Planting Churches Among the City's Poor - Volume 2

108 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 2

g. James 1.17 (ESV) – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

4. A sufficient authority to represent God’s interest in Christ wherever that call takes the missionary

a. 2 Cor. 13.10 (ESV) – For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down. b. 2 Cor. 10.8 (ESV) – For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. c. 2 Cor. 1.24 (ESV) – Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

d. 2 Cor. 13.8 (ESV) – For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

e. Gal. 1.1 (ESV) – Paul, an apostle – not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead . . .

5. An undeniable cost to pay in terms of suffering, sacrifice, hardship, and even death, all of which is intrinsic to the call

a. 2 Cor. 6. 3-11 (RSV) – We put no obstacle in any one’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteous ness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and