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Read a scripture and sing worship songs.
(Optional) Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. He wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator also between God and man, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all. (Philippians 2:11b; 1 Timothy 2:4-6a)
Minister to one another’s needs in prayer, biblical counsel and encouragement.
Encourage loving accountability to obey Jesus
Cast vision for who they can become in Christ or what God can do through them by:
Our vision: “A church for every village and community, and the gospel for every person.”
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Additional questions you can use:
The story describes Acts as the continuation of Jesus’ ministry. What He started on earth, He is continuing from heaven through His Spirit-empowered followers. Before Jesus returns to heaven, He gives proof that He is alive and continues to teach about the nature of His Kingdom. Even after all the events that took place, the disciples we still did not fully understand the Kingdom and wondered when political power would be restored to the nation of Israel. Jesus taught that the Kingdom will spread through witnesses and the work of the Spirit, not by soldiers or by revolutionary violence. The disciples are now being sent like Jesus, but they need the Spirit’s power to walk as Jesus walked. They are to stay focused on the mission of making disciples of all nations until Jesus physically returns the same way He left. Read Matthew 28:18-20.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Practice giving and communion here or in the Preparing for Mission section.
+ Preparing for the Mission
Practice needed skills or previous topics to help prepare to minister to others:
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