Imagine what your life would look like if you only committed 2.56% of yourself to the things you do.

How healthy would your marriage be if you told your spouse, “I love you with 2.56% of my heart”? Where would your career be if you performed at only 2.56% of your capability?

We wouldn’t dream of doing such things. Yet, this is exactly the attitude the average Christian has when it comes to financing the work of the church.

The average church member only gives an estimated 2.56% of his or her income to any church or charity. We can’t accomplish the massive goals of telling every person in the world about Jesus and making disciples of all nations with such miniscule giving.

While it is true that much of the problem is the sin of greediness in the lives of average church members, it also could be the case that our lack of sacrificial giving is the result of disorganization. That’s why there is a great need for Christians to begin to evaluate everything financially.

Here are four steps each of us can take to begin meeting the financial aspect of fulfilling the Great Commission.

1. Give at least the first tenth of your income to your local church.

It has been suggested that if every church member increased his or her giving to ten percent, the church would have an additional $86 billion dollars to fund Gospel work around the world.

With that amount of money the church could address in an unprecedented manner poverty, hunger and sickness. It also would open massive avenues to take the Gospel to every corner of the world — all as a result of each of us obeying the first-tenth principle prescribed in God’s Word. We need to be obedient in giving at least ten percent of our income, because when we don’t we are quenching the work of God through our small-minded, close-fisted habits of financing His work.

2. Give over and above the first tenth of your income.

Let me illustrate how this works. If you have a smart phone, chances are you have a game or two that you play on your phone. Many of these games progress through increasingly difficult levels. Staying on one level loses its appeal because at some point it ceases to be a challenge. Just as the games we play have progressive levels with increasing difficulty (Angry Birds, anyone?), our giving needs a progressive pattern as well.

When we realize that God has given to us over and above all that we could possibly deserve, it stirs something in our hearts that says 10 percent is not enough. No longer is it a sufficient challenge. Our giving should be sacrificial, and as we mature in the faith we enter into a deeper worship of God through larger gifts that are more costly to us. Just as we grow in other areas of our faith, we must grow in our giving continually and ceaselessly.

3. Leave a legacy of at least one-tenth of your estate to your local church.

Local churches need financial freedom to be able to do all they should in God’s name, and you can help them achieve that freedom in your lifetime by following steps one and two. You can also do this in your death. It truly is an awesome feeling to know that a decision to follow this step is an investment that will last beyond your life.

More importantly, you set a godly example for your children and grandchildren that demonstrates to them that God’s work is the most important thing in your life, as well as in your death. Evaluate everything financially, including the event of your passing. Billions of dollars should be left through estates over the next decade because Christ-followers want to leave a legacy of reaching the world for Jesus Christ. If you have great financial resources, give this part of your estate now for the need is urgent. Regardless of the size of your estate, small or great, through giving in life and in death you will experience joy beyond your imagination.

4. Leave a legacy of at least five percent of your estate to the Great Commission.

Just as we give above and beyond the first tenth in our lives, we should leave as much as possible in our deaths for the furtherance of the Gospel. Designate at least an additional five percent of your estate to be given to missions through your local church or denominational mission boards (i.e. International Mission Board or North American Mission Board). Seminaries are another opportunity for you to help advance the fulfillment of the Great Commission as they train pastors and missionaries who will take the Gospel throughout the world.

Christ-followers are typically not the wealthiest people in the world, so we do not necessarily have the most to give. However, we ought to be the most amazing, inspirational givers in the world because we have the most to give to. Seeing people all over the world come to saving faith in Christ is the most noble of reasons to give, yet we presently offer less than three percent of what we believe to be ours.

But we know better. It all belongs to God. A deep realization of that fact will make us better givers. Our goal should be that nonbelievers look at us and immediately think of words such as generosity, compassion and love. Only when we become serious about giving back to the Lord will we be able to fulfill the Great Commission.

2.56%: Is this all we love Jesus, His church and changing lives globally? Surely not! It is past time for all of this to change. The change will start with you!

Ronnie Floyd is senior pastor of Cross Church (crosschurch.com) in northwest Arkansas, with campuses in Springdale, Pinnacle Hills and Fayetteville, and the author of a newly released book, “Our Last Great Hope.”

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP) — Research suggests that only 11 of every 100 people in the world claim Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. About 50 percent of the world’s population presently has no realistic opportunity to hear the Gospel and the percentage is growing. Every minute, 120 people are born, likely to live their entire lives and never hear the name of Jesus, not even once.

What is the greatest need in the world today? Awakening! We need to see an awakening of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the earth. We must go places we’ve never gone to, talk to people we’ve never talked to, and share Jesus where His name has not yet been spoken. Our last great hope in this world is to experience an awakening of the Great Commission.

Consider three brief questions that I believe must be answered if we are going to meet our world’s greatest need:

1. How should we define the Great Commission?

It really is a clear vision: Tell every person in the world about Jesus Christ and make disciples of all nations. The challenge is getting people to realize that the Great Commission is about more than going “over there.” It is also about reaching people “right here.” It is not an either-or for Christ-followers, but a both-and!

In fact, Jesus shows us in Acts 1:8 the progression of how we are to fulfill the Great Commission. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus starts where the listeners were and moves farther away. Notice it is not progressive in a chronological sense. He never uses the word “then.” We are not intended to go here then there, but here and there. We are to be witnesses for Jesus locally, nationally and internationally, all at the same time.

This is the missional vision model we have adopted at Cross Church where I pastor: “Reaching Northwest Arkansas, America, and the world for Jesus Christ.” The Great Commission is the task of reaching every person in the world with the life-changing power of the Gospel and helping them grow in their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. How can I see my church awakened?

We need to see a major global spiritual awakening in the church of Jesus Christ. We need a global spiritual shaking to occur all around the world. In seeking the catalyst for this spiritual movement, we need to:

– Wake up to the need itself. The world has seen too long what the arm of the flesh will do in and through the church. We need the world to see what God will do in and through the church. Business as usual has to stop and stop immediately. We need to experience a mighty spiritual movement of God.

– Prioritize prayer. When we pray, it demonstrates that we are depending on God. When we do not pray, it shows we are depending on ourselves. Prayerless worship services will develop prayerless churches. Prayerless churches will operate in the power of the flesh, rather than the power of the Spirit.

– Act on fulfilling the Great Commission NOW. Yes, this is our NOW moment. We can no longer delay in capturing our communities with the Gospel or proclaiming the Gospel to the ends of the world. Spiritual awakening will occur when the church is doing Gospel work. Acts 1:8 affirms that spiritual power is commensurate with our commitment to taking the Gospel to people and places where the Gospel has never been before.

3. How can I make the Great Commission more personal to me?

One of the reasons many churches do not have an emphasis on the Great Commission is that the members and leadership of those churches are not personally committed to it themselves. Each Christ-follower must own the Great Commission! To awaken the Great Commission personally, we each need to ask ourselves three questions:

– Do I know Jesus intimately? Developing an intimate relationship with Jesus will create a deep desire to fulfill the Great Commission. It works the other way too. The more passionate you are about the Great Commission, the more intimately you will know Jesus.

– Do I love Jesus passionately? There is no better way of becoming passionate, intimate Christ-followers than through prayer and the Word of God. Despite our best efforts, awakening the Great Commission will lack its full effectiveness if we do not follow biblical principles and cover everything in prayer. Pray for a personal rediscovery of your passion for Jesus and a Great Commission awakening will surely follow.

– Do I share Jesus constantly? Knowing Christ intimately and loving Him passionately will always lead to sharing Him with others. These three ideas are inseparable. To know Christ is to love Him; to love Him is to share Him.

Never has there been a better time to live than today. While we might bemoan the events occurring in the world today, we need to see these moments as God moments. This is a special defining moment for the church to become awakened spiritually, resulting in an awakening of telling every person in the world about Jesus Christ and making disciples of all the nations.

I am believing God for a global spiritual awakening. This is our last great hope!
–30–
Ronnie Floyd is senior pastor of Cross Church (crosschurch.com) in northwest Arkansas, with campuses in Springdale, Pinnacle Hills and Fayetteville, and the author of a newly released book, “Our Last Great Hope.”

Yesterday we looked at three dimensions to the urgency of the world’s need for the gospel. My desire is that you will sense the urgency, as I have, to tell every person in the world about Jesus and make disciples of all the nations. Here are three more dimensions to the urgency of the gospel.

Statistically Urgent:

We must understand the numbers when it comes to those around the world who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. I served on a task force that assessed our efforts to take the gospel to the world and the statistics we uncovered are heartbreaking. Only 11 out of every 100 people in this world are willing to claim Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. We also discovered that just over 50% of the world’s population (approximately 3.5 billion people) has no realistic opportunity to hear the gospel at present. The statistics are bad and will continue to get worse unless Spirit-filled Christians begin to act with urgency.

Strategically Urgent:

We must organize and execute an effective strategy for taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. We have one gospel but thousands of people groups and billions of individuals. Our urgent need is for strategic ways of reaching each one. Perhaps the best solution is to plant new churches. Churches that are ready to address languages, cultures, and needs. Here is a sobering thought: We simply cannot reach billions of people with our current means. Every existing church should be planting multiple new churches.

Personally Urgent:

We must come to a place where it is unthinkable to leave the work of the Great Commission to others. Each of us must own it personally. At some point we must stop simply talking about theology or mission philosophy and take personal ownership in seeing it fulfilled. Reaching people for Jesus and making disciples of all nations is not someone else’s “problem.” It is my burden and it is your burden. Each of us, individually, is responsible for seeing the gospel proclaimed locally, nationally, and internationally.

Doors are opening around the world that we have never been able to step through before. We cannot afford to assume they will stay open for long. Now is the time for action! Billions of people urgently need the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Fulfilling the Great Commission truly is this world’s last great hope and it all starts with each of us owning the task personally. Will you join me in acting with urgency to reach people for Jesus? What ideas do you have for urgently taking the gospel to the world?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

I am convinced that the greatest difference between the churches of the first century and the churches of the twenty-first century is the sense of urgency. Unfortunately, modern day Christians do not live as messengers of an urgent gospel. If we are going to be a generation that takes seriously the task of fulfilling the Great Commission we must recapture the sense of urgency. I believe there are six dimensions to this urgency. Today I want to share the first three of them with you.

Theologically Urgent:

We must begin by understanding the gravity of what Scripture teaches about creation, salvation, and eternity. Human beings are created in God’s image but chose to live as slaves to sin. Yet, God provides salvation through His Son and is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). The Bible also teaches that every human being will spend eternity either in heaven or in hell, depending on whether or not they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Isn’t this decision that everyone must make enough to instill a sense of urgency to take the gospel to the entire world?

Spiritually Urgent:

We must remember that those who are without Christ are spiritually dead and headed toward an eternity of punishment. As Christians who trust the Bible, we affirm that the lost will ultimately go to hell. We scorn the universalists who believe there is no hell and no judgment but we are seemingly just like them. If we truly believe that people all around us stood on the precipice of eternal suffering, then we will be moved to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need a renewed spiritual urgency in our churches today.

Physically Urgent:

We must recognize that the Bible teaches us that no one is guaranteed their next breathe. James tells us, “You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring – what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.” (James 4:14). Telling ourselves that we will share the gospel with that co-worker, family member, or friend at a later time may not work out since we are not even sure tomorrow will come for that person. With urgency, present the gospel to others before it is too late!

Urgency needs to exist not only personally, but through our churches. Churches MUST

Fast track the taking of the Gospel to their communities, their states, our nation, and across the entire globe.

Let today’s challenge be to renew the urgency of the gospel in your personal life and in the life of your church. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring. Therefore, pray that God will give you someone to share Christ with today. Create strategies in your church that will penetrate your community’s lostness. The need is urgent!

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

When we think of the sound an alarm makes we don’t think of beautiful music. We think fire alarms and alarm clocks. These are loud and obnoxious sounds that are designed to grab your urgent attention. You may not like them but when you heed their warning cry they can keep you out of trouble, maybe even save your life. God has sent an alarming message that the Church urgently need to listen to. It tells us three important facts about the Great Commission:

Judgment is Coming:

The Bible makes it clear that there will come a day when God will have His way. All accounts will be balanced and history will reach its final moment. Doesn’t the realization of that there is such a day, and that it could come at any time, make you feel that the alarm should be sounded from the highest mountain of every nation?

There is an Outpouring of the Spirit

The prophet Joel spoke of the outpouring of the spirit which we saw partially fulfilled in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost. Now we await the culmination of this prophecy as we actively take the gospel to the entire world and the power and presence of God is poured out upon people of every nation.

Now is the Time for Harvest

We’ve seen great revivals occur throughout the world at different points in history but all of them must pale in comparison to the final events of our mission to take the gospel to the world and make disciples. Jesus said, “open your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready for harvest.” (John 4:35).

This is God’s warning cry to His people: Judgment is coming and he has empowered us by His Spirit to reap a spiritual harvest in His name. Are you ready to begin?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

There is something special about the freshness of a new morning. After a good night’s sleep you awake rested and ready for the opportunities that lie ahead. The Church needs to experience this sense of freshness like never before. Christians need to wake up from their spiritual slumber and experience a renewed energy that comes with a new day. Romans 13:11 describes a great awakening. ‘Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than we first believed.’

“Knowing the time” refers to a special moment in history – a defining moment. I believe we are in a defining moment when the Spirit of God is acting within us to take the gospel to all nations and make disciples everywhere. We need to wake up, get moving, and take hold of the opportunities before us. It’s time for the Church to seize the day!

Wake up!

Physically waking up each morning is often a difficult challenge. Waking up spiritually can be equally as hard, sometimes more so, but it is a battle we must be determined to win. If the church is going to be effective it needs to wake up from its spiritual slumber. We can’t get around the fact that God has numbered our days, time is currency, and He holds us accountable for how we spend it. How are you spending your days?

Get moving!

Being awake is only the beginning. It is not enough for the church simply to wake up. We have to take an active role in fulfilling the Great Commission. Meet people who are far from God. Get to know them, love them, help them, and tell them about Jesus. Show that you care for people by being involved in their lives.

Take hold of the opportunities before us!

If we will wake up and get moving our eyes will be open to the countless opportunities around us to share Jesus with the world and make disciples of all nations. The church cannot afford missed opportunities to carry the gospel to a lost and dying world. Are you taking advantage of your chances to speak Christ into someone’s life? Who have you talked to today that needs Jesus? Take hold of those opportunities!

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

Few churches today ever add thousands of people to their membership in a single day. We might even think such numerical growth is impossible. However, this is exactly what happened with the disciples in the book of Acts.  I want to share with you four steps they took that are essential for us to follow if we are going to experience dramatic growth in our churches.

We Must Pray

We can’t read the book of Acts without noticing the place of prayer in the formation of the early church. Prayer for them was more than half-hearted words with a superficial attitude. They devoted themselves to it. How many Christians today can say they are “devoted” to prayer?

How devoted are you to genuinely speaking to God from your heart, with faith that He will hear and answer?

We Must Gather

When we gather and pray in God’s name, amazing things happen. There is a supernatural joy experienced in coming together with other believers. A local body of believers who have unified in serving the Lord can make an enormous impact on their surrounding community.

How committed are you to growing the fellowship with other believers in your local church? 

We Must Rely on the Holy Spirit

We need the Spirit of God to empower and enable us to be a missional church. If we are going to shake our churches, and shake this world, we must have the Spirit come in power. Creating genuine, God-honoring church growth is not something we can do on our own. We absolutely must rely on the Spirit to work in us and through us.

How much do you rely on the Spirit to cause the growth in your church or small group and how much do you rely on yourself?

We Must Speak the Word Boldly

When we truly rely on the Spirit we become fearless. We speak the name of Jesus boldly. Today’s churches are easy to criticize, easy to ridicule, because too many of them are fruitless and fearful. However, churches that have Spirit-driven boldness see dynamic growth and a weekly pattern of people coming to Christ.

How boldly do you share Jesus with those around you?

Here’s a bonus question: How bold is your church’s vision to reach your community, your nation, and the world for Jesus Christ?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

In my previous post, we looked at Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 6 for modeling godly parenthood. We saw it has two major components of being disciples as parents while also making disciples of our children. Today I want to discuss four steps you can take in the process of raising Great Commission focused children.

Evangelize Your Children

You kids will want to know what you were like when you were younger. Use that opportunity to tell them how and when Jesus changed your life. All you need to know are the three parts to your personal faith journey. (1) Your life before Christ, (2) How you came to accept Christ, and (3) How your life has been different ever since.

Expect Your Children to Grow as Disciples

Just because your child has accepted Christ in his or her life does not mean as a parent you can stop teaching them about the Lord. We need to be intentional about beginning the discipleship process with our children or it won’t be long before their conversion experiences are just vague and meaningless memories.

Engage Your Children in the Life of the Church

Help your children understand the importance of the local church. Here again we see the importance of leading by example. Make sure you and your family are immersed in a Bible-believing, Great Commission church. I have yet to see a young person who is a passionate follower of Christ without being actively engaged in a local church.

Equip Your Children to Go to the Nations

Talk to your children about a world full of lost people. Teach them about the different people groups. Share stories and pictures with them about the exciting places and beautiful people from around the world. This is an opportunity for you to plant seeds in their lives when they are young. The lessons you are teaching them now, as they get older, will grow into a passion for fulfilling the Great Commission.

Take these steps with your children at levels appropriate to their age. If you need help in any of these areas go to the children’s or youth pastor at your local church. By transforming into a Great Commission family, you can play a part in preparing the next generation to take the Gospel to the world.

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

As Great Commission Christians, our goal is to transform the world for Jesus Christ. However, we cannot transform the world unless we first transform our families. Over the next two days, I want to share with you some ideas about parenting that will help your family become more Great Commission focused.

There is a passage in Deuteronomy that shows us the heart of godly parenting. It is the nonnegotiable, essential, lowest common denominator of all parenting. It is Deuteronomy 6:5-7:

Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and will all your strength. These words that I am giving to you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

There are two important ideas I want us to understand in this command. They are the fundamental building blocks of being godly parents.

• Parents Are To Be Disciples
  Whose heart does Moses say these words are to reside in? Look at the text again. He says “your” heart, speaking to the parents. We, as parents, are the ones who are to love the LORD with all that is in us. Everything else proceeds from that premise. Transforming the world begins with transforming our families, but transforming our families begins with transforming ourselves. Put God first in your own life. It is the most basic, and most important, parenting skill.
• Parents Are To Make Disciples
  In a family, every moment is a teachable moment. Every decision is a commentary on the influence of faith. Like it or not, children mimic the actions of their parents. They watch your behavior more closely than they do your words. They learn with their minds what we say but they learn with their hearts what we show. Becoming a disciple-making parent means modeling a godly life in your actions, as well as in your words.

Are you following Moses’ instructions to love God with all that is in you and consistently talk to your children about the Lord? What example is your behavior setting for them?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

To understand the significance of your ability to make an impact for the kingdom one person at a time read Acts 9:10-19. There we meet a man named Ananias whom God commissioned to go meet Saul of Tarsus. There are four important ways in which we can apply Ananias’s situation to our own.

1. Ananias was told to “Go”
   God chose not to bring Saul to Ananias but instead was told Ananias to “rise and go.” To fulfill the Great Commission we as a church must rise and go to the people rather than waiting for the people to come to us.
2. Ananias was sent to someone he saw as the enemy
   Ananias had heard about Saul and “how much evil he has done” (v13). Remember that God sends us to people who are far from Him and many times those people will not be friendly to us. Our obedience to His call should not be conditional on how receptive people will be to us. God calls us to go even when we are scared about what might happen.
3. Ananias was strengthened by the sovereignty of God.
   The Lord again commands Ananias to go and explains that he has made Saul “a chosen instrument.” God assures us of his divine purpose in telling the world about Jesus and making disciples of all nations.
4. Ananias was part of God’s plan
   Being obedient to God’s command, Ananias was instrumental in the Lord’s work of bringing the gospel to the gentiles. We know from his initial response that he had no idea that God was about to use Saul of Tarsus in an unbelievable way. But in obeying the Lord’s command he was able to plant seeds in Saul that would grow in ways that Ananias never imagined possible.

Ananias, through his obedience, played a part in God’s plan to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Think about the great heroes of the faith like Charles Spurgeon or Billy Graham. Somebody shared the gospel with them and planted seeds that may have seemed small at the time but grew into world-changing ministries.

We do not know who the next person like this may be. Is it the person you work with? Is it the barista at your favorite coffee house? Is it you? How will you know unless you are obedient to take the gospel to those around you? God does amazing, far-reaching works when we simply prove obedient enough to speak His name – to talk Jesus as a life priority.

What miracles would be happening in your life, and in this world, if you talked about Jesus every single day?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope