Deeper Reflection
This Sunday we will celebrate Covenant EFC’s 45th Anniversary! Over the next few days, let us reflect anew on our church mission, look back on the journey so far and look forward to the journey ahead. Our mission is: “Returning the Church to its disciplemaking roots, through authentic discipleship and intentional disciplemaking, so as to reproduce disciples of A Certain Kind, and to multiply them to win the world for Christ.”When we think about returning the Church (the global Church with a capital “C”) to its disciplemaking roots, we remember the way that Jesus Himself discipled the twelve apostles. Jesus’ purpose of calling the twelve was clear – “so that they might be with Him and He might send them out to preach” (v.14). As the apostles lived and moved about with Jesus from day to day, He taught and instructed them by words and personal example in the context of real life situations.⁶⁹ Jesus’ focus was laser-sharp: to preach the Good News to all peoples regardless of ethnicity, social status or background, beginning with the Jews, then the Gentiles.⁷⁰ After Jesus’ ascension, the apostles, empowered by the Holy Spirit, continued Jesus’ work of preaching the Gospel.⁷¹ They did so with much boldness and authority. The people who heard them were astonished and “recognised that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). This is the “with Him” principle. Jesus’ disciples, having consistently spent time with Him, gained spiritual authority, wisdom and boldness to do God’s work.Beloved friends, have you been consistently spending time with Jesus? In your daily life, are you following Jesus and helping others to follow Him?

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⁶⁹ See e.g. Mark 4-5; Matthew 10:5-42; Luke 6:20-49. ⁷⁰ See e.g. Mark 1:38; Matthew 10:7; 11:1, 4-6. ⁷¹ See e.g. Acts 3:12-4:12