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A Mission
Dear Lord, May we hear what You are calling us to do as our mission and go forward with boldness to share the Good News. Amen.
Acts 6:4 NRSV while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.
Last month, Paul Dallgas-Frey shared a devotional for council with this title. A copy got left here and I thought he asked some thought-provoking questions, so I asked him if we could discuss some of his points during Adult Forum and he agreed. So here goes…
So, let’s start with the definition of “mission”. One of the definitions from the Oxford dictionary is: “the vocation or calling of a religious organization, especially a Christian one, to go out into the world and spread its faith”. Immanuel has a mission statement, but does that really tell us what to do? And, more importantly, do we, do it?
Jesus asks those of us who know and accept Him to help deliver the gospel. The mission of the church is to share the gift Jesus is offering with the world, extending the incredible hospitality He shows us to others.
We are experiencing cultural shifts that impact what it looks like to fulfill the mission of the church. The gospel is still relevant. The good news of salvation in Jesus Christ is as relevant as ever. The church is still relevant because the mission is still relevant. But some of the ways we have been sharing it might not be. We may need to change our methods to accomplish our mission. To reach people where they are today, we may need to embrace a few new methods. A recent devotional talked about what makes the church distinct from other service clubs. Many people today feel no need for the church as they serve others through various other service organizations and feel no need for the church. What makes the church different and what should we be doing to make the church distinct from other organizations? Somar recently shared on Facebook the quote, “As Christians, we can’t make a difference if we’re not different.” True?
Paul feels we need to change and try something different. How do we know what that is? Do we do what we think is best and trust that it is the Holy Spirit leading us? Or do we make a conscious choice to do something different?
What is God calling us to do?
2. How do we hear the Spirit’s voice?
3. Does our mission need to change in today’s world?
4. If we decide our mission is something different from what we are currently doing, how do we decide what to do?
“Mission is at the heart of what you do as a team. Goals are merely steps to its achievement.” ~ Patrick Dixon
“Missions aren’t just for superstars. A missionary is just like you. Ordinary folks through whom God does the extraordinary.” ~ Chuck Swindoll
“Life is a mission, not a career. A career is a profession, a mission is a cause. A career asks, What’s in it for me? A mission asks, How can I make a difference?” ~ Sean Covey