Developing a Strategy to Fulfill ACTS 1:8

“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.”

Jesus gave us a command to be his witness all over the planet. Churches and Christians should develop a strategy to fulfill this command – which is the Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20). Let me quickly outline the ACTS 1:8 command so we can begin building our strategy to fulfill it. I’ll preach a message on this passage of scripture early in January to further explain the principles of an ACTS 1:8 strategy.

· “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem” This is where you are – your local community and daily traffic pattern.

· “and in all Judea” This is where you go – the area in which you travel for business or personal reasons.

· “and Samaria” This is where you don’t want to go – we are to witness to people we may have a prejudice toward.

· “and the to the ends of the earth” This is where you’ve never been.

So we at Cross Road need to be intentional in our planning in order to complete the Lord’s command. This is not a sequential order by which we must complete local missions before moving outward. Nor is it a “pick and choose” menu whereby we can choose which piece of the charge in which to be involved. ACTS 1:8 (all of it) applies to all of us at all times. Our strategy must be to involve every person in our church family in missions on each level.

We already do this in many ways. What I see is a coordination of all mission groups and efforts so that we can involve more people and celebrate each mission activity as a church. This will take shape over the next few weeks so be watching and praying.

The key to our success in becoming an ACTS 1:8 church is that “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” Brothers and sisters, as a Christian the Holy Spirit has come on you to empower you to be his witnesses everywhere to everybody.

Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life