On November 24, 2024, the 29th Missionary Conference started at the Rivne Bible Mission Church Community of the Good Shepherd.
The first guest of the conference was a Japanese missionary, pastor of a church from Odessa, and our longtime friend who has been serving in Ukraine for over 20 years, Masato Funakoshi. Through his sermon, he reminded everyone of the very important words of the Lord’s commands about the Great Commission, the participation of every believer in following Christ, and the personal discipleship of church members who understand the meaning of their Christianity in making disciples of Jesus among all nations. After all, this is our calling. We need to make more joint efforts, more unity, and more ardent desire to be genuine disciples who want to bear much fruit for the glory of the Savior.
Watch the sermon
Let our common prayer be: Oh, help us, Lord!
A mission conference for children also began at Sunday school. We talked about missionaries and the mission, watched videos from our missionaries, ate various national dishes, and also prayed and conveyed greetings to the missionaries.
In the evening, at the youth meeting, we had the opportunity to hear answers to our questions to missionary Masato Funakoshi about how the Lord called him to become a disciple and how our brother learns to apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the most difficult circumstances of life, coming to know its meaning more and more deeply.
Watch the Q&A
Some important truths that were emphasized during the first day of the conference:
1. Accepting the Gospel means rejecting everything else that competes with Christ.
2. Being a Christian does not mean being just a church-goer, being a Christian means being a disciple of Jesus.
3. Disciples of Christ are, first of all, those who make disciples.
4. Jesus said: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). If I do not make disciples for some reason, then either Jesus is not fulfilling what He promised, or I am not truly following Him.
5. In Heaven, people will not be able to do only two things – to sin and to make disciples of Christ. This is possible while we live on earth. And do I live to make disciples or to sin?
6. Justification, sanctification, and glorification are the summation of salvation. Sanctification and justification are inseparable, and sanctification cannot be separated from discipleship. How important discipleship is!!!
7. If a church loses the enthusiasm for discipleship, it is no longer a church, but a religious club. Jesus built His church on the foundation of discipleship.
