Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Missions?
So I have been challenged recently to examine my definition of missions. The real question is are we allowed to call everything we do in the name of the gospel missions? With my recent involvement in the Missional Church movement I thought that by definition Christians are mandated to be on a mission at all times. But does this shift in modern church language reflect a redefinition of missions or has it created two distinct definitions for the same word? Or maybe there is a much deeper problem that faces the American church. I think it may be a problem of laziness. If I can go across the street and bring a neighbor who just had surgery a meal and call myself a missionary, I take a huge burden off of my shoulders. The act of loving our neighbors is noble and a command of Scripture, why do we feel obligated to attach the word missionary to those actions? Does that title make them more or less noble? In our struggle with pride it is easy to lose sight of the simple act of service. That the glory of God's kingdom is first and foremost our aim. True missions take the gospel to where it is not. That is our mission given by Scripture, to share the love of Jesus with the whole world, even the dangereous parts. It has to be our goal, to show the entire world the love that God has for them, and there is a role in that for each and every one of us. Losing our drive and passion for those that have never heard is a disease that will eventually spread to the entire body. We as the church need to stay focused on what God has for us. As I continue to process the definition of missions I would love to hear what you have to say. Please feel free to comment on this post.
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We are called to be the light of the world...
ReplyDeleteIf 'loving our neighbor' is the same thing as "go, make disciples of all the nations" then suddenly life becomes a lot easier for us, more convenient. We have in our minds this idea that the christian life is the 'good life;' we want a godly spouse, a good job, a nice house, 3.4 kids and neighbors that are easy to love.
We seem to forget that Christ died for us, a man dispised and rejected, with no place to lay his head, who did not come to bring peace but division, who came to seek and save what was lost, the ultimate servant, who said to us that whomsoever wishes to be first among you must become the servant of all.
We are to be like him.
We are to be set apart, different, dispised by the world, the servants of all, to take up our cross every day and follow Him. It is not the easy life.
But when we follow Christ with the attitude of glorifying Him, submitting ourselves to His will, true servitude to God Most High, suddenly going over to give our sick neighbor a bowl of soup isn't missions. It is obedience, pure and simple. It's the outpouring of a soul so devoted to God that service comes as naturally as breathing.
Missions is, I think, different than that. I don't think that everyone is called to be a missionary, but I know that everyone is called to love the lord our God with all our heart, and all our soul, and all our might, and to love our neighbor as ourself.
I am still young and there are many things I do not know, but I know this;
That we are to have this attitude in ourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Let us strive to be like Him.