Doing Missions?
Churches like to display their missions in a variety of ways. Some choose flags, while others use maps, many have pictures, and others have newsletters. The idea of missions is a response to the great commission that came from Jesus. It is a model that we see in the book of Acts. In fact the Bridge is in itself a response or act of missions.Missions have always been something that has pulled at my soul. I remember staring at the map at my home church of the different places people were serving God’s kingdom and having a genuine curiosity of wondering if I could ever do that. While in college the spark was reignited when an opportunity to go to China presented itself before it became a common thing but I was led not to go and instead took a job at this church in
Pella. I have always been an active supporter of those who have gone on these trips. I’ve spent over 3 months of my life leading mission trips. My wife and I took one of our first vacations to
Honduras for a mission trip. I regularly get e-mails from friends who are in Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Sudan, and
South Africa. I love missions and missionaries.So here I sit in
Ottumwa, Iowa and I’m thinking about missions and the different opportunities I’d like to see the Bridge apart of and I’m just not satisfied with the way it has been done by churches. It has been my observation that most churches do church and do missions but what I’m hopeful for is a church that is a mission. That it becomes impossible to think of The Bridge without thinking about missions. I’m hopeful for a community that is the church and at the same time is the mission. It ceases to be a Sunday thing or a person we sponsor to the mission thing but it is our thing, our life, our call, our response to what Christ has done.ÂÂ
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July 20th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
An interesting thought Marty. It’s so hard to break for our mindset of what the church should be doing. So many things that are valid such as outreach and evangelism, discipling new converts, growing and training leaders, and service.
I, too, have a heart for the missional. I long for my work to become one that is out reaching the woman at the well rather than planning the next fancy addition to the building (not that we have to worry about this at this point).
Praying for you as you seek. As the Lord gives you thoughts, please share them here…I’m always reading what others think.
In Christ
Scott @ Faith Untamed