Worship is the fuel and goal of missions. Missions begins and ends in worship. Where zeal for worship is weak, zeal for missions work will be weak. — John Piper

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:18-19

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. — Matthew 24:14

God has a plan. The plan is to reach every “nation” with the good news of Jesus Christ. The word “nations” here is the Greek word ethnae which means “nations” or “people groups.”

Who are the “nations”? What is a People Group?

A “nation” or “people group” is an ethno-linguistic group with a common self-identity that is shared by the members. There are two parts to that word: ethno and linguistic. Language is a primary and dominant identifying factor of a people group, but a historically common culture is integral to their identity, too. So, when God looks at the world, He does not divide the world into geo-political countries, but into ethno-linguistic people groups.

After careful study of the scriptures, we believe that God’s mission for TPC is: To make Christ known to our neighbors and the nations, building His disciples, establishing His church.

  • “To make Christ known” – We believe that salvation comes to individuals when they receive Jesus Christ personally by faith. Our calling, therefore, is to spread the message about Christ. And, because we cannot tell someone about a salvation that we have not experienced ourselves, we must “grasp Christ personally to give Christ globally.”
  • “Neighbors” – Ministries and missions in the city, state, and nation.
  • “Nations” – Missions in international, cross-cultural ethno-linguistic people groups (the “ethnae” of Matthew 28:19).
  • “Building His disciples”– Personal, spiritual ministry that connects people to Jesus Christ and causes them to grow in their faith.
  • “Establishing His church”– The Church is the visible means God has chosen to make, build, and keep His disciples. Therefore, we want to see disciples connected to viable, life giving Churches.