Wrote Paul to the Philippians: “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice” (Phil. 1:15–18, NKJV).
Powerful words! Whether in “pretense or in truth,” Christ is preached—and that is what mattered to Paul. Ideally, though, our motives for preaching Christ, for mission, for reaching others with the good news, should be out of love, and out of truth—and not from selfish ambition, envy, or strife.
What, then, are some of the motivations for preaching Christ, andwhat are some of the ways that we can prepare for doing this?
This week we will look at some events in the early church that can give us guidance on these crucial parts of mission.
Thought questions: Why should the idea that even some of those who were complicit in Christ’s death were offered salvation (1) encourage us for our own souls and (2) encourage us to witness to others, no matter how bad they may seem to be?
Motivation and Preparation for Mission (Qtr 4 - Week 6: 11 November) Part1
Motivation and Preparation for Mission (Qtr 4 - Week 6:11 November) Part2
Audio recordings are available 5-10 minutes after the show has aired.