Our Missions Commitment

“Our Missions Commitment”
3 John
September 6, 2026

Next Sunday we are sending out a family from GBC to serve as emissaries of Christ to SE Asia — W&N.  They started preparing for this venture before they were even married (it was a desire they nurtured throughout their lives); and they began talking to us about it as soon as they came to GBC.  We have had many conversations, Will has completed the entrusted program, they have Bible degrees from college, they completed a one-year training program with Radius International, and a one-year internship with us.  The Lord has provided all the funds they need.  They are about to cross the finish line.

Actually, just like a wedding, they are not crossing the finish line.  They have been training for years, and they are about to start the race.  And in the same way that they are starting the race, so we are not finished training and caring for them; in many ways our work has just begun.  So what are our responsibilities?  To what are we committing ourselves as we send them?  As a church, what do we do for those we send?

It has been suggested that Acts is the best manual for missions that the church has.  We learn a tremendous amount about missions by reading Acts.  But many of the principles of missions we glean in Acts are also present in 3 John, but in shortened form.  If Acts is the missions manual, then 3 John is the synopsis of that manual.   If Acts is the novel, then 3 John is the short story. 

How will we summarize our commitment to missions?  Our missions policy document says this — The goal of missions at GBC is to cultivate a network of missionaries that will expand our global involvement and see people from all the nations trust Christ, love Christ, and live for Christ’s glory. To say it more simply, our goal is to be involved in taking the gospel to other parts of the world so those who don’t know Christ will come to know Christ.  As we do that, we recognize we have responsibilities. 

We are committed to fulfilling God’s responsibilities for us in the missionary endeavor.

What are those commitments?  John identifies at least six commitments of the church to those we send:

1. We Commit to Sending Purposefully (v. 6a)
2. We Commit to Sending Worthily (v. 6b)
3. We Commit to Giving Generously (vv. 7-8)
4. We Commit to Defending Truthfully (vv. 9-12)
5. We Commit to Communicating Regularly (vv. 13-14)
6. We Commit to Praying Consistently (vv. 1-2)

Download the rest of this sermon on 3 John.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.