OneLink U Lesson 1
Why Do We Go?
The Harvest is Plentiful but the Laborers are Few
Welcome and congratulations on being accepted to serve on a OneLink team. We are grateful that you have agreed to give a summer (or semester) to being the Lord’s ambassador for the Gospel among the nations. These next 7 months will be a challenging yet wonderful season of team building, training, and finally serving overseas.
OneLink exists to mobilize, train, and send college students to help fulfill the Great Commission among the Unreached.
- We work primarily with college students like you because you are among the most available and adaptable pool of laborers. You combine passion for the lost with a willingness to go to hard places. You will also become the future leaders in the Church and your training now will be essential for helping the Church continue the task of world evangelization.
- OneLink also prioritizes sending teams to Unreached People Groups (UPGs). A people group shares the same ethnic identity, they typically have a common language, religion, and history. A people group is designated “unreached” if less than 2% of their population is evangelical Christian. Based on 2023 statistics, 42% of the people living in our world (3.4 billion) are “unreached.” Many of the remaining 7,398 UPGs do not have a Bible, a believer, or a church indigenous to their people group. They need someone from outside their community to bring them the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.
For more info visit joshuaproject.net
Why Do We Go?
Read these truths from Scripture…
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”
Romans 1:16 (NIV)
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?”
Romans 10:13-15 (NIV)
“Christ’s love compels us… And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation… We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors.”
2 Corinthians 5:14, 19-20 (NIV)
“Go, and make disciples of all nations.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
“Here am I, send me.”
Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 (NIV)
“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14 (NIV)
“I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…. And they cried out:
‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
Revelation 7:9-10 (NIV)
Watch this video:
The Remaining Task
There is Work to be Done
About one third of the population of our world has never heard the good news that God created them, loves them, and desires a personal relationship with them. They don’t know that their sins have separated them from God and that when they die they will spend eternity in Hell forever separated from their loving Creator. They have never heard that Jesus Christ came to die as a payment for their sins. They don’t know that Jesus rose from the dead to provide salvation from sin, and He conquered death to grant eternal life to all who will repent of their sin and put their faith in Him.
That is why God has commanded believers to be a witness to all nations, an ambassador to the lost, a maker of disciples, a laborer in the harvest. That is why you have obeyed Jesus call and committed to this team effort. That is why you need to train and be equipped to share this message.
That is why OneLink exists.
In summary, we go because…
God commands us. (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8)
The love of Christ compels us. (2 Corinthians 5:14-21, 1 John 4:9-10)
The unreached need to hear. (Matthew 24:14, Romans 10:14-15)
The laborers are few. (Luke 10:2, Acts 20:24, Matthew 4:19)
OneLink Value: Trust in God
Choose one verse to memorize this week:
- Proverbs 3:5-6
- Jeremiah 29:11
- Matthew 6:33-34
- Matthew 8:5-10
- Ephesians 3:12
- Hebrews 11:1
The first OneLink value is foundational for all you will do. You have trusted God with your salvation and with your life. You also trusted Him when you said “yes” to this trip. Now you must trust Him to see it through.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” We are told in the Bible that God is worthy of our trust because of His nature. He is trustworthy and is faithful to do all that He promises because He is good, loving, all-powerful, all-knowing, always present, and unchanging.
In response, we put our faith in our dependable God and do not waver. Though we are of “little faith,” He asks only for a mustard seed of faith to move mountains. Jesus says in Mark 9:23, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Step out in faith, knowing that God is trustworthy.
When in doubt ask God to “increase your faith!” (Luke 17:5)
Discussion Questions
- Introduce yourself. Start with the basics: What is your name, major, hobbies? Include some fun facts such as: What is your favorite candy? Most embarrassing moment at college?
- Share briefly the story of how you decided to join this team. How has God already been at work in your life since saying yes to this team?
- What is something new you learned from the lesson today? What verse spoke to you most?
- What are you most excited about this trip? What are you most anxious about this trip?
OneLink App
If you are not using it already, find the OneLink International Phone App and download it now. Create your own account and make sure push notifications are on! Click on the jade monkey logo in the upper right corner and enter the password to access the training section. The app has features that will track your progress and send reminders to complete the lessons. The app also has a OneLink Values scripture memorization tool, and quick links to other resources referenced in the lessons. We highly encourage you to utilize this app and all its features in the training process.
Begin Fundraising Process
Philippians 4:19 “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
This is a great opportunity to practice the first OneLink value of Trust in God. The process of raising your funds is a huge step of faith and will drive you to your knees in prayer. However, you also need to plan and put in the work of gathering a support team for your summer. You will need financial support but even more importantly, prayer support as well. Your friends and family need to know the details so they can “hold the ropes” for you. God’s normal practice is to lead people to give and pray once they know the needs.
Ask your campus minister these questions:
- Will there be training on how to raise funds?
- What are deadlines to be fully funded?
- Where should the funds be sent?
There are several helpful resources and suggestions for raising the financial and prayer support for this trip in the assignments section for next week. Some aspects of the fundraising process will vary from team to team. Start with your campus minister as they may already have some goals and plans, but you should begin the process immediately!
Assignments for Next Meeting
- Do some general internet research on your host country and people group, particularly its history, major religions, and distinctive features.
- Fundraising:
- Read the following article, Fundraising: An Invitation
- Personally compile a list of 50+ people to receive your support letter (you might want to compare lists for duplication).
- Begin creating a 1st draft of your support letter: Sample Support Letter
- Establish an approximate team deadline to mail out your letters. The end of February is a suggestion.
- Assign team members (pairs) as accountability partners for checking up and holding each other to weekly fundraising goals until you reach 100%.
Don’t procrastinate on this!
If you don’t have anyone to help you with fundraising or you have any questions please contact the OneLink office.
Set the date for the next team meeting!
- We recommend weekly meetings if possible but not less than 2 meetings per month.
- Plan on two meetings per month to cover the 8 online lessons, and read the lesson before the mtg.
- Schedule a fun social activity once a month to get to know each other, for example:
- Plan a visit to an escape room.
- Go bowling together.
- Have a game night, etc.
- Memorize one verse on the OneLink Value of Trust in God.
- Listen to this podcast before your next team meeting:
Prayer
- Pray that God would use these lessons to knit your team together in unity and vision for the trip.
- Pray that God would be at work in the city in which you are taking the good news.
- Pray that God would give you the courage to invite others to join you in this work through prayer and financial support.
- Pray that God will help you to unwaveringly trust in Him through this whole process.