Missions Opportunities
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8
Our missions opportunities are both local and global. In fact, we are always on mission right here in our community and we are always striving to fulfill the Great Commission and live out the Great Commandment. This page provides resources and information about opportunities for both local and global missions through FBC Mount Sterling.
Support Missions by giving toward our series of international trips to Mongolia.
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If you would like to make a donation to support the Mongolian Mission Trip, you can donate here.
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Missions through Small Groups
Each of our small groups are challenged to develop and implement a small group project each year. Through small groups we have sponsored some of our very own young adults to serve on short-term mission trips. We have built a house through Habitat for Humanity. We provided the hardware for 160 beds to be constructed for children across 30 counties throughout Eastern Kentucky through the Build-A-Bed Project. If you are interested in missions, your first step is to become involved in a small group!
Missions through Giving
Our church is committed to giving financially to support missions. We give a portion of our weekly tithes and offerings to the Cooperative Program of the SBC. Through the Cooperative Program we support thousands of missionaries around the world. We also support the Eliza Broadus Missions Offering, Annie Armstrong Missions Offering, and the Lottie Moon Missions Offering. Through our Small Groups, we also support numerous mission projects. Your regular giving goes to support missions in a major way!
Please click the "Donate" button below to give. |
Missions through "Come and See" and "Go and Tell"
Missions is not an isolated ministry of our church, but it is woven throughout all we do. Instead of thinking of missions as "an offering" or an "overseas trip," think of it as an ongoing effort to help others see and experience the Kingdom of God.
"Come and See" One side of the evangelism coin is to invite others to "come and see." We will offer numerous opportunities for you to invite others to "come and see" the wonderful things that Christ is doing through our church. We have developed "You're Invited" cards that are available in the lobby to assist you in inviting others. "Go and Tell" The other side of the evangelism coin is to share with others what God has done in your life. This page offers resources to help you develop your personal testimony (i.e. Everyone Has a Story) and also provides a strategy for personal evangelism (i.e. The SHARE Challenge). |
Missions through Personal Evangelism
The SHARE Challenge is a five-step evangelism strategy and spells out the word SHARE.
Show others your faith in Christ through both words and actions. This approach to evangelism is often called “Lifestyle Evangelism.” This particular approach to evangelism has certainly received its share of criticism. Those who are opposed to the strategy suggest that Lifestyle Evangelism is nothing more than a cop-out from personal evangelism. Lifestyle Evangelism suggests that people should see your faith in action through the way you live life. The biblical support for this strategy of evangelism can be found in Matthew 5:16 where Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” However, the critics do have a valid concern. If a Christian never moves beyond this particular step, and never uses words in his evangelism, the “good” lifestyle may as well be attributed to simply being a “good” neighbor. In all of my years of ministry, I have never had anyone say to me, “You live such an amazing lifestyle; I gave my life to Christ.” If this is the only strategy that you are using, it is incredibly insufficient. It is a great step and it is essential for others to see your light shine before men; however it is but the first step in sharing our faith with others and cannot stand alone. In fact, while this particular strategy is insufficient to stand alone, the other strategies are dependent upon our lifestyle honoring Christ. Help others through meeting their needs. This approach to evangelism is often referred to as “Servant Evangelism.” The idea behind this strategy is to put the needs of others ahead of our own. The goal is not to treat people as “projects,” but rather to treat people as Christ would treat them. There are two passages of Scripture that come to mind when I think of Servant Evangelism. The first is Philippians 2:2-4, “Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Putting the needs of others ahead of our own is more than a strategy, it is a mindset that believers are to embrace. Matthew 20:25-28 states, “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” So far, we have discovered that evangelism must be part of our lifestyle. It isn’t something we turn on and off. We are always witnessing through our lifestyle (Lifestyle Evangelism). Secondly, we have discovered that evangelism is a mindset of looking out for the needs of others (Servant Evangelism). Ask others to attend a weekend worship service or an outreach event with you. This approach to evangelism is referred to as “Invitational Evangelism.” The weekend worship services at First Baptist Church Mount Sterling have been intentionally designed to be a place for believers to invite their unchurched friends. We even have "You're Invited" cards available for your to pass out to others. Research has provided some surprising responses in a recent survey. Surprise #1: Most of the unchurched prefer to attend church on a Sunday morning if they attend. Surprise #2: Most of the unchurched feel guilty about not attending church. Although they feel guilty about not attending, they also feel nervous about fitting in. Therefore, we must make them feel welcome when they do attend. Surprise #3: 96% of the unchurched are at least somewhat likely to attend church if they are invited. Perhaps it is worth restating it this way, “More than 9 out of 10 of the unchurched said they would come to church if they were invited.” What then do the unchurched consider to be an invitation? Here are some things to keep in mind when making an invitation…
The idea behind “Invitational Evangelism” is to actively invite your unchurched friends to attend worship with you. Don’t be afraid to make the invite; as we have discovered, 96% are just waiting for you to ask! Reveal why and how you became a Christian. This is known as “Testimonial Evangelism.” As you SHARE your faith, it is important to reveal what God has done in your life. Your personal testimony is something that is not up for debate. In John 9 we read of a man who was born blind. The Pharisees were asking him questions about Jesus to which he didn’t know the answers. His response to them is applicable to our own testimony. “He answered and said, ‘Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see’” (John 9:25). A common concern that people have about sharing their faith is the fear that someone will ask them a question to which they don’t have an answer. However, it is perfectly fine not to have all of the answers. It is acceptable to say, “I don’t know.” You may want to defer the answer as you seek counsel and research the question more thoroughly, but you should always be ready to share your own personal testimony. The Bible says, “Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). Your response can be similar to the man born blind, “I don’t know the answer to that question right now, but what I can tell you is what God has done in my life.” If you are interested in learning more about sharing your personal testimony, I have a tool called, “Everyone Has a Story.” The resource will help you write out your salvation testimony as well as your growth stories. As Christians we only have one salvation testimony, but we have numerous growth stories. This resource will assist you with both. Extend an invitation for your friend to personally accept Christ. This is known as “Personal Evangelism.” At this point in sharing your faith, it is important to have your personal Bible marked with key passages of Scripture and walk your friend through each verse. Here are some verses to mark in your Bible and some things to remember when sharing your faith with your friends…
Assurance of your new faith! The Bible says… “For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13. Now it’s time to get started! Ask God to open your eyes to the opportunities around you to begin sharing your faith. You’ll be amazed at the number of opportunities you are given each day! |
Missions Resources
EVERYONE HAS A STORY
"Everyone Has a Story" is a resource for believers who are discovering the joy of sharing their faith through their personal testimony. 
SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH CHILDREN
"Sharing the Gospel with Children" is a guide to assist parents and children's workers in knowing when and how to share the Gospel with children. |