The Ohio Independent Baptist, August 1971

The Local Church And Missions by Rev. Earl Umbaugh We frequently hear the expression ' 'keep your priorities straight''. We used to say "put first things first" or ' 'don't settle for second best". In Philippians 1: 10 we are exhhorted to "approve things that are excellent" or best. This is of prime importance in relationship to the Lord's work and especially as it relates to missions. The ev.' Testament puts the local church in the place of priority in carrying on the Lord's work. The establishment of the local church was promised by our Lord in Matthew 16: 18. On the basis of Peter's confession of His essential deity, He said, "I will build my church". Whatever our view of the church, we must conclude that in– corporated in this statement, is His intention to establish local churches to carry on His work during this age of grace. In fact , the only manifesta– tion of the church, that we know any– thing about, is local bodies of be– lievers that evangelize the lost, bap– tize the saved, administer the Lord's Supper, receive and disburse the tithes and offerings of the Lord's people to further the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This church was born on the day of Pentecost with the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. It began its ministry by preaching the gospel to those present and winning about three thousand souls to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ . The proliferating of the church is seen throughout the rest of the New Testa– ment. It was not long until there were churches throughout Judea, Samaria, Asia Minor, Southern Europe and North Africa. The power and blessing of these local assemblies is due to the personal and spiritual presence of the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 1: 11-18). From this we conclude that the local church must have priority in our Christian service. This priority ought to extend to our planning and programming for mis– sions. A foreign missionary has defined missions as one church establishing another church. If this is true, then, foreign misions is one church or a number of churches working together to establish another church on a foreign field and home missions is one chl1rch or a number of churches work– ing together to establish another church on the field. Since this is true, Cred it: Poland Village Baptist Church Poland Village, Ohio let .us keep our priorities straight by setting-up a balanced missionary bud– get, in our local churches, that will have as its main thrust the starting of churches both at home and abroad. It seems to me that such a budget could include the goal of using one third of our missionary money to sup– port those missionaries who are going out to do the basic work of establish– ing churches on the foreign field, one third of our missionary money going to the work of establishing new churches on the home field and one third going to supportive ministries such as schools, youth camps, mission– ary teachers, printing, r adio, medical work, airplane ministries, etc., on both the home and foreign field. Such a balanced missionary budget v,,; ould give a strong steady advance across the whole field of missionary endeavor. Another article will appear next month, to support this proposal, with appro– priate statistical information. AVAILABLE FOR • • • Pulpit Supply and / or Sermons in Song REV. GEORGE P. ZINN Route 3, Huber Road Norwalk, Ohio - 44857 Tel . (4 19) 668-8072 Wells Construction Company 17219 Euclid, Al len Park, Michig~n 48101 Mr. Oran Wells, President Complete Church Building Program Services Including Pt..A l A MAJ PIN - (A. " About Ca 11 or Write Mr. Lawrence F. Wil on Profes ional Engineer 3504 'Norden Road Oregon, Ohio 436 6 Tel,ephon : 419-691 -5886 or, Our M in Office