Missional (Part 3)

I lack the words to define what I want our “mission” in life to look like.

My wife and I know that we want to go to Africa – most likely Kenya – to do good works. We do not wish to alienate people or push them away from the loving God that we know. We are not going there to “evangelize” them first and foremost – but to serve them. As I quoted in 3 scriptures yesterday.

To be clear – Jesus is our center. But we do not feel called to preach to people. We are RELATIONAL more than anything else. If the opportunity arises to share our faith – it will be within the context of relationships that we have built with people – genuine friendships that we have formed – not within the context of forced or manipulated relationships.

To tell you the truth – Rachel and I are genuinely turned off by street preachers, cutesy church signs which have obnoxious slogans like “Backsliders: Come Home!” and door knockers (Solicitors) in general (religious or otherwise). We don’t want to become THOSE people

No longer do we consider people “in” or “out” but moving TOWARDS the center or AWAY from the center – remembering that Jesus is THE center.

Missional (Part 2)

I believe that part of being missional – carrying out the mission of God on the earth – is to become an advocate for children, women and families worldwide who are victims of poverty and injustice.

We are empowered according to Luke 4:18

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

We are told what true religion is according to James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

We are told what is required of is in Micah 6:8

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

I really appreciate the song penned by Ryan Delmore “True Religion” – here are the lyrics.

You came for the lost

The sick and the blind

With salvation and hope

You gave to us free so what will we do

With this treasure we hold

Let justice roll on like a river

Let mercy shine bright as the sun

Take care of the orphan and widow

Take care of our own flesh and blood

‘Cause this is the way

That You’ve called us to love

To share what we have

With the hungry and poor

Put clothes on the naked

And heal up the broken and torn

True religion

Missional (Part 1)

I want to live Missionally.

According to Wikipedia:

“Missional living” is a Christian term that describes a missionary lifestyle; adopting the posture, thinking, behaviors, and practices of a missionary in order to engage others with the gospel message. The use of this term has gained recent popularity due to the Emerging church movement to contrast the concept of a select group of “professional” missionaries, with the understanding that all Christians should be involved in the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

The missional living concept is rooted in the Missio dei, which means “the sending of God” in Latin. In 1934, Karl Hartenstein, a German missiologist, coined the phrase in response to Karl Barth and his emphasis on actio Dei (Latin for “the action of God”).

According to Lesslie Newbigin and Jesus’ statements in the Gospel according to John, every Christian has been sent by Jesus with the gospel together in community to those in the surrounding culture for the sake of the King and His kingdom: “The Church is sent into the world to continue that which he came to do, in the power of the same Spirit, reconciling people to God.” Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you” (John 20:21).

“No one can say: ‘Since I’m not called to be a missionary, I do not have to evangelize my friends and neighbors.’ There is no difference, in spiritual terms, between a missionary witnessing in his home town and a missionary witnessing in Katmandu, Nepal. We are all called to go—even if it is only to the next room, or the next block.””

The missional living concept is rooted in the Missio dei, which means “the sending of God” in Latin. In 1934, Karl Hartenstein, a German missiologist, coined the phrase in response to Karl Barth and his emphasis on actio Dei (Latin for “the action of God”).

According to Lesslie Newbigin and Jesus’ statements in the Gospel according to John, every Christian has been sent by Jesus with the gospel together in community to those in the surrounding culture for the sake of the King and His kingdom: “The Church is sent into the world to continue that which he came to do, in the power of the same Spirit, reconciling people to God.” Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you” (John 20:21).

“No one can say: ‘Since I’m not called to be a missionary, I do not have to evangelize my friends and neighbors.’ There is no difference, in spiritual terms, between a missionary witnessing in his home town and a missionary witnessing in Katmandu, Nepal. We are all called to go—even if it is only to the next room, or the next block.””

We will go…

God has been stirring my heart for the nations again.  I know that he called me to go on the mission field since I was a little boy.  I always wanted to be a MISSIONARY for Halloween each year.  There have been seasons of my life where this calling has been so strong and I just suppressed it or ignored it…

My wife and I have been talking about going on the mission field since BEFORE we got married.   (We just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary on June 14th) We do not wish to go as preachers or evangelizers specifically – but as the hands and feet of Jesus… We want to go serve in an orphanage, teach English, assist in an AIDS clinic, and just generally be a support to the church in Kenya.

Rachel is working on her degree in Social Work and Gracie was accepted to a GLOBAL LEADERSHIP MAGNET SCHOOL starting this year.  We’d like to go once Rachel get’s her degree and before Gracie gets into Middle School.  so within the next 3-5 years.   In the mean time I’ve got to work on becoming debt free and prepare to go.

If you think about us… could you remember us in your prayers as we prepare for this journey?

If You say go…

If you say Go
by Diane Thiel

If You say go, we will go
If You say wait, we will wait
If You say step out on the water
And they say it can’t be done
We’ll fix our eyes on You and we will come

Your ways are higher than our ways
And plans that You have laid
Are good and true
If You call us to the fire
You will not withdraw Your hand
We’ll gaze into the flames and look for You

© 2002 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing

This song has had a significant impact on our life and ministry on several occasions.  It was what got us through our first year in Las Vegas and still has a special place in our hearts.  God has been stirring our hearts for the nations again… I’ll write more about that tomorrow.

If you think about us… could you remember us in your prayers as we prepare to take a journey towards our future in ministry?