Mere Missions

T he H oly S pirit : E mpower • 89

fulfilled” (Acts 14.26). Paul knew when a disciple was made and when a church was established, for he reported his task as being completed/fulfilled. The culmination of the Apostle Paul’s missions’ efforts was the establishment of a local church. “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14.23). Paul did not leave this to chance. The Apostle to the Gentiles was purposeful and strategic in making sure that the disciples gathered in a local assembly. Considering the centrality of the Church and the spiritual warfare we are engaged in, we must commit to establishing hundreds of thousands more “outposts of the Kingdom” in enemy occupied territory. An Apostolic Missions Platform commits to empowering by planting as many churches as we can as quickly as possible.

Connection: Rules of Engagement (ROE)

“Are you sure about this Lord?” “Your will be done and not mine.” This is the tension of missions from beginning (the call) to the end

(planted) and the entire process in between. Each step of the way, the church planter, must surrender all to the Holy Spirit (Apostolic Missions Plank) to effectively engage in the second “E” of our Apostolic Missions Platform – Empowering . In 2001 HBO aired the war drama miniseries, Band of Brothers . It is based on the factual accounts of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division called “Easy Company.” Over ten episodes, the series details the company’s exploits during World War II. Lieutenant Colonel Ronald C. Speirs (20 April 1920–11 April 2007) was a United States Army officer who served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division during World War II.