousy and Destructive In-Fighting:  “Love for One Another”


Galatians 5:13–16

13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.


The Commitment of Village Missions


~ Serving Rural Communities


~ Reaching out with the Gospel of Christ


Luke 14:23

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.’”


~  Emphasizing “Preaching the Word”


2 Timothy 4:2

2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.


~ Emphasizing “Loving the People”


1 John 4:7

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.



As a Village Mission’s Church, we are seeking to honorably follow the Truth of God’s Word, so we will live our lives, as His Children, faithfully and beneficially for His Kingdom, while reaching out to those who do not know Christ, and to rejoice together when Christ returns!


 

ENDNOTE VERSES on Loving One Another


John 13:34–35

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”


Romans 12:10

10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.



Romans 13:8

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.


2 Corinthians 13:11

11 Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.


Galatians 5:13

13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.


Ephesians 4:2

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.


1 Thessalonians 4:9

9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.


2 Thessalonians 1:3

3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.


Hebrews 10:24

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.


Hebrews 13:1

1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.


1 Peter 1:22

22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.


1 Peter 3:8

8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.


1 John 3:11

11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.


1 John 3:23

23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.


1 John 4:7

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.


1 John 4:11–12

11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.


2 John 5

5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.








[1] Manser, M. H. (2009). “Propitiation” - Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.