A couple of years ago (October 5, 2008), I wrote about the church as missionary. I first heard the term from Pastor Bob Roberts and it continues to fascinate and challenge me. I am not even sure at times if I fully understand what this phrase means. There are other times when I think, “Yeah! Now, that’s what I’m talking about when I say that the church is to be the missionary!”
My fascination with this phrase is probably 50% frustration and 50% inspiration. The frustration is that so many people just “don’t get” The Mission. They are content to throw in an occasional offering for the missionaries (or not!) and then get back to their lives – real life. The more spiritual even pray for the missionaries – sort of. My frustration is that they just don’t get that The Mission is for all of us. We are in this thing together.
The inspiration part is dreaming what can happen if we all really move together in The Mission as the church. What could happen if we really understand that every single one of us is needed in The Mission. All Summer long I have been pouring out my little heart about The Mission. This Sunday I am going to give my best shot at explaining what I mean (at least what I think I mean) by the church as the missionary.
Meanwhile, tomorrow morning, a group of 25 is leaving KCBT for China to teach ESL. In a group that size, experience, skepticism and wisdom tell me that a few are on this trip because it is very cool to go to China. Others are going because someone else is going. Some are going because of a profound sense of The Mission. Still others are sincerely seeking their place in The Mission.
I’m just thankful that they are all going on this mission together. Right motives, wrong motives, semi-right motives – whatever – I am thankful that this group is going together. I know that God will work in their lives together and accomplish all he wants to accomplish.
I mean, isn’t this what God does each and every time his people assemble together as the church? We assemble together for all sorts of motives – good, bad and indifferent. But, when we assemble together, there is God in our midst just as he has promised. Without fail, he does his work in us and uses us to accomplish his mission.
Whatever your spiritual condition and whatever your motive, let’s assemble together Sunday morning and allow God to do whatever he wants to do among us. If we can get our heads around what it means for the church to be the missionary some amazing things can happen!
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Join me each day as I share what's bouncing around in my head and heart. I wish I had time to sit down with each of you over a good cup of coffee, but at least we can thank God for blogs! Oh! I'll take the coffee, too, whenever I can!
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Awesome series of thoughts on Missions. The whole church involved together, and like minded churches all working together too……there are so many lost people to reach, lets all team together and get better spiritual synergy going!! Momentum is growing…………
Thanks, Doug. Did you get my message to you about a young man from Costa Rica who has interest in spending a short time with you when you and your bride get established? I might have sent it to an old address. If so, let me know and I will resend via Facebook.
In the words of the late, great musician & follower of Jesus Christ himself, the Rev. Gary Davis…”Let us get together, right down here.”
We all are in this thing together! hace unos meses escuché por primera vez la frase “la iglesia es el misionero” sigo intentando comprenderlo, gracias a Dios que aunque no lo terminamos de entender y de las intenciones al hacer nuestra parte, Cristo sigue siendo la cabeza del cuerpo misionero..