Souls 2019

The team at Bay Area Community Church killed it on Saturday with their Souls Missions conference - truly an inspiring time. Love their missions team there and their lead pastor Greg St. Cyr drives that church to be more and more globally focused as time goes on. Some selected notes and commentary below.

Also, if you attended my workshop, thanks for being there! I had a great time with both my sessions. Here are my slides.

Todd Ahrend - The Traveling Team
* TTS - Todd was a phenomenal speaker, he spoke three times and his talks all flowed together and his content was excellent. World class speaker also in terms of his technical speaking ability. Some people may not like what he has to say.

The mission of God - once you see it woven through all the Bible, you won't be able to unsee it.
'Live close to my family' - almost a badge of honor for American Christians.
1600 times - peoples blessed through you
John Stott - the most important Bible verse is Gen 12:1-4
Kansas State - 'family' - football games, in the family but not in the game - similar to missions today
'All, peoples, nations, tribes, earth, languages' - read through the Bible marking those
Gen 12 - Jude - the plot of the Bible

**Is 49:6 he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

The Missionary Mall - Utah
Parents there were thrilled that their kids were going on a mission - buy whatever you want!
Mormons gives 2 years, Christians give excuses.

'What countries would you ask God to send them to?' You would think we were asking to send them to the moon - if you asked Christian parents this about their kids.

Savings, safety, my kids - what we value and everyone else does too so no one holds us accountable
We want the blessing of salvation without the responsibility of the nations.

I used to think God was interested in reaching as many people as possible. Now, I think that he is interested in reaching first and foremost a community from every people group.

I drive past seven churches in 20 minutes when I go to my church. My wife and I traveled some 1500 miles in the Gulf countries and didn't pass one.

Unreached - less than 2%,
Unengaged - all zeros across the board
Top 5 countries in need: India, India, India, India, China.

Movements - 1000 or more baptized believers within 10 years.
610AD - 1890: 0 movements
1890 - 1999: 13
2000- today: 70
More Muslims coming to Jesus in the last 19 years than in the last 1400 years combined.
Why
Our missions methods
The Bible in their native tongue
Extremism makes some question their identity
Quran in their native language

A little lady in a nice church in Iowa told me she didn't want to bring that evil book into her house. I told her that I have 6 kids and 5 Qurans in my house but no television. The television will bring evil faster in to your house than anything else.

: Greg St. Cyr - Leading the Church to Reach the Nations
* TTS - Greg is the real deal. Incredible husband, father, pastor and leader.

First short term missions trip to Poland - 'Greg, you were made for this.'
8 years in Poland
Been 25 years as lead pastor at BACC
15 years in, mentor said to him, "See yourself as a missionary leading a thousand missionaries.'

'If Jesus comes again, I don't want to be in seminary.'
Learn to love maps, globes and hourglasses.
BACC has divided the world into 17 regions and wants to be in every one of those.

A short term missions trip is a fast track to discipleship.

Lots of quotes from John Mott.
Foundation: Christ's supremacy and the nations
Get a world map and globe, learn to persevere in private prayer
Theology of nations
Get a STM to go with you
Educational plan for congregation which includes preaching an annual series on God's heart for the nations
Continually cast a God-size vision for the nations
Designate a faith percentage of offering to missions while growing a culture of generosity
Implement a leadership pathway designed to equip future global missionaries, focusing especially on young people
Prayerfully initiate a partnership with a global missionary who shares church's vision and doctrine with the goal of discerning whether this is one of God's global partners.
Draft a global missions policy manual for elder approval

After his wife complimented him, Greg said, "Mary Kaye, you are the best."

: Michele Rollins and Amy French - STM leader training
* TTS - This team has developed an incredible process around supporting and training team leaders and a comprehensive manual for this. Really impressive. There is such clarity in vision that starts from the church's overall vision that informs how they do global work.

Role of the leader - disciple your team through a cross cultural experience
Not about a single moment or team
Supporting a God given purpose in another city

Shift - doing ministry yourself to equipping your team
Want to give authority and autonomy to our leaders
God puts perfect teams together.

BACC focuses on church planting among 1 - unreached, 2 - needy, 3 - urban - intentionally broad, let the Spirit guide them into partnerships.