Living for the Success of Others

The nature of our work as Global Gates missionaries provides a constant check on our own pride. That is because success for us is not how much of a following we can gather around us, but on how much we are discipling, enabling, and equipping others effectively enough for those people to repeat the process with others. In other words, if the mission work is depending too much on us, then we need to make sure our pride is not preventing us from enabling others and entrusting work to them.

Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ (ESV).”

Our job is to equip, which ultimately means that “our success” is determined by how much we are obeying Christ in equipping others to “be successful.” To be honest, I find the greatest satisfaction when I get to be on the front lines and the main person involved in the mission work we do. My hope, prayer, and goal is that my greatest satisfaction comes when I have helped others be successful in being the main people in the work the Lord has given us. May the Lord help us all to live for the success for others. 

Chris Clayman, Director, Global Gates Network

Two Perspectives Classes in NYC this Fall

There are two significant Perspectives classes being held in NYC this fall. The class in Woodside, Queens will actually be Perspectivas. That's right! The curriculum will be in Spanish and most instructors will be teaching in Spanish. For the instruction that will be taking place in English, equipment will be used so that people can have simultaneous translation in Spanish. This will be one of the first times a class like this has been held in the U.S. and will be strategic for mobilizing the Hispanic population to reach out cross-culturally and see the vital role they have in God's plan for the nations. Details are still being worked out on instructors for the class, but you can view registration information by visiting the class page.

Another significant Perspectives class will be hosted by Bethel Gospel Assembly in Harlem. They hosted last year but have taken a much more active role in the coordination of the class this year which has brought much excitement and momentum for the class. This will be an English-speaking/reading class. They have a great, diverse lineup of instructors for the class and you can register at their class page here.

Perspectives on the World Christian Movement is a catalytic course designed to equip the people of God to partner with Him in His mission to reach all peoples, tongues, tribes, and nations.  It presents the biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic aspects of fulfilling the Great Commission.

 

We encourage anyone who is serious about gaining a deeper understanding of God’s ultimate purpose in the world to attend this course. It is a discipleship experience which will help you discover your divine destiny as a disciple-maker. There will be a course held in Queens as well as in Harlem. For information about the course in Queens and to register visit the Perspectives site here. For information about the course in Harlem visit the Perspectives site here.
 

NYC Missionary Training School - EQUIP

NYC Missionary Training School (EQUIP) is an August-May training program led by a multi-agency team of the believers who are committed to starting churches among the unreached people groups of the world. Our focus is on making disciples among the thousands of internationals that come to New York City each year and training them to start reproducible churches here and when they return to their home countries. Ultimately, we desire to see movements of national-led churches established throughout the least reached corners of the world. This program enables individuals to learn about the DNA of reproducible church planting, cross-cultural ministry, and the Gospel while working alongside experienced church planters. Participants have opportunity to start discovery Bible studies and house churches among internationals or unreached people groups within New York City. If you are interesting in participating in or would like more information on EQUIP follow this link.

Making Disciples

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gives what sounds like a simple command to “go make disciples of all nations.” If the command were to simply “go do ministry among all nations” it would have been a lot simpler. The “make disciples” part gets messy. The command gets even more complicated when the Christian culture around us is often content to be active and busy with ministry, good deeds, and Christian “stuff,” all the while hardly ever stopping to ask if what we are doing is truly “making disciples.” Furthermore, the meaning of discipleship is often perceived to be how much someone knows about the Bible, and not how much someone obeys and follows Christ.

In an attempt to give focus to making disciples in our ministries, many of us at Global Gates have been using the following as the definition of a disciple:

“A disciple is someone who follows Christ, obeys Him, shares Him with others, allows Him to transform their worldview, and trains others to do the same.”

Jesus said that if we loved Him we would obey Him, so our definition focuses on following and obeying. As disciples, we also must share the gospel, enable and train others, and reproduce ourselves (2 Tim 2:2). Also, none of us have ever “arrived,” and we need Christ to transform how we view the world and help us overcome cultural and familial sins with the power of the gospel.

Looking at your own Christian walk and using this definition, how are you doing at being a disciple? How are you doing at making disciples? If you are like me, you need God’s grace to really help you!

Thanks for seeking Christ with us,

Chris Clayman,

Director, Global Gates Network

Cityreaching Movements Training in February

About the Training:

Everyone in Metro New York is well aware of the diversity of the city, but how would it be possible to reach an entire city full of different population segments and ethnic groups? The Cityreaching Movements Training will address how to multiply disciples by starting with our own personal devotion to Christ, and then through methods that have been used by God around the world to multiply disciples and churches in diverse settings. The training will be facilitated by Chris Clayman and is suitable for any follower of Christ longing to see God do more in and around them. It's free but please register by clicking here. 

Click here for a copy of the training outline.  

Sifting Weeks NYC 2014

During Sifting Weeks, volunteers will come to New York and be trained in meeting people on the street, sharing their testimony and the gospel with them, and being able to tell if the person is a person of peace.  This is a very strategic role that you will play as we sift through many people in the city to find those the Holy Spirit is at work in.  These ‘Sifting Weeks’ are very strategic as we seek to bring the gospel to South Asian peoples here in the city. Please see flyer below for more information.

From Paul to Barnabas by Chris Clayman

Many of us in pioneer missions have a temperament and focus akin to Paul. We want to be on the front lines--sharing Christ on the frontier and not on a foundation laid by someone else (Rom 15:20). While I certainly seek to continue living in this way, I have noticed a shift over the last year or so in the role God wants me, and many like me, to play.

In Acts 11, the story is told of a a movement of God outside the main Christian stream of the time. A church was started in Antioch and it was largely made up of non-Jews. The Jerusalem church heard about this Gentile movement and sent Barnabas to check it out. He was pleased at what he saw and exhorted them to stay faithful. With his credentials, knowledge, and experience, he could have remained in that movement and been the key figure. Instead, he immediately went to Tarsus where there was a diaspora Jew named Paul (who was outside of the mainstream Jerusalem church activities himself), and took him back to Antioch to train the people. Later, Barnabas and Paul were sent out from Antioch, and the incredible feats recorded in Acts of God's work through Paul ensued.

When we think about Acts we think about Paul and not Barnabas, but it was Barnabas that was used by God to identify and encourage the person who had the calling, gifts, and proximity of culture to be effective in ministry among the unreached peoples of the time. Without Barnabas, we wouldn't have the great stories of God's work through Paul.

I am a white guy from Texas. Although I have gone to great lengths to learn culture, language, and how to be effective in sharing Christ with African Muslims, most likely a movement would never take place among these people with me being the key figure. I need to be more Barnabas than Paul--to see where God is working among the least-reached, encourage those beginning to walk with Christ, and identify, connect, and work behind those workers that will be most effective in fanning the flame God has started (which will most often be found within the Muslim-background community itself). As much as I have the desire to be on the front lines, God has been painfully showing me that the role I need to be playing more of is that of a connector, mobilizer, catalyzer, identifier, and trainer of those who are to be on the front lines.