Christian Mission
Jesus: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last." (John 15:16)
Paul: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - Phil. 4:13
"Mission is not, and never should be, an undertaking for a minority within the church. Mission is the church's raison d'être." - Richard Tiplady, World of Difference
A prayer by Sir Francis Drake, the first explorer to circumnavigate the earth:
"Disturb
us, Lord, when
we are too pleased with ourselves.
When our
dreams have come true
because we dreamed too little.
When we
arrived safely
because we sailed too close to the shore."
"The ship is safest when it's in port. But that's not what ships were made for." - Paul Coelho The Pilgrimage (New York: HarperCollins, 1999), p. 22.
"Start by doing what's necessary;
Then do what's possible;
And suddenly you are doing the impossible." - Francis of Assisi
What is mission?
God called Abraham to the high purpose of becoming a "blessing to all nations of the earth." (Genesis 12:3) This remains the mandate of God's people.
Even before Abraham, God promised One who would overcome evil and its roots and effects in the world (Genesis 3:15) and Jesus invites us to follow Him in His mission.
Mission is not our initiative but our obedience to God's call. This was true of Jesus and is true of us. Notice how central to Jesus was His awareness of being sent.
Jesus' mission in response to His Father's sending was a "love and rescue" mission, a mission of compassion and sacrifice taking people from the oppression and bondage of the evil one into the Kingdom of God's righteousness and grace.
Our Call to Mission
Hearing Jesus' call to follow him in mission (John 20:21: "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you") brings focus, hope, confidence and perseverance in difficulty to our lives.
Hear this call through some of Jesus' followers who have impacted me greatly:
William Booth
-
call to the good fight
Amy Carmichael - the cry of blood
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- the cost of discipleship
Ruth Haley Barton - our true vocation
It is highly valuable to put into writing the specifics of your life's mission.
Arenas of Mission - there is almost endless need until Jesus returns including:
Evangelism - introducing others to Christ
Helping friends grow as disciples of Jesus
Disciple
making movements
Developing missional communities (aka church planting)
The mission of Christ in the local church - what about the role of the
local pastor?
The
effect of Christ's Mission on Social Transformation
How do I make a plan to maximize my calling? One place to begin:
here.
Healthy Balance - in it all it is important to stay healthy in body and spirit, maintaining a balanced rhythm of life to finish well.
Murray Moerman (