Missional Worldview

Acts 11:25 - "So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch."

The newly-formed church at Antioch would become the "sending agency" of the missionary enterprises of Paul, Barnabas, and the apostolic team. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. In that fellowship there was solid gospel teaching, a profound connection with the guidance of the Spirit through prayer, and a commitment to extend the gospel to new territory.

"When a church's heart beats with concern for the rest of the world," writes John Bowen, "it is likely to have a heartbeat for evangelism also. Conversely, when a church has a vision for evangelism, that vision is likely to spill over into passionate interest in world affairs. Fundamentally, both are a reflection of the heart and vision of a God who made the whole world and who is always reaching out to others." -- John P. Bowen, Evangelism for "Normal" People, Augsburg Press, 2002