Being a missionary
It’s not enough to pass people and think
- “They may be going through difficulties”
- “They need Jesus”
- “Jesus can save them”
- “Jesus can give them purpose and meaning”
- “If they would call on the name of the Lord they will be saved”
- “Jesus can set them free”
Thinking these thoughts can
- Encourage us in our own faith
- Deepen our compassion
- Compel us to pray more
- Convict us of our own need to accept/receive the same
- Motivate us to proactively connect, engage and serve
But the thoughts in and of themselves do not make me a missionary
Neither do platitudes, niceties, politeness or neighborliness in and of themselves make me a missionary. Indeed being kind and compassionate, gentle and loving are non-negotiables for the Christian and inseparably intertwined with being a witness, evangelist, and missionary. However, thinking true thoughts and living a lifestyle of kindness and love does not make me a missionary.
To be a missionary, first I must hear and accept the call of God to be not only a disciple but also an apostle (which all believers are called to). I must recognize that from the beginning Jesus called disciples whom He instructed that He would make “Fishers of Men”. His training and sending took place all through His earthly ministry and culminated in a commissioning with authority and the power of the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses even to “the uttermost parts of the earth”.
Second, to be a missionary, I must begin to go to the people I am sent to. Politicians seem to understand that to know their constituents they have to actually be with them, not only talking but listening also. Doctors recognize that to help their patients they have to dialogue about the symptoms. Retailers “get it” that in order to sell their products they have to engage the people so that the transaction and exchange of money for goods can take place. It seems that only in the church do people forget that the fulfillment of our purpose entails being with God and people.
It’s not enough to talk about God, we have to talk to Him. It’s not enough to talk about people’s needs, we have to talk to them. It’s not enough to be near God, we have to be with Him. It’s not enough to observe lost people from our insulated and isolated lives we have to rub shoulders with them and furthermore engage.
So, to be a missionary, we must hear and receive God’s call and we must go to the people we have been sent to.
Thirdly, to be a missionary, we must not only understand their language and hear their stories, but we also must give them the message Jesus gave us to pass along. We are His messengers and we simply must give the message. To be missionaries it is not enough to be near people, talk about the need, know about the culture, have pity/compassion towards lost and hurting people or even pray for the community around us. We must fearlessly declare to them the gospel of Jesus Christ. If not for this we may be theologians, we may cultural anthropologists or community organizers, but we will not be missionaries. To be a missionary we must work that God’s kingdom will come on earth, amongst these lost people, as in heaven. To be a missionary we have to immerse ourselves in their culture (whilst not partaking of the sinful things) we must interact and build relationships, we must listen as much as we talk and finally, we must tell the full message of this new life.
Dear Christian, may we remember that you and I are in a country that is not our own. Our country is in heaven, we are citizens of that place, but we are here as missionaries and we must act accordingly. The glory of God (in and through us) and the salvation of the lost and broken, hurting and enslaved depend on it!
Dear Pastor/Missionary, thank you for leading the way on your knees and with actions and words in the evangelistic effort to reach the lost with the message of the gospel. Thank you for not letting any of us Christians get comfortable in our own salvation and forget about the plight of the lost. Thank you so much for showing us the missionary heart of God and showing us that even in this pluralistic, intolerant and sinful era, God is still able to use willing and available people to share His good news.
Christ is with us, Christ is in us!
Mike J
Pastor Encouragement 