The Driving Force of Our Church The Great Commission

"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore,and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:18-20).

The Great Commission defines God's mission, our mission, in the world.  The commission is the Lord's marching orders for every believer and church.  Understanding the meaning and full implication of the Commission is crucial if we are to do the work of the church in God's way.

There are five areas of ministry that is essential to fulfilling the Great Commission.

Evangelism:

Christian evangelism consist of believers sharing the gospel with lost persons.  Evangelism is the good news spoken by believers and lived out in their lives;  it is the spiritual interaction between saved persons and lost persons.   Because God has chosen to redeem people from sins, we must join Him by Seeking to evangelize every person in the world.  NORTH LONG BEACH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP has evangelism and mission as top priorities.  There is "ongoing" training in evangelism.  A good percentage of our membership has received training in leading a person to a commitment of faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior; each year an evangelism workshop is offered to supplement training received in Sunday School and Church training. 

Discipleship

Discipleship is a process that begins after conversion and continues throughout a believer's life.  Discipleship is not an option for a church of believers.  Believers are to disciple each other as mandated in the  Great Commission.  Discipleship produces something in the believers' lives that causes them to think and believe like Christ.

Ministry

God gives ministry responsibility to every Christian.  We are stewards of ministry, and we cannot minister effectively without the power and giftedness of the Holy Spirit, Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to every Christian to fulfill ministry and service responsibility.

Christian compassion and the principles of God's Kingdom demand that we minister to all persons without regard to their race, religious affiliation, abilities, or circumstances.  We meet the needs of others in response to the command of Christ.  If We fail to minister, we fail to obey the Lord's command.

Fellowship

Christian fellowship grows out of fellowship with God.  Fellowship is the joining together in a common purpose as Christians.  it is a unity that crosses all cultural, socioeconomic, and physical barriers.  It carries the sense of mutual willingness for self sacrifice for the good and care of each other.  Biblical fellowship with others makes us more capable to resist temptation, motivates and enables us to live more like Christ.

Worship

Worship occurs when we ascribe to God thru worship of which He is worthy.  Worship is a response to a perceived presence of God, and is one of the most vital functions of the church.  You can worship alone or with a congregation.   Worship can occur when a person is involved in a ministry or service that brings an awareness of God's presence.  The Bible tells us not to neglect meeting together in worship to encourage one another  in the faith and spiritual life.