The Heart of Mission

If individuals were at the heart of God's purposes, then it would be quite natural to put the individual at the heart of mission, and many people do just that. But at the heart of Gods plan for salvation are a family and a nation. And so the church should be at the heart of mission.
- from "Total Church a radical reshaping around gospel and community" by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis.

This past Sunday a couple in our church shared a testimony of what God is doing in their family. It was encouraging and energizing stuff. Something that they said has stayed with me. After relating the story of what they came through and the miracle of biblical principles in action, they said. This is not a direct quote so if I am not 100% accurate I believe that I will capture the essence. Feel free to correct me if I have captured it wrongly. They said, "It is so important to be involved in a church and to attend regularly. The messages, and prophetic instruction that are received on Sundays enlighten us with Gods vision of our future."
This is sooooo true in my life. Also it harmonizes so perfectly with all that I have been learning about being a mission minded disciple of Christ. Think of the multitudes of people who are darkened in their understanding. Think of the miracle of church involvement that they are missing out on. Think of the unity and fellowship with Christ, that they are bankrupt of. It is heartbreaking.
I really need to be an active missionary in the culture where I am planted. The lost are so very needy. They are the preeminent orphans. They are my calling.

The Call

A call to missions is ringing out in the western church. I am hearing the call across diverse segments of the church in the west. From proponents of liberal theology to those of more fundamentalist theological views the call is coming forth. From the emerging evangelicals, the emerging reformed, and from emergent village adherents, a common voice is rising. Christian social activists and Christian college leaders find themselves unified in the call. Leaders who are Charistmatic, Pentecostal, non-denominational , and mainline denominational all agree. Look around for yourself if you don’t want to believe me. The message is coming out from multiple sources. Books, magazines, sermons, websites, podcasts, vodcasts, blogs, music, movies, the cry is loud and clear. We the church of Jesus Christ in the west are being called to a greater focus on missions within the culture in which we live.

To answer the call we need to learn to be missionaries. We need to learn to put aside our own interests and desires to serve this lost generation. We the remnant who are being preserved and set aside need to heed the word of the Lord in this present age and move out into the greater society to bring the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If not us then who?

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to determine whether you have recognized this call.

1) Have you suffered discomfort in the last year to go out of your way to befriend someone who did not call themselves a Christian?
2) Have you given direct assistance to someone in need with no concern for what it cost you or what benefits there may be in it for you in the last 3 months?
3) Have you prayed for lost people in the secret place of your conversation with God?
4) Does the condition of humanity regularly fill you with sadness?

There are many other questions we could ask. There are many more ways in which we could improve our response to the call.