Global Missions Sunday

4-5-09

The Commission

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and

make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the Holy Spirit

teaching them to observe all the things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age

Matthew 28:18b-20

The World in which we live

If the entire world was a village of only 100 people….

Nationality

• 60 would be Asian

• 13 would be African

• 12 would be European

• 9 would be Latin American

• 5 would be North American

• 1 would be Oceanic (Hawaiian, Jamaican, Philippine)

Gender

• 50 would be male

• 50 would be female

Skin color

• 80 would be Non-Caucasian

• 20 would be Caucasian

Religion

• 67 would be Non-Christian

• 33 would label themselves as Christian

Financially

• 20 people would control 90% of the total income

Housing

• 25 would live in substandard housing

Literacy

• 17 would not be able to read at all

Nutrition

• 13 would be malnourished

Life and Death

• 1 would die per year

• 2 would be born per year

Education

• 2 would have a college education

Technology

• 4 would own a computer

The parable of the apple orchard

• Once upon a time there was an apple grower with 10,000 acres of orchard

• He hired 1,000 apple pickers

• Instructed them to start a Society for the Picking of Apples

• Everyone was able to choose how they fit into that Society

• Some volunteered to be pickers, packers, fork lift drivers, cooks, accountants, storehouse builders, inspectors, and administrators

• In the end, only 100 chose to devote themselves to apple picking

• 94 of the apple pickers stayed within 100 acres of the homestead

• 6 chose to attend to the other 9900 acres

• The closest 100 acres were soon picked nearly bare. It was difficult to find apples ready for the harvest

• As apple picking slowed down, they devoted themselves to building bigger storehouses, better methods for apple picking, and even started apple picking schools

• Since there weren’t many apples to pick, they started to bicker amongst themselves

• In an effort to look productive, some actually started stealing apples others had already picked

• Meanwhile, 9900 acres of apples started to fall to the ground and rot

• One very excellent student of the apple picking school was very gifted. His heart was to go to the other 9900 acres

• His friends discouraged him. You would be such a bigger benefit to us back here

• Since the closest 100 acres was picked pretty clean, the workers focused their efforts on building nicer homes for themselves, increased their standard of living, and invented Playstation

• When the 6 from the 9900 acres returned home, they were given a heroes welcome

• The 6 were disappointed that 96% of the Societies budget went to better apple picking methods and bigger buildings and only 4% on the distant orchards

• The 6 in the 9900 acres weren’t as familiar with the best apple picking methods, but no one from the homestead was willing to help

• They really needed a truck driver, a maintenance person, a ladder builder, but none were available

• The members of the homestead had many other activities and events that consumed their time

• So when the Master returns, will he be impressed over the nicer buildings, better methods, nicer boxes to store apples, and apple picker training methods

• Or will His heart break over the 9900 acres of apples that continue to fall to the ground?

So how do I know if I should join the 6?

• Is your calling sure, or is it just emotion?• Is your vision clear?• Is your passion burning hot?• Have I submitted my character fully to Christ?• Are my fears at bay?• Have I surrendered my psychological baggage?• Are me ears open to the Holy Spirit?• Is my pace sustainable?

Watch the Video from Praise Chapel Christian Fellowship – Global Harvest

What if?

• What if we sent the cost of one night out to dinner per month?

• What if we saved $20 a month on our cell phone plan and supported an overseas church?

• What if we invested 1% of what we stick into our own 401K plans into an orphanage overseas?

Part of MGM’s vision

• We will find an individual or couple who have a heart to minister abroad

• We will support them to get started

• We will send teams and dollars to support the 9900 acres

• We will adopt a foreign place and people as God opens the doors

• We cannot continue to let the apples drop