Reaching the Unreached: Building Bridges Through Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Cultural Bridges in Ministry

Reaching out to unreached people groups necessitates a deep understanding and respect for their cultural backgrounds. By meeting individuals in their own spaces and on their terms, one can share the transformative message of Jesus in a way that truly resonates. This approach fosters genuine connections and opens doors for the gospel to be shared effectively. [55:42]

Acts 17:22-23 - "Then Paul stood in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: 'People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.'"
Reflection: How can you better understand the cultural background of someone you know who is from a different culture or faith, in order to share the love of Jesus with them?

Day 2: The Power of Relational Evangelism

Building relationships is a long-term commitment that requires patience, consistent interaction, and genuine care. It is through these relationships that trust is built, allowing for meaningful conversations about faith to occur. The story of Fareed exemplifies the impact that relational evangelism can have in opening doors for the gospel. [01:03:33]

1 Thessalonians 2:8 - "Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well."
Reflection: Who is someone in your life with whom you can begin to invest more deeply, showing them the love of Christ through your actions and commitment?

Day 3: Storytelling as a Gospel Tool

Memorizing and presenting Bible stories in an engaging and dramatic way can captivate listeners and vividly convey the truths of the gospel. This method of storytelling allows the message of Jesus to come alive, touching the hearts and minds of the audience in a profound manner. [51:04]

Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
Reflection: What is one Bible story that has impacted you deeply, and how can you share this story with someone in a way that might resonate with them?

Day 4: Celebrating Unity in Christ

The unity of believers in Christ transcends cultural and ethnic distinctions. Faith in Jesus is the common ground for all believers, and this unity should be celebrated and emphasized in outreach efforts. The teachings from Galatians remind us that it is faith, not cultural practices, that makes us righteous before God. [44:44]

Ephesians 2:14-15 - "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace."
Reflection: How can you demonstrate the unity of believers in your interactions with Christians from different cultural or ethnic backgrounds?

Day 5: The Necessity of Prayer in Ministry

Prayer is a vital component of ministry, particularly when addressing complex issues such as international conflicts and their impact on diaspora communities. Praying for peace, understanding, and opportunities to share the gospel is crucial for the success of any ministry endeavor. [01:20:34]

Colossians 4:2-3 - "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains."
Reflection: What are some specific needs in your community or in the world that you can commit to praying for this week, asking God to open doors for His message to be heard?

Sermon Summary

The content presented emphasizes the importance of reaching out to diaspora communities, particularly focusing on unreached people groups, with the message of Jesus Christ. The team, which includes individuals like Sam, an intern, and others, is dedicated to sharing the gospel and establishing church communities among these groups. However, they remain open to engaging with anyone God brings their way, regardless of their background, demonstrating a universal approach to ministry.

The discussions at the team's gatherings often revolve around imaginative topics, such as superpowers, which serve as a metaphor for the attributes of God and His intentions for all nations. From the beginning, it is highlighted that God's plan was to draw all nations to Himself, not just a select few.

The approach to sharing the gospel is multifaceted, involving good works and spiritual conversations that bridge cultural gaps. For example, the team uses stories from the Quran that parallel biblical narratives to connect with individuals from Muslim backgrounds. They emphasize the importance of accurately and dramatically conveying Bible stories to ensure the essence of the message is communicated effectively.

Building relationships is a key strategy in their ministry, often taking several years to see individuals come to faith in Jesus. The team engages in discussions about religious beliefs, challenging misconceptions about Christianity and clarifying the nature of Jesus as the Son of God, not merely a prophet.

The message also touches on the unity of believers in Christ, regardless of ethnic background. The teachings from Galatians 3 and 4 are used to illustrate that faith, not adherence to the law or cultural practices, is the basis for righteousness and inclusion among God's people. The historical context of the Judaizers' influence in Galatia is explored, emphasizing that salvation comes through Jesus alone, not through cultural assimilation or adherence to the law.

The team employs various tools when ministering to Muslims, such as living out the power of God in their lives, understanding cultural backgrounds, and sharing personal testimonies. They also facilitate Discovery Bible Studies (DBS) to encourage individuals to explore the scriptures and discover God's message for themselves.

The team's vision is to initiate church planting movements among unreached people groups, empowering local believers to establish their own churches. They aim to train cultural insiders to lead these movements and have made significant progress toward this goal.

The content concludes with a call to prayer for various needs, including the building of relationships with Muslims, the conflict in Israel and Palestine, and the team's ongoing ministry efforts. The team's commitment to understanding and respecting cultural practices, such as Ramadan and Eid al-Adha, is evident as they seek to share the love of Jesus in ways that are meaningful to the people they serve.

Key Takeaways

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Bible Reading

Galatians 3:1-9 — "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham 'believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.' So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."

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Observation Questions

What is the main argument Paul is making in Galatians 3:1-9 about faith and the law?
How does the team in the sermon use cultural understanding to share the gospel with diaspora communities? ([23:54])
What are some of the tools mentioned in the sermon that the team uses to minister to Muslims? ([47:42])
How does the team build relationships with individuals from different cultural backgrounds, and why is this important? ([57:24])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul emphasize that faith, not adherence to the law, is the basis for righteousness in Galatians 3:1-9?
How does the team's approach to using stories from the Quran to connect with Muslims reflect their commitment to cultural understanding? ([49:52])
What does the sermon suggest about the importance of accurate and dramatic storytelling in sharing the gospel? ([51:04])
How does the unity of believers in Christ, as discussed in the sermon, challenge cultural and ethnic distinctions? ([44:23])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you had to build a relationship with someone from a different cultural background. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them? ([57:24])
The sermon emphasizes the importance of accurate and dramatic storytelling. How can you improve your ability to share Bible stories in a way that captivates and engages your audience? ([51:04])
Consider the different tools the team uses to minister to Muslims. Which of these tools could you incorporate into your own efforts to share the gospel with people from different backgrounds? ([47:42])
The sermon highlights the unity of believers in Christ. How can you promote this unity in your own church or community, especially among people from diverse cultural backgrounds? ([44:23])
Prayer is a critical component of the team's ministry. How can you incorporate more intentional prayer into your efforts to reach out to unreached people groups or diaspora communities? ([01:20:34])
Think about the long-term investment required to build relationships for evangelism. What steps can you take to cultivate patience and consistency in your own relational evangelism efforts? ([57:24])
The sermon calls for understanding and respecting cultural practices. How can you educate yourself about the cultural backgrounds of the people you are trying to reach with the gospel? ([23:54])

Sermon Clips

"Living our life. Let them know who we are. Go around and go to restaurants. Go around and let them know. Next one, this one, we're building relationships." [57:32] (Download)

"We are committed to playing searches among diaspora with a special intention for pursuing unreached people groups. But guess what? If we meet with someone in a group, we're not going to say, we're not going to run these people groups, so we're not going to say Jesus did it. If God brings us a group or someone else who's not an UTG, we're going to say Jesus did it." [34:02] (Download)

"From the very beginning, God said, I'm going to save all nations. I'm going to draw all the nations through myself. And this is what we're going to look at today." [35:24] (Download)

"We don't summarize. We literally look at the Bible scripture, almost memorize the scripture, and then we talk, and then we almost quote it or in a dramatic way, so they get the fewest stories of the Gospel or creation." [51:04] (Download)

"We're looking for people of peace, people who want to learn more about Jesus, people who want to have DBS days." [01:19:38] (Download)

"We need to pray for people to build relationships, and places to build a relationship with, with Muslims." [01:20:34] (Download)

"And that is why we are showing the love of Jesus, because so many people don't know Him." [55:42] (Download)

"That's what Jesus did. If you look at Jesus, Jesus went to the women with the rod. Jesus met people with the rod. That's what I need to do is, I need to go to where they're at, and take Jesus to them, in the ways that they can understand Him." [56:41] (Download)

"We want to initiate a church planting movement among unreached people groups. We want to come alongside, as we plant churches, we want them to get seeds to plant churches amongst their people groups." [26:35] (Download)

"We are all one in Christ. There's no distinction between a Jew and a Gentile. There's no distinction. God really is our God. God owned all the nations. No matter who you are." [44:44] (Download)

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Transcript

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