FROM THE SEATS
TO THE MISSION LAUNCH GRACE BOMB AT YOUR CHURCH
THE NEED Too many believers are not engaged in the great commission of Jesus to go and make disciples. Too many OF OUR CHURCH ATTENDERS don’t even know how to start.
As leaders we long for our people to mature as followers of Jesus, and desire to help them live out their faith in the real world beyond our church services. But we also know that too many attenders are a long way off from Jesus’ great commission to go and make disciples. It is also very likely that if our people are not living out Jesus’ “golden rule” of loving our neighbors as ourselves, then it is even less likely those same people will engage in the deeper spiritual work of evangelism and discipleship of the great commission. For many of us, our best attempts of helping the congregation engage their neighbors and move towards the golden rule is periodic community service projects. While these good efforts are helpful, they are not easily reproducible, are short lived, and not available every day, for every person. Equipping the church for mission today requires we meet them where they are, and for many that is the seats, as spectators. Our people need help getting off the bench to move towards practical, Spirit-led, neighbor loving - they need help exercising the golden rule. From there accomplishing the great commission gets a little closer.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
THE IDEA IS CALLED
A Grace BOMB is a surprising gift that is meant to brighten someone’s day.
THE MOTIVATION for giving comes from Jesus who first Grace Bombed us with an abundance of love. He is the source and fuel of our giving.
THE PROMPTING to drop a Grace Bomb comes from the Holy Spirit who gently nudges us to give grace to others, to begin pointing them towards Jesus.
AND IS IN ROOTED IN PAUL’S WORDS TO THE EPHESIANS 2:8-10 WHICH IS SUMMARIZED AS: gRACE BUILT PEOPLE, GRACE BOMB PEOPLE.
the tool are Grace Bomb cards that provide us with a reminder and a reason to lovingly disrupt someone’s day. The cards also simply point to an interactive website to utilize for sharing and spurring one another on to love and good works.
the opportunity is to enable the entire congregation to exercise faith at any given moment on any given day - to help them become obedient to Jesus’ calling - to give them training wheels towards the great commission - in fulfilling God’s purpose for their lives.
A SIMPLE TOOL to get moving
THE RESOURCES CHURCH LAUNCHES GRACEBOMB.ORG
LOAD LISTEN LET’ER GO!
The best way to introduce this movement of obedience to your church is through the pulpit. The deep truths of the grace of God which transforms a person, and the clear charge of Jesus to be the light of the world all need to be taught as the foundation for then moving out into the world as Grace Bombers.
The TEACHING CONTENT of Grace Bomb provides the structure for a 3-8 week series. This also allows time for congregations to begin Grace Bombing, and stories to be shared and celebrated in real time. The content of the series will adjust to the context of the congregation, depending on whether your worship gatherings happen using candle light, or LED displays.
BIBLICAL TEXTS AND TOPICS THAT FRAME THE SERIES:
PART ONE: our identity, purpose, and tool Ephesians 2:8-10 - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
PART TWO: OUR SUPERNATURAL FUEL SUPPLY AND MODEL Hebrews 4:14-16 - Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
PART THREE: BLASTING BARRIERS Hebrews 12:1-2 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
THE NEXT STEPS
1. TRY out GRACE BOMBING YOURSELF Order some cards for free through gracebomb.org and try just try it. The website will give you ideas through first hand reported stories and instructions on how to get your bomb on.
2. connect with us go online to GRACEBOMB.ORG AND CLICK ON: BRING GRACE BOMB TO YOUR CHURCH
Lord willing in 2019 the in depth content that you can read, study, and then teach will be available in the published book: Grace Bomb: Equipping Ordinary Christians To Transform A Love Starved World. Until then, the movement is underway and we’d like to help you launch a series, by a combination of guest preaching with Patrick Linnell, and then your preaching staff, or leader, completing the series. By contacting us through the website, you’ll initiate a conversation about how we can best serve you in this effort of helping those you are called to lead glorify God by practically walking in those good works that has He prepared in advance for them to walk in.
GRACE BOMB IS A GRACE BOMB Thanks to a team of financial partners who graciously fund the non-profit “The Grace Bomb Company,” Grace Bomb cards, interactive website, story capture and distribution, teaching content, and guest preaching is all free.
patrick linnell bio: Pat is the co-founder and director of the Grace Bomb Company, a non-profit org, that exists to inspire and equip followers of Jesus to exercise grace for the sake of the kingdom. Married to Kristen with 4 children, Pat has a masters degree in theology from Columbia International University, SC, has been in vocational ministry for 15 years. Pat currently serves as the Lead Teaching Pastor at Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, MD (bayareacc.org), and would love to help you equip your congregation.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works hebrews 10:24
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. EPHESIANS 2:8-10