There are all kinds of people with varying beliefs living around us. Some of them we notice and some of them we never see. But I can guarantee you one thing for sure. There is a missionary living in your neighborhood.
Growing up as part of the church, there was huge map in the lobby where we worshipped on Sundays–a map of the world with pins all over it. Each pin corresponding to an 8×10 picture next to the map.
We were taught that these people in the photographs, who always worked and served in faraway lands, were the missionaries. They never told us what the Bible teaches: all Christians are missionaries.
In fact, our God is a missionary God and we see his missionary heart displayed right in the beginning of the Story, in Genesis 3. After Adam and Eve have chosen to rebel against God they ran away and hid themselves. And what did God do? He went looking for them, calling out, “Where are you…?”
Immediately after God’s beloved image bearers chose a life of self-rule, one where they thought they could manage the knowledge of good and evil, right and wrong, for themselves, God went on a rescue mission. He went looking for them. That is his heart.
And God sent his son, Jesus, to this Earth as a missionary as well to take on human form and live within the culture. He worked, ate and interacted among the people; living in such a way that those around him could see and experience exactly what his Father is truly like. Jesus is a missionary.
So Whataya Do?
Imagine if you and your family, maybe with a few close friends, were sent and fully funded to go to another country and establish the gospel–to start a church and see people come to faith in Jesus–what would you immediately begin to do? What would your life consist of? How would you be with and among the people there?
I have asked this question to many people and their answers are remarkably similar.
“We would start by getting to know the language of the local people. We’d eat what and where they eat. Start to dress more like them and adopt some of their customs. We would shop at the same places over and over to get to know the shop and restaurant owners and look for ways to be a blessing to them. We’d start to build relationships and friendships over time.”
That would be a pretty good start, don’t you think?
People Are People
I have to be honest with you here. After living this way for over a decade now–like a localized missionary–I don’t think there is a huge difference between being a missionary here in America compared to living this way in a foreign country. People are people. We all have many of the same needs and fears.
The biggest difference here is that I constantly feel two things pulling at me; my past experience of “going to church” instead of being the church, and my lack of faith that the gospel is truly good news for everyone and everything. My tendency is to revert back to making everything an event or weekly meeting or teaching time; as if people were to just hear one more good sermon, or did one more Bible study, they would really “get it”.
If that was truly the case, then why didn’t Jesus just broadcast some good news really loudly from heaven so that everyone on the planet could hear? That’s because the good news–the gospel–is not a set of historical facts or programs or meetings.
The Good News is a Person.
Jesus came to show the world what God, his Father, is truly like. He came as a missionary. And that’s why we “go”.
Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples” was not a suggestion.
And he didn’t say, “Ask people to come and see.” He always intended, as he lived, that we would incarnate (take on flesh) his mission out in the world, neighborhood, offices, gyms, parks—showing the world what he is like and sharing the gospel with others by both our life’s display and words.[clickToTweet tweet=”Regardless of how God decides to route our paychecks, we are all full-time, paid missionaries.” quote=”Regardless of how God decides to route our paychecks, either through a business or through a church or however, we are all full-time, paid missionaries.”]
Regardless of how God decides to route our paychecks, either through a business or through a church or however, we are all full-time, paid missionaries.
Want to find the missionary in your neighborhood?
Look in the mirror.
So if you haven’t been living as a full-time missionary up until this point, the next best time to start is now.
Would you please share this with someone else you love right now? And be sure to subscribe to my Youtube channel before you go and let me know what’s been keeping you from living like a full-time missionary, in the comments below.
