Embracing Global Integration in Christ's Love

Devotional

Day 1: We Are Christ’s Ambassadors to a Divided World

To be a follower of Jesus is to be sent as His ambassador—an envoy from the kingdom of God into a world that is often divided, hurting, and in need of reconciliation. This calling is not reserved for a select few, but is the identity of every believer: to represent Christ’s love, grace, and truth wherever we go, bridging gaps between people, cultures, and communities. As ambassadors, we do not go in our own strength, but as those through whom God Himself is making His appeal to the world, inviting all to be reconciled to Him. [47:45]

2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV)
"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

Reflection: Who in your daily life might God be calling you to reach out to as His ambassador—someone who feels disconnected, overlooked, or far from faith? How can you take a step toward them this week?

Day 2: The Global Church Reveals the Fullness of Christ’s Love

The love of Christ is vast—wider, longer, higher, and deeper than we can imagine—and yet, Paul teaches that we can only truly grasp its dimensions together with all of God’s people. Experiencing the global family of faith, with its diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and stories, expands our understanding of God’s love and helps us see just how magnificent and inclusive it truly is. We need the whole church, from every nation and tongue, to know the whole love of God. [01:03:43]

Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV)
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally connect with or learn from a believer from a different culture or background this week, so that your understanding of Christ’s love might grow?

Day 3: God’s Family Is Beautifully Diverse and United in Christ

Within the global church, there is no distinction of race, background, or social status—Christ is all and is in all. The family of God is made up of people from every nation, language, and walk of life, and this diversity is not just a fact to be acknowledged, but a gift to be celebrated. When we recognize and embrace the breadth of God’s family, we are reminded that our faith is not limited to our own culture or experience, but is a worldwide movement of grace and transformation. [54:36]

Colossians 3:11 (ESV)
"Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all."

Reflection: How does knowing that the church is made up of people from every background and culture challenge or encourage your view of what it means to be a Christian? What practical step can you take to celebrate this diversity?

Day 4: A Global Perspective Refines Our Vision of Eternity

Scripture paints a picture of eternity as a great, multicultural gathering—a city filled with people from every nation, tribe, and language, worshiping God together. This vision challenges us to expand our imagination of heaven beyond our own familiar circles and to anticipate the joy of a truly global community. As we look forward to this future, we are called to live now in ways that reflect and prepare for that eternal unity and celebration. [01:01:26]

Revelation 7:9 (ESV)
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands."

Reflection: When you picture eternity with God, who do you see there? How might you begin to live today in a way that anticipates and welcomes the diversity of God’s eternal family?

Day 5: Missional Reciprocity—Giving and Receiving in the Global Church

Being globally integrated as a church means not only sharing our resources and support with believers around the world, but also humbly receiving the gifts, wisdom, and spiritual nourishment that our international brothers and sisters offer us. This two-way partnership—missional reciprocity—calls us to be both generous givers and eager learners, recognizing that God uses the global church to strengthen, challenge, and grow us in ways we could never experience alone. [53:07]

Romans 1:11-12 (ESV)
"For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine."

Reflection: In what area of your spiritual life do you need to become more of a learner? How can you open yourself to receive encouragement or wisdom from the global church this week?

Sermon Summary

Today’s focus is on the final letter of our FLAG vision: G for Globally Integrated. As a church, we are called not only to serve our local community but also to be deeply connected to the worldwide family of God. This means being a bridge between our congregation in southeast Wisconsin and believers across the globe, just as the early church in Antioch was a hub for sending and receiving people for the sake of the gospel. Our commitment to global integration is not a new idea; it’s rooted in decades of Elmbrook’s history and in the very heart of God, who moves toward the world in love and grace.

We see this global calling lived out through partnerships with organizations like Samaritan’s Purse and James Place, and through our annual Harvest Fest, where we celebrate and learn from leaders around the world. But global integration is more than sending resources or people; it’s about missional reciprocity—giving and receiving. We are called to share our resources generously, recognizing the vast needs and the unfinished task of reaching every nation with the gospel. At the same time, we must humbly receive the gifts, insights, and spiritual vitality that our international brothers and sisters offer us.

The global church challenges and enriches us in at least seven ways: it expands our understanding of what Christianity looks like, strengthens our local practices, broadens our theological and social perspectives, heightens our gratitude for freedom, deepens our prayer lives, upends our assumptions about spirituality, and refines our vision of eternity. The American church is not the center of God’s work; rather, we are one part of a vibrant, diverse, and growing global body. As we open ourselves to learn from and serve alongside the worldwide church, we more fully grasp the width, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love—a love that can only be truly known together with all the saints.

This vision calls us to action: to give, to learn, to pray, to welcome, and to go. It is only in this global fellowship that we can experience the fullness of God’s love and participate in his reconciling work in the world. As we gather at the Lord’s Table, we remember that we are united with believers in every nation, anticipating the great feast to come when Christ’s kingdom is fully revealed.

Key Takeaways

1. Missional Reciprocity: True global integration is not a one-way street. We are called to both give and receive—sharing our resources with the global church and humbly learning from the faith, resilience, and spiritual gifts of believers worldwide. This mutual exchange reflects the heart of God, who moves toward us in grace and invites us to do the same for others. [45:53]
2. The Power of a Global Perspective: When we see the church through a global lens, our understanding of Christianity is transformed. We realize that the majority of Christians now live in the Global South, and their experiences, challenges, and insights are essential for our own spiritual growth. This perspective helps us break free from cultural blind spots and appreciate the diversity of God’s family. [55:24]
3. Learning from the Global Church: The American church has much to learn from our international brothers and sisters, especially in areas like discipleship, worship, and spiritual warfare. While we often focus on leadership, many global churches emphasize followership and participatory worship, reminding us that every member is called to active faith and service. [57:26]
4. Unity and the Fullness of Christ’s Love: Paul teaches that we can only grasp the vastness of Christ’s love “together with all the saints.” Isolated faith limits our experience of God’s love, but global fellowship—across cultures, languages, and backgrounds—enables us to know and embody the fullness of God’s heart for the world. [64:21]
5. Generosity as a Mark of Global Integration: Our financial commitments reveal our priorities. By giving sacrificially to global missions, we participate in God’s work of reconciliation and support the spread of the gospel to those who have never heard. Generosity is not just about meeting needs; it is a declaration that we belong to a worldwide family and are invested in its flourishing. [51:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:15] - Introduction to Navigate Vision
[34:22] - Greeting and Setting the Stage
[34:59] - The FLAG Acronym Explained
[35:57] - Globally Integrated: Our Calling
[37:25] - Honoring Samaritan’s Purse and Local Partners
[42:17] - Invitation to Serve Locally
[43:17] - The Importance of Global Missions
[44:19] - Elmbrook’s Role as a Global Bridge
[45:12] - The Antioch Model and Missional Reciprocity
[46:51] - Renewing Faith Through a Global Lens
[47:45] - Ambassadors for Christ
[51:10] - Generosity and the Harvest Fund
[54:01] - Seven Blessings from the Global Church
[62:47] - Grasping Christ’s Love with All the Saints
[65:20] - Conversation with Susheel from South Asia
[71:00] - Praying the Lord’s Prayer Together
[71:54] - World Communion Sunday
[73:06] - Communion Liturgy and Prayer
[76:13] - Closing Prayer and Commission
[82:32] - Next Steps and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (ESV) — > Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Colossians 3:11 (ESV) — > Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV) — > For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Observation Questions

In 2 Corinthians 5, what does Paul say is the ministry given to us by God, and how does he describe our role in the world?
According to Colossians 3:11, what kinds of differences are erased in Christ, and what does this say about the makeup of the church?
In Ephesians 3:18-19, what does Paul say is necessary for us to fully grasp the love of Christ?
The sermon described the church in Antioch as a “globally integrated” church. What made Antioch unique in the early church? [[44:19]]

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean to be an “ambassador for Christ” in the context of global integration? How might this look different from just being a local church member? [[47:45]]
The sermon talked about “missional reciprocity”—both giving and receiving in global partnerships. Why is it important for us to not only give but also receive from the global church? [[45:53]]
Paul says in Ephesians 3 that we can only know the fullness of Christ’s love “together with all the saints.” What are some ways that being connected to believers from other cultures helps us experience more of God’s love? [[01:04:21]]
The sermon listed seven ways the global church challenges and enriches us. Which of these stood out to you, and why do you think it’s important for our spiritual growth? [[54:01]]

Application Questions

The sermon challenged us to see ourselves as a bridge between our local church and the global family of God. What is one practical step you could take this month to build a connection with believers in another part of the world? [[44:19]]
Missional reciprocity means we both give and receive. Can you think of a time when you learned something important about faith from a Christian from another culture? If not, what could you do to put yourself in a position to learn from the global church? [[45:53]]
The sermon mentioned that generosity is a mark of global integration. How does your current giving reflect your priorities? Is there a specific way you feel called to support global missions or ministries this year? [[51:47]]
The global church helps us see blind spots in our own culture and faith. What is one area where you think American Christians (or you personally) might have a “cultural blind spot”? How could you seek out a different perspective? [[57:26]]
The sermon described how the global church can deepen our prayer lives. What is one way you could start praying more intentionally for the worldwide church this week? [[59:22]]
Paul’s vision is that we experience the fullness of Christ’s love “together with all the saints.” Is there a group of believers (locally or globally) that you tend to overlook or ignore? What would it look like to reach out or learn from them? [[01:04:21]]
The message ended with a call to action: to give, to learn, to pray, to welcome, and to go. Which of these actions feels most challenging for you right now, and what is one step you could take to grow in that area? [[01:16:13]]

Sermon Clips

Missional reciprocity means that we are sent into the world to serve and also that our international partners have been sent to bless us. We both answer and we issue a kind of Macedonian call to cross over from our church. [00:46:09] (23 seconds) #MissionalReciprocity

Secondly, global integration strengthens our local programs and practices. You know, for a long time, we in the west have considered ourselves to be a city on a hill shining into a world filled with dim perspectives. But all the evidence suggests that we are actually lagging the world in faith sharing, discipleship, and group growth. In America, the heroes have been pastors. In other countries, the heroes are the members. I really like that the stress in our country is on leadership development. The stress elsewhere is on followership development. [00:56:51] (40 seconds) #LocalStrengthGlobalVision

Third, global integration widens our perspective on social and theological issues. You know, there are just so many Westernisms in our theology that we're kind of blind to. We don't realize we have specific views on hermeneutics and anthropology and on economics and on government and on relationships. We have views on identity, work and family that depart significantly from global norms. We just don't know that. [00:57:43] (31 seconds) #BeyondWesternTheology

Fourth, global integration heightens our appreciation for our freedom of worship. We are in a place where we are the majority and we have broad freedoms to gather, to speak, and to worship. Many believers around the world live in minority contexts and they are shunned, if not outrightly persecuted, for practicing their faith. They face imprisonments and executions while we get really worked up about a few down votes on our social media posts. [00:59:00] (32 seconds) #FreedomInFaith

Fifth, global integration deepens our prayer lives. When we think about our worldwide family, we'll come to understand better what it means to pray words like thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. We will become broader intercessors. We will learn to repent for our arrogance toward and our ignorance about the needs of our spirit siblings. We will find new things for which to be thankful as we pray. [00:59:32] (28 seconds) #GlobalPrayerPerspective

Sixth, a global perspective upends our assumptions about spirituality. Two things to say here. Number one, we have to rethink the reality of spiritual warfare in which we live. We don't talk nearly enough about angels and demons and powers and principalities and exorcisms and healing. But the church around the world engages these entities every single day they're here. And number two, we have to pay attention to the fact that the Pentecostal kind of worship, the expressiveness and the charismatics that we sometimes cringe about are absolutely the norm in the global church. The Spirit is moving in different ways, gang. And we must catch these winds if we want to sail into the future. [01:00:01] (50 seconds) #SpiritualWarfareAwakening

And then finally, a global perspective refines our vision of eternity. Revelation 7, verse 9 says that in the end, like forever, ever, ever, ever, we are going to live in a community with people from every tongue, tribe and nation. See, lots of us picture heaven like a parlor room with our loved ones, but instead we should picture a city with a multinational feast. It's going to be like an ethnic and cultural fair forever and ever. [01:00:50] (36 seconds) #EternalMultinationalFeast

The isolated Christian can indeed know something of the love of Jesus, but his or her grasp of it is bound to be limited by their limited experience. It needs the whole people of God to understand the whole love of God. All the saints together with their varied backgrounds and experiences, we cannot really get it unless we get it globally. [01:04:39] (33 seconds)

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