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The Advance of The Gospel: Acts 13:1-3; 14:26 — 1/8/2025 10:00 AM
Today's GO Conference speaker is Dr. Josh Bowman, Assistant Professor of Missions and Theology at Cedarville University. Dr. Bowman looks at the mission of God, in which He calls sinners to worship Him for His glory, using the church to send laborers to proclaim the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. Dr. Bowman's text is Acts 13:1-3 and 14:26.
Notes
During today's chapel session at Cedarville University, Dr. Josh Bowman led a powerful message centered on the mission of God, particularly through the lens of sending. His message, part of the Global Outreach Conference, took us to the pages of Acts 13–14, offering a biblical understanding of God's global mission and the Church's essential role in fulfilling it.
Dr. Bowman began by emphasizing a foundational truth: “Sending is essential to the mission of God and God’s plan for redemption.” From the very beginning, God's heart has always been for the nations. Dr. Bowman reminded us that God “always had the nations in mind.” His plan of redemption is global, and His desire is that people from every tribe, tongue, and nation come to worship Him.
Drawing from the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys in Acts 13–14, Dr. Bowman outlined the three primary roles the Church plays in this divine mission: proclaiming the Word, sending laborers, and advancing worship. The church is the primary agent in God’s mission. Dr. Bowman powerfully declared, “The primary agent in God’s mission is the church.” It’s not individuals or agencies alone, but the Church collectively that is responsible for fulfilling God’s global mission.
Dr. Bowman drew on a powerful quote from John Piper in his message: “Missions exist because worship doesn't.” This encapsulates the urgency and necessity of missions: Missions is the means through which God draws worshippers to Himself. As long as there are people who have not heard the Gospel, worship remains incomplete, and God's glory is not fully realized among the nations.
Dr. Bowman also challenged the Cedarville community by focusing on the importance of the local church. He asked, “Are you involved in your church? Do you know the doctrine of your church? Can you defend the doctrine of your church?” These questions were designed to encourage each of us to take personal responsibility in advancing the mission of God through our local congregations. It’s not just about global outreach, but also about living faithfully within the local church and equipping ourselves for the mission of spreading the Gospel.
Paul’s ministry was a beautiful example of this. He didn't simply preach and move on; he planted churches, raised up leaders, and saw to it that the work continued even after his departure. Paul’s goal was to gather believers and start churches, and this is still the goal of the Church today.
Finally, Dr. Bowman left us with a powerful call to action: Will you go? Will you be sent out to spread the Gospel to the nations, whether near or far? It starts with setting our hearts on the Lord and being willing to follow where He leads.
Dr. Bowman's message serves as a timely reminder that God's mission is not just for the spiritually elite but for the body of Christ as a whole. The Church is God’s chosen instrument for reaching the world, and each believer has a part to play in fulfilling the Great Commission. Let us respond by being active members of our local churches, sharing the Gospel, and being ready to go wherever God calls us.
“Sending is essential to the mission of God and God’s plan for redemption.” It’s time for the Church to embrace this truth and carry the message of salvation to the ends of the Earth.