Synopses & Reviews
If you had a ladder made of splinters, would you stand on it?
Unfortunately, the mission practices of most churches stand on weak foundations. Life on Mission gives gospel-centered, biblical, practical foundations for how missions was meant to be: an everyone-together effort.
Life on Mission is a thorough yet simple guide for everyday missionaries—electricians, lawyers, church planters, students, etc.—that equips them with truths and practices for living out the gospel within their own community. Adaptable to any context, Life on Mission functions great as both an individual and small-group study.
Threaded with engaging stories and probing reflection questions, Life on Mission will help you and your community take bold steps to living life on mission.
Review
Willis and Coe give an inspiring and hopeful look into the world of everyday mission. They clearly lay out before us the challenge to reach North America and offer the gospel-centered, biblical approach to how God is going to build His church through the efforts of ordinary people.
Matt Carter, pastor of preaching, Austin Stone Community Church and coauthor of The Real Win
Being on mission needs to be rerouted. It has been focused on methods and models more than shaped by the gospel, God’s mission, and the person of Jesus. Read Life on Mission and find yourself being more driven to focus your life and mission on these.
Eric M. Mason, pastor of Epiphany Fellowship and author of Manhood Restored and Beat God to the Punch
God calls and equips His people to serve in very specific contexts related to how He uniquely gifts them. Work is worship, and I realized that early in my NFL kicking career. Done in a God-honoring fashion, work screams to a dark, hurting world there is a Creator God who intends for His children to live a full, abundant life. This book challenges me to stay living “on mission” and to know that I am His handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do very specific great works He has prepared in advance for me to do. We are all “missionaries” and Aaron helps me remember God will accomplish immeasurably more in and through me than I could ever ask or imagine when I live “life on mission.”
Todd Peterson, NFL placekicker 1993–2006
Chairman, Pro Athletes Outreach
We must be intentional, passionate, and strategic in mobilizing the church on mission. I am convinced that Life on Mission can help us accomplish this, resulting in accelerating our commitment to reaching our region, North America, and the world.
Ronnie Floyd, president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of Cross Church, Northwest Arkansas
A compelling book that connects mission to worship and shows how one cannot really believe the gospel and not be moved into mission. This book does more than describe mission; it compels action.
J. D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church and author of Gospel: Recovering the Power That Made Christianity Revolutionary
The Great Commission is not for a select, elite few. It is for the whole body of Christ. Life on Mission makes that argument and then shows us in practical, concrete ways how to join God in His mission to make His Name famous among all peoples near and far. We all have a choice, an opportunity, to be on mission no matter who we are, where we live, or what we do. So read this book with much profit. Read it and then get to work as God’s missionary in the mission field He has placed you.
Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
We are all called as leaders to be on mission as agents of the gospel, not just those in full-time ministry. Life on Mission defines what this looks like, how you can get there, and the good news that we all need—our lives are meant to be on mission for God! Take your next step to being on mission wherever God has placed you. Read this book!
Brad Lomenick, Author, The Catalyst Leader and former president and key visionary, Catalyst
Aaron Coe is one of the most dynamic leaders in contemporary evangelicalism. This book is a theologically rooted and practically applied primer on how to join Jesus in his mission. I can think of no one with more personal credibility to challenge us in this way. This book can change your perspective, and maybe even your life.
Russell D. Moore, president, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Dustin Willis hits a simple message that profoundly changed my life.Focus on God’s agenda while you live life and you will begin to see that people all around you are lost and in need of a Savior. This book shows us the need to pray for people in our workplace, the grocery line, soccer fields, and even in our own family. Willis and Coe provide a simple framework to love these people in a natural and friendly way that brings glory to God. This book is must-read for those that want to have purpose in their work and play.
Steve Von Fange, vice president information systems, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of SC
The evangelical church in North America was not built on professional mission workers and physical church buildings. It was the Holy Spirit’s use of everyday Christians living on mission, knowing their context, and seeing opportunities to start ministries and churches that fueled the spread of the gospel. This book goes a long way in helping equip God’s people for the work of everyday mission and ministry.
Trevin Wax, managing editor of The Gospel Project, author of Gospel-Centered Teaching, Counterfeit Gospels, and Holy Subversion.
Synopsis
A weak gospel foundation leads to fragile missions practices. Understanding both the biblical foundations and biblical missionary practices is essential to joining the everyday mission of God.
Life on Mission is a rich but simple guide that will help everyday missionaries (electricians, lawyers, church planters, students, etc.) in the areas of gospel and mission, which will lead to an effective ministry within one's own community. The content is adaptable to any context and can function well as an individual study or within a small group environment. Life on Mission not only delivers a robust gospel base with daily mission practices, but is threaded with engaging stories and powerful questions that help individuals to take their next steps to living life on mission.
Synopsis
God is inviting you to join in His mission: to take all that’s broken and make it new. This isn’t just for a select few. It’s for the entirety of the Church. What does it actually look like? What’s your part in it? Find out by joining the everyday mission of God.
About the Author
DUSTIN WILLIS started and pastored Midtown Fellowship in Columbia, SC a thriving church in the downtown community. From the church's beginning there was a strong commitment to discovering, developing, and deploying young leaders to join God in his mission to take the gospel to the world. After serving there for 6 years and seeing the church grow to over 800 people, Dustin moved with his wife Renie and two children Jack and Piper to Atlanta, GA where he now serves as the Coordinator of the Multiplying Church and the Editor and Creative Director of the Send Network at the North American Mission Board.
AARON COE serves as the Vice President of Mobilization and Marketing of the North American Mission Board, providing leadership in mobilizing churches and missionaries to plant churches.Aaron, a native of Louisville, KY., served from 2003 to 2010 as a church planting missionary where he worked with New Hope New York, an organization that planted 38 churches in the years after 9/11. From this experience, he became the lead pastor/church planter at Gallery Church in 2006. He also has played a role in raising leaders, partners and resources for many new churches, including the Gallery Church.In 2009, he became executive director of "SendNYC," the impetus for what has become Send North America - NAMB's church planting initiative.Aaron has a Bachelor of Science from Middle Tennessee State University and a Master of Divinity and Master of Theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Carmen, have four children, Ezra James, Danielle, Joshua, and Harper.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
Part 1: Why?
1. The Mission of God and the Reality
2. Kingdom Realignment
Part 2: What?
3. The Gospel
4. Spiritual Maturity
5. Biblical Community
6. Intentional Discipleship
Part 3: How?
7. The Mission
8. Identify
9. Invest
10. Invite
11. Increase
Next
12. Putting It All Together