The Nations
Meeting 1

Fast Facts

The term nation(s)  occurs over five hundred times in Scripture

Study

Read the following verses. They are from each literary section of the Old and New Testaments. They display God’s heart for the nations. What words and phrases reveal God’s longing to make Himself known to everyone, everwhere?

Old Testament
  • Law: Genesis 12:3
  • History: 1 Chronicles 16:23-24
  • Poetry: Psalm 67:2-3
  • Prophecy: Daniel 7:13–14
New Testament
  • Gospels: Matthew 28:16–20
  • History: Acts 1:8
  • Epistles: Romans 1:5
  • Prophecy: Revelation 7:9–10

View

If you’re able, watch the video(s) and answer the questions that follow. If you’re unable to view the videos, just answer the questions. This will hold true for each week. But try to watch the videos. They are powerful. Remember they are also available here.

Watch Reaching the Unreached (4:20)

​Read the following quotes from the video. Which one means the most to you? Explain. 

  1. "Did you know there are almost three billion people who will live and die without ever hearing the story [of God’s love]? Not because they don’t care, but because they don’t have a choice." 

  2. "40% of the world does not know this [the gospel] and they won’t know unless something changes, not unless someone goes to tell them."

  3. "Only 3% of missionaries are going to the 40% who have never heard about Jesus...only 1% of cross cultural giving goes to the [almost] three billion people who have never heard about Jesus." 

  4. "We have an imbalance...are we okay with this?"

  5. "We have a Spirit led calling to rethink our focus."

Watch The Biblical Basis of Missions/ God's Heart for the Nations 6:19)

  1. “The story of the Bible is a single cohesive story from cover to cover...God’s story, the story of His glory among all the nations…He invites you into that story. He invites you into that mission...” 

  2. ​It’s early in the process, but do you hear God’s invitation into the mission of making Him kown to all peoples? Explain.

Discuss

Read the list of quotes and share which one speaks to you the most and why.
​
  1. “It’s only good news if it gets there in time.” — Carl Henry

  2. “No one has the right to hear the gospel twice while there remains someone who has not heard it once.”— Oswald J. Smith

  3. “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”— John Piper

  4. “We talk of the second coming when half the world has not even heard of the first.” — Oswald J. Smith
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  5. “It will not do to say that you have no special call to go…you need rather to ascertain whether you have a special call to stay…” – Hudson Taylor

Learn

Read Global Starting Point 1

Respond 

If you have not aready done so read, Global Tools so you can become familiar with PODs, SOGY, World Team and the Learning List.

​Describe where you are in the process of becoming SOGY.

Pray

Take a minute and review the content of this POD. Share the most important thing you learned at this meeting, and let it serve as a guide as your group prays together

Closing Video

Each week in POD 1 only, there is a closing video. It is not intended to generate discussion. It just meant to be enjoyed.​​ Feel free to sing along. 

​Watch “Shine” (7:28)
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