The power of Character: A closÂer look at Acts 1:8 shows us the clear instrucÂtion and swift stratÂeÂgy Jesus gives to his disÂciÂples for makÂing an impact around the world. It’s a simÂple and powÂerÂful yet heavÂiÂly overÂlooked modÂel in WestÂern ChrisÂtianÂiÂty. The church was birthed on PenÂteÂcost when the Holy SpirÂit filled the disÂciÂples with powÂer and sent them on misÂsion. Before that moment, they had been waitÂing diliÂgentÂly in prayer and comÂmuÂniÂty because they knew going withÂout the Holy SpirÂit was fruitÂless. Their charÂacÂter was develÂoped durÂing their time with Jesus and after his death and resÂurÂrecÂtion in their waitÂing. These disÂciÂples stood up for the rights of the oppressed and conÂtinÂued to heal and teach peoÂple just as Jesus had taught them to do.
Being in worÂship of Christ and in minÂistry in the UnitÂed States, I have observed a false dichotoÂmy in WestÂern misÂsion moveÂments, one that emphaÂsizes going someÂwhere far away withÂout first makÂing sure those going have a lifestyle that resemÂbles Christ.… I have seen greater emphaÂsis on ​“stay until you’re filled with powÂer” than on ​“go and make disÂciÂples” in othÂer culÂtures who cling on to the powÂer of the Holy SpirÂit for their abilÂiÂty to be a missionary.
There is in WestÂern theÂolÂoÂgy a lack of emphaÂsis on prayer, fastÂing, and the teachÂing of ChrisÂtÂian perÂseÂcuÂtion and idenÂtiÂfyÂing with Christ in our sufÂferÂing; thereÂfore we don’t see the fruit of long-sufÂferÂing in believÂers. This robs the church of the abilÂiÂty to not only send but even have faithÂful ChrisÂtians who can do gospel work where they are. An emphaÂsis to ​“BE” a disÂciÂple before ​“MAKÂING” disÂciÂples is necÂesÂsary if the WestÂern church is to remain an essenÂtial part of the globÂal misÂsion movement.
The powÂer of a believer’s tesÂtiÂmoÂny is the ultiÂmate weapon of destrucÂtion against the eneÂmy. As seen in RevÂeÂlaÂtion 12:11:
They conÂquered him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their tesÂtiÂmoÂny;
for they did not love their lives
to the point of death.
As believÂers who are called to carÂry the gospel around the world, our abilÂiÂty to tesÂtiÂfy of God’s goodÂness in our lives has far more powÂer than our abilÂiÂty to indocÂtriÂnate others.
Greg Ogden uses the acronym FAT in the book DisÂciÂpleÂship EssenÂtials, which stands for faithÂful, availÂable, and teachÂable, to describe the peoÂple Jesus investÂed in and sent off as disÂciÂple makÂers. Ogden also incorÂpoÂrates this tool and describes makÂing disÂciÂples a few at a time in his book TransÂformÂing DisÂciÂpleÂship, emphaÂsizÂing charÂacÂter and willÂingÂness as decidÂing facÂtors in whether time and enerÂgy should be investÂed in teachÂing someÂone to become a disÂciÂple makÂer. This is ultiÂmateÂly the call to the misÂsion field. We must ask ourÂselves, ​“What type of tesÂtiÂmoÂny do we have as believÂers that is worÂthy of spreadÂing to the ends of the earth?”
The misÂsion is not an expeÂdiÂtion, nor is it a stoÂry of us savÂing othÂers. It is a call to die to self and live for Christ. It is sacÂriÂfiÂcial, it is costÂly, it is bruÂtal, and it truÂly is a call to lose our preÂsupÂposed idenÂtiÂty so we can be one with Christ. Our life is to be eclipsed by his all-conÂsumÂing fire that unites us with everyÂthing he is so that we are sure examÂples of Christ when the world interÂacts with us.
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