Based on Five Postures of a Global Christian with Mark Matlock
If you’re a church leader, you’ve probably felt the tension. People in your church are asking difficult questions about culture, identity, politics, and faith. They consume more Christian content than ever before, yet many still struggle to live out the way of Jesus. At the same time, your community is changing through migration, technology, and globalization, often faster than ministry models can keep up.
The world has changed, but the truth of the gospel hasn’t. As Mark Matlock says: “What the world needs most right now isn’t more Christian content. It’s Christians who know how to stand, move, and live faithfully in this global moment.”
Scripture reminds us that the church has always learned to proclaim the unchanging gospel in changing cultures. These five shifts can help church leaders disciple people with that same posture today.
Church leaders spend countless hours teaching God’s Word. But discipleship isn’t measured only by what people know. It’s measured by who they’re becoming.
Mark shares this honest reflection: “I once met a man who could quote nearly every verse about love in the Bible, but he couldn’t name a single person who actually felt loved by him. That person was me.”
Jesus consistently called people not just to believe his words but to imitate his life (Matt 16:24; John 15:12). James reminds believers to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jas 1:22), while Paul urges believers to “imitate me, as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). Knowledge without obedience eventually produces pride instead of transformation.
As Mark says: “Belief alone can make us proud. Imitation. . .humbles us.”
Encourage your church to ask not only, “Do I believe in Jesus?” but also, “Am I becoming more like him?”
One practical way to cultivate this posture is simple: for every biblical teaching your church receives, challenge people to put one specific truth into practice that week.
Many churches excel at serving others. But are we just as open to letting others serve us?
In an individualistic culture, it’s easy to see ministry as something we provide rather than a relationship where everyone both gives and receives.
The New Testament describes the church as one body where every member depends on the others (1 Cor 12:12–27). Mutual dependence reflects God’s design for us.
Leading a church means encouraging relationships. Building trust takes time, so it helps to get to know the people you’re serving. If your church supports ministries financially, build friendships alongside generosity. As Mark says, “When love is mutual, it changes both the giver and the receiver . . . that’s when mission becomes a relationship, not a rescue.” Ask yourself: Where might our ministry need to receive and learn from others instead of only serving them?
Church leaders rightly proclaim salvation through Christ, but the gospel offers more than a promise for eternity. As Mark explains: “The gospel doesn’t just save souls; it restores life. It redeems marriages, workplaces, neighborhoods, and even systems of injustice.
Luke 19:1–10 illustrates how the gospel restores lives. After meeting Jesus, Zacchaeus repaid those he had cheated fourfold. His encounter with Christ transformed not only his heart but also his relationships and community. Mark observes that Zacchaeus became “just, generous, and restored to his community.”
As you lead your church, help people see that following Jesus means partnering with God in his work of restoration wherever brokenness exists.
Consider the areas of injustice, selfishness, or brokenness in your own community. Where is God inviting your church to participate in his redeeming work?
Today’s cultural conversations often blur the lines between faith and national identity. But Scripture reminds believers that their highest allegiance belongs elsewhere. Philippians 3:20 declares that “our citizenship is in heaven,” and 2 Corinthians 5:20 calls believers ambassadors for Christ.
As Mark says, “Every follower of Jesus goes through a citizenship change when they put their trust in him for their salvation.” He also warns that “whenever faith and government merge too closely, we forget where our true citizenship lies.”
Why do you think it’s tempting to blend faith with national identity? How do you balance your faith and national identity in your own life?
Church leaders have the opportunity to help people remember that before we represent any nation, political party, or culture, we represent King Jesus.
Jesus commissioned his followers in Acts 1:8 to be his witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” For many Western Christians, those words still suggest somewhere far away.
But as Mark discovered while traveling internationally, “the ends of the earth” depends on your perspective. For some believers around the world, the United States represents that distant mission field.
Even more, migration, technology, and travel have reshaped our communities. The nations may already live next door to us.
The gospel no longer moves primarily from the West to the rest of the world. Today it moves “from everyone to everywhere.”
Recognizing that our mission is impacted by where we are and who is around us, Mark reminds us that “wherever the brokenness of sin meets the redemption of Jesus, that’s a mission field.”
What boundaries—locational, ethnic, or otherwise—is God calling your church to cross for the sake of the gospel?
These five shifts aren’t new ministry strategies. They’re reminders of how the church has always adapted to a changing world without compromising the unchanging gospel.
As church leaders, we have the privilege of helping people follow Jesus with faithfulness, humility, and hope—wherever God has placed them.
Mark’s final encouragement captures the vision of a global Christian well:
“You might never board a plane to another country, but if you learn to live like Jesus, to love like him, serve like him, and listen like him, you’ll be part of God’s global mission, right where you stand.”
Continue the conversation: Watch Five Postures of a Global Christian with Mark Matlock on RightNow Media and equip your church to faithfully follow Jesus in today’s changing world.
Disclaimer: This blog was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. If you find content that is inaccurate or otherwise needs to be reviewed, please email social@rightnowmedia.org.
If you’re a decision-maker at your organization, request a free consultation to find out how RightNow Media can equip and inspire your people.
Not a decision-maker?
Tell your pastor about RightNow Media instead.
.svg){kind=icon}
