So Many Choices
Actually...
Only 7
"Ministry Spheres" are often referred to as "Spheres of Influence"
We call them "Ministry Spheres of Influence"
Ministry Spheres of Influence are those we are blessed to
influence toward Christ through our life of service.
7 Ministry Spheres of Influence = 7 Mountains
(same principle similar terms)
If at the highest "Mountain" of each of the 7 Ministry Spheres of Influence was a God-Fearing, Bible-Believing, Yielded-to-Jesus-Hearted individual then one could say that all 7 Mountains
were under the dominion (*authority) of Christ Jesus.
Every Christian has multiple spheres of influence to take the Salt & Light of Christ, and most have a primary
Ministry Sphere of Influence
Every career field and every calling fall into one of the
7 Mountains shown below
As you read through the 7 Ministry Spheres of Influence below, ask
"Lord, what is my calling, what ministry sphere(s)
can my life influence with the Salt & Light of Christ?"
Mountain #1
Church Ministry Sphere
The Church is God’s plan to reach the world. Some are called to serve within the church. The role of those within the church and those with these Kingdom Gifts are called to equip Christians to do works of service (in all 7 Mountains).
Ephesians 4:11-16
Click to watch inspirational stories
of ordinary people, yielding to Jesus,
to do extraordinary work to disciple nations on the "Church Mountain"
Mountain #2
Family Ministry Sphere
If the The Church is God’s plan to reach the world, then the family is God’s plan to reach the individual. Some are called to serve within the family structure of husband and wife. The role of those within the family are made clear in the verses: Ephesians 5:22-6:4
Click to watch inspirational stories
of ordinary people, yielding to Jesus,
to do extraordinary work to disciple nations on the "Family Mountain"
Mountain #3
Education Ministry Sphere
Click to watch inspirational stories
of ordinary people, yielding to Jesus,
to do extraordinary work to disciple nations on the "Education Mountain"
Every child around the world goes through some form of education process. After the church sphere and the family sphere, the education sphere is the most influential sphere! Educators can serve in formal educations systems (schools) and informal education systems (apprenticeships, internships). The Bible is clear regarding the importance of biblical education starting from infancy. Proverbs 22:6
Mountain #4
Media Ministry Sphere
Media advertisers spend millions & billions of dollars to advertise on media platforms (news, information, and entertainment). Advertisers understand the power of media to influence large audiences. In today’s world media shapes how many individuals around the world think about current events. Media can either point an individual toward God or toward the world’s system. Romans 12:2
Click to watch inspirational stories
of ordinary people, yielding to Jesus,
to do extraordinary work to disciple nations on the "Media Mountain"
Mountain #5
Service Ministry Sphere
Click to watch inspirational stories
of ordinary people, yielding to Jesus,
to do extraordinary work to disciple nations on the "Service Mountain"
Public service is a calling, serving the wider community through medicine, law, civil roles, and government offices. The government structures establish community conformity through rules, laws, and regulations for the benefit of the community. Matthew 20:25-28
Mountain #6
Business Ministry Sphere
Business includes the management, production, distribution, and consumption of the communities’ resources, goods, and services. It also includes the business and the trading of goods for a profit. Those in business are commanded to deal fairly and honestly. Proverbs 20:23, Leviticus 19:35-36
Click to watch inspirational stories
of ordinary people, yielding to Jesus,
to do extraordinary work to disciple nations on the "Business Mountain"
Mountain #7
Arts & Athletics Ministry Sphere
Arts & Athletics are sometimes referred to as “celebrations.” The Arts & Athletics Sphere of influence should be a celebration of gifts. Yes, athletics are often a competition, yet even in the act of competition, there is a celebration of gifts. Gifts that point back to the creator of all.
Psalm 19:1, Corinthians 9:24-27, Genesis 1:1
Click to watch inspirational stories
of ordinary people, yielding to Jesus,
to do extraordinary work to disciple nations on the "Arts & Athletics Mountain"
Why 49 Mountains?
The "7 Ministry Spheres of Influence" are the "7 Mountains"
In 1975, two Christian leaders, Dr. Bill Bright and Loren Cunningham got together to give each other a message from God. To their amazement, each had the same message, independently given to them by God, to give to the other.
Bill Bright was the founder of the world’s largest ministry (at that time), Campus Crusade for Christ, a worldwide ministry with 26,000 full-time employees and missionaries in 191 countries. Loren Cunningham was the founder of Youth With A Mission (YWAM), a ministry with 20,000 full-time staff of more than 150 nationalities (at that time). Both of these individuals brought the Gospel to millions around the world.
However, God showed both of them that many areas of modern culture still needed the Gospel. The Lord showed them "seven major areas of society," or “7 Mountains” as they called them, which needed godly people to influence these area of society, thereby influencing untold millions who were engaged in those "7 Mountains" of society. About a month later, Francis Schaeffer, leader of L’Brai Fellowship, heard the same message from God about the "7 Mountains."
These "7 Mountains" in the order of the greatest potential impact are:
1. Church, 2. Family, 3. Education, 4. Media, 5. Service, 6. Business, and 7. Arts and Athletics.
If there are only "7 Mountains" why "49 Mountains?"
49 Mountains = 7 Mountains x 7 Regions
The 7 Regions of the World
Traveling the world to over 20 countries it became obvious that the "Influencer" in the West did not have the same influence in the East and vice versa. "49 Mountains" is a way of saying let God have all dominion (*authority) in all
7 Mountains multiplied by the 7 Regions, or simply
49 Mountains symbolically representing all nations.
*After Jesus' resurrection, Jesus states "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" in Matthew 28:18
7 Mountains x 7 Regions = 49 Mountains
The 7 Regions follow roughly the 7 Continents: 1. Asia, 2. Africa, 3. Europe, 4. Latin America, 5. North America, 6. Pacifica, and 7. Antarctica representing the least reached areas of the world.
There are only 7 Mountains/Spheres of Influence. Yet, because each Continent has its own culture(s), language(s), and its own distinct characteristics, each Continent needs its own influencers on each of the 7 Mountains/Spheres of Influence to help fulfill Christ's Great Commission "disciple all the nations" from Matthew 28:18-20 (YLT Young's Literal Translation).
It is vital to seek to disciple all nations, and not become complacent with a few "Mountains/Spheres of Influence" reached with the Salt and Light of Jesus, or to become complacent with a few discipled countries.
Why 49 Mountains?
7 Mountains x 7 Regions = 49 Mountains
-
The Asia Region needs influencers in each of the 7 Mountains in Asia
to disciple all the Asian Countries
-
The Africa Region needs influencers in each of the 7 Mountains in Africa
to disciple all the African Countries
-
The Europe Region needs influencers in each of the 7 Mountains in Europe
to disciple all the European Countries
-
The Latin America Region needs influencers in each of the 7 Mountains in Latin America
to disciple all the Latin American Countries
-
The North America Region needs influencers in each of the 7 Mountains in North America
to disciple all the North American Countries
-
The Pacifica Region needs influencers in each of the 7 Mountains in Pacifica
to disciple all the Pacifica Countries
-
The Antarctica - Least Reached Regions - needs influencers in each of the 7 Mountains
to disciple all the Least Reached Countries
Therefore, before considering the class, the course, or the credentials ~ one should consider the question...
Lord, what is my calling?
What is my primary "Sphere of Influence" at this time, and
What geographical "Region of the World" have
You called me to serve?
or, as we like to say
"Lord, what Mountain may *I claim for you today?"
(*recognizing that it is Christ through my-yielded-life Galatians 2:20, John 15:5)