You can be a Missionary

 Maybe you are not a leader in the church, but you want to establish something for God in your school or office, or in your neighbourhood.

God raised up wonderfully gifted leaders in the Bible.

We think of Peter, Paul and John, outstanding apostles who were able to discern God's thoughts and establish new missions. They were trailblazers for Jesus.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Ephesians 4:11 NLT

 But not all missionaries and trailblazers were official church leaders.

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.

However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.

The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. Acts 11:19–21 NLT

We will know these pioneers in heaven, but in the meantime we don't know their names.

Are you don’t have a position in the church, but you want to establish something in your school or office for God, or in your neighbourhood.

Maybe you can have a barbecue in your garden. You can invite your non-Christian neighbours, but also two or three Christian friends who are strong in faith. Then you can pray for your neighbours.

Once I talked to some friends who wanted to learn about the Bible. They had talked to Jehovah’s Witnesses and were interested in doing a Jehovah’s Witness Bible study. 

I immediately invited them to come to my house instead, and my wife and I spontaneously started our own bible study group.

I heard a wonderful testimony from a Christian woman who was active in a charismatic church.

One of the pastors, who was very prophetically gifted, organised a meeting, so that Christians would learn through practical experience to perceive God's thoughts and then pass them on.

Is that biblical? It is.

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 1 Cor 14:1 NIV84

“ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Acts 2:17 NIV84

When are we to prophesy? In the last days, in the end times. When did the end times begin? 2000 years ago. Have the end times come to an end? Really?

Who is allowed to prophesy? "Your sons and daughters." So women can prophesy too? According to the Bible, yes. And in assemblies with men? In Acts chapter 2, clearly yes.

The woman in this true story had a friend over. She wanted to attend the meeting where they learned to share God's thoughts, that is, prophesy.

Her friend did not believe in God, but she was curious and wanted to come along.

The preacher told the Christians to pair off. The curious unbelieving woman wanted to join in.

Then the preacher told everyone to pray and receive a revelation or message from God for their partner and share it. A strange thought came to the unbelieving woman, and she passed it on. The Christian woman was deeply blessed because only God could know what she heard.

The unbelieving woman was amazed, and she became a believer.

Is this biblical? In the Old Testament, a donkey spoke a true prophecy.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians 3:20 NIV84