On Being Selfish: From Mission Field to Mission Force

This past week, I was privileged to speak at a missions conference in Tennessee, where I was reminded again of the incredible work that is being done in so many places of the world by ordinary people seeking to bring the love of Christ and the gift of grace to ordinary people in difficult circumstances.

While I struggled with some of the language around "mission" and "missionaries," I resonated with the speaker who said that representing Christ is "not a mission should you choose to accept it; rather, it is your identity."

Too often we still find that the language around missions includes the idea of a few people "going" to a place far away, yet all of us can be on mission every day of the week, as we meet people who might never step foot into a church and people that the pastor may never meet. 

I was reminded that while the USA is still the country that sends the highest number of missionaries globally, it is now also the country that RECEIVES the highest number of missionaries globally.  

In many places, the mission field has become the mission force.  The global south has more Christians than the global north.  The face of Christianity has moved from being a white Western male to being an African female (more women are Christian than men, and highest number of Christians are found in Africa).  

But I loved what one speaker said in talking about the US culture as it moves toward being post-Christian:  We must go to the nations so that they will come back to us when our Christianity has become "something-like-Christianity."

What a powerful statement.  

As the majority world moves from mission field to mission force, we find ourselves, in North America, moving from mission force to mission field.  

The quote below from A.W. Tozer reminds us that Christianity will always "reproduce itself after its kind." Who we are is what we will spread.  We must be careful in this.  He goes on to say, "The popular notion that the first obligation of the church is to spread the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is false.  Her first obligation is to be spiritually worthy to spread it."  While one could say that we can never wait until we are worthy (but through the grace of God), the argument of living of striving to live lives of integrity and wholistic discipleship needs to be beyond our words to our actions.

In another book I was reading this week, Leading Well in Times of Disruption, the writer said, "People are unreached because God’s people are unsent.  The unreached are not unreachable…but sometimes the unsent are not sendable.  We lack character formation."

May God help us to send the 99% of Christians who work in the marketplace.  May God help us to be sendable.  May God help us to do discipleship that will lead to people of integrity - living on the outside what we proclaim on the inside.

From the book, Of God and Men, this quote from A. W. Tozer

The task of the church is twofold: to spread Christianity throughout the world and to make sure that the Christianity she spreads is the pure New Testament kind....

Christianity will always reproduce itself after its kind. A worldly-minded, unspiritual church, when she crosses the ocean to give her witness to peoples of other tongues and other cultures, is sure to bring forth on other shores a Christianity much like her own....

The popular notion that the first obligation of the church is to spread the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is false. Her first obligation is to be spiritually worthy to spread it. Our Lord said "Go ye," but He also said, "Tarry ye," and the tarrying had to come before the going. Had the disciples gone forth as missionaries before the day of Pentecost it would have been an overwhelming spiritual disaster, for they could have done no more than make converts after their likeness, and this would have altered for the worse the whole history of the Western world and had consequences throughout the ages to come. (page 35-37).

Two wonders I confess: My worth and my unworthiness

This year, I had the opportunity to travel to a few countries that were new to me.  During those visits, I learned about the history of the country, as well as the history of Christianity.  In the sharing, I often heard about "colonial masters" who usually arrived at the same time as the missionaries.  The descriptions of both are rarely positive and some of the negative impacts continue to this day.  The idea that the work of those "unfurling Kingdom hope" is always positive is naive at best.  

However, in my last two trips, I've heard a lot of positive things about missionaries and what they have done.  This was especially true in South Korea, as they relayed the story of the history of Christianity through a beautiful drama during Lausanne.  It touched my heart to hear the story, and it helped to bring healing the term "missionary" for me.  I add that to my experience in Indonesia, as I heard the stories of the first missionaries who arrived in very difficult circumstances and sacrificed so much to share the gospel.  I get to work from the legacy of what they have done.  I am so thankful for that.

And all of that contributes to my understanding of this line from a song which I heard first at Lausanne:  

Two wonders I confess:  My worth and my unworthiness.

Indeed.  These words have captivated me and have kept me pondering over the last two weeks. Two wonders that are both true yet opposite.  How can this be?  What a mystery. What a wonder. 

My worth:  I am made in the image of the God of creation.  I am not an employee but a co-creator.  Jesus has paid the price for my sins and calls me friend.  All of that worth comes without me doing a single thing!  Understanding my worth doesn't come easy - I have to remind myself of this. I am invited to live it out, walking in obedience and faithfulness, seeking to grow in the fruits of the Spirit as I do so.

My unworthiness:  This is often much more apparent to me. I was born white in North America, living a life of great privilege that was built on the backs of many who suffered.  My ancestors did things to people that bring me shame to this day.  I am petty, self-absorbed, easily irritated, and impatient. 

How can this be?  Only God.  Only God can take someone so unworthy from an unworthy culture and unworthy ancestry to make a wonder that is able to join in the work of the most High God, with titles like "ambassador," "saint," and "priest."  

And for the missionaries who have gone before, who continue to go out, and who will go in the future, the same two wonders apply.

Only God.  

I am grateful.

The song, by the Gettys:

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=05jKxv8ApuI

My Worth is Not in What I Own

My worth is not in what I own

Not in the strength of flesh and bone

But in the costly wounds of love

At the cross

My worth is not in skill or name

In win or lose, in pride or shame

But in the blood of Christ that flowed

At the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer

Greatest treasure, wellspring of my soul

I will trust in Him, no other

My soul is satisfied in Him alone

As summer flowers, we fade and die

Fame, youth, and beauty hurry by

But life eternal calls to us

At the cross

I will not boast in wealth or might

Or human wisdom's fleeting light

But I will boast in knowing Christ

At the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer

Greatest treasure, wellspring of my soul

I will trust in Him, no other

My soul is satisfied in Him alone

Two wonders here that I confess

My worth and my unworthiness

My value fixed, my ransom paid

At the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer

Greatest treasure, wellspring of my soul

I will trust in Him, no other

My soul is satisfied in Him alone

I rejoice in my Redeemer

Greatest treasure, wellspring of my soul

I will trust in Him, no other

My soul is satisfied in Him alone

"This is beyond revival. This will take a revolution."

"This is beyond revival.  This will take a revolution."

These were the closing words of one of the pastors in Trinidad, at the end of the workshop this past Saturday.  After two very good days together, with intense and deep discussions, he made this declaration with a bit of sadness, yet also an undercurrent of hope.  The pastors and leaders in attendance caught the vision for a paradigm shift of seeing the potential of equipping the 99%, of redefining the church as the people rather than the building, of seeking to fulfill the Great Commandment and Great Commission through fulfilling the Great Commitment.  They were excited, animated, and hopeful.

At the same time, they recognized the challenge of change.  We all know that change is not easy and that it is often slow-going.  And that is what the pastor was acknowledging.  We coach pastors and denominational leaders on four key challenges that a church may go through in accepting a workplace ministry:

1. The challenge of people recognizing that this is what it means to be a Christian.  It is difficult to accept that worship is for all parts of life, including work.  It is difficult to accept that every person is in the fulltime ministry of giving glory to God, while our specific placement is different.  
2. The challenge of the inward pull of the gathered church - this is very strong and difficult to change.  We have been focused on the building and it's programs for so long.  To understand the importance of the scattered church will take time.
3. The challenge to the role of leaders - We do away with terms like "clergy" and "laity", recognizing that there is no holiness hierarchy; that there is simply the "people of God" and the "priesthood of all believers."  We want to work toward being a nation OF priests, rather than a nation WITH priests.  This challenge cuts both ways and can be difficult to accept by the church leaders and the members.
4. The challenge of sustaining change.  When change starts to happen, it can be difficult to sustain it, until there is a natural and self-sustaining response to whole-life discipleship.  The process can be long and complex.  There may be spiritual resistance at the beginning but without intentionality, there may also be a drift back to what is traditional and familiar.

While this can feel like a bit of a downer, it's a piece of reality that we believe is important to impart to church leaders.  But we also give them some simple ways to start:

1. You don't need to begin a series on work.  You just need to recognize that many of your listeners do work.
2. You don't need to present a whole new vision to the church that will take years to be adopted.  You simply have to ask your members what God is doing in their workplace, and how they can join Him in that work.  
3. Continue pastoral visits, but add in questions about their workplace, and how the church can better equip them to be a disciple in those places.  Take a position of a learner about workplace challenges.
4. You don't have to spend a lot of time explaining to people what has changed in your perspective.  You could just invite people to come to a workshop to explore what would help them live more fruitfully for Christ.  
5. You can start now.  

How did DML arrive in Trinidad?  We are working with an organization called Network for Christians in Business (NCB) led by Ladi Franklin.  NCB is an affiliate of Partners Worldwide, and I met Ladi many years ago when I worked for them.  We have connected on and off throughout the years, but in March of this year, she felt God very strongly telling her to work through the church.  She started asking questions about how that could be done and was directed to DML.  It was a joy to reconnect with her, in a much deeper way than before.  In the group picture, she is sitting to the left of me.

On Sunday, Ladi and her husband Vincent took me on a beautiful tour around the island.  So much beauty and an amazing history.  As is the case with most places, it is a history full of challenge and joy.  

One of the most amazing parts of the day was a small boat tour through canals that lead to the ocean, featuring so many mangrove trees (which are truly amazing), as well as many birds.  The most amazing bird is the national bird, the scarlet ibis.  We were there in the early evening when they all come to one island for the night, shared with other birds.  The flamingoes were there first, then the egrets and herons...and all of them move to the interior of the island as the scarlet ibis arrive...in the dozens and then hundreds.  Here are a few pictures, although as always, you can't truly capture the experience in pictures!

Trinidad with a view toward Tobago

Vincent and Ladi Franklin, a dear brother and sister in the Lord!

The ridge of mountains in the distance is Venezuela!  Just 6.8 miles away!

Mangrove trees - such cool trees!  The roots grow down from the branches, acting like breathing tubes!

Flamingoes are the first to come to the island every evening...

...followed by egrets (in white), herons, and then the red dots are the scarlet ibis.

The beautiful scarlet ibis...the national bird of Trinidad.  So striking against the blue and green! 

Kingdom Hope Unfurled

A theme of this blog for the past several years is a Kingdom vision versus a church vision.  A Kingdom vision sees all the world flourishing as God originally intended, with every person being agents of reconciliation.  A church vision is often limited to the flourishing of the building and the people inside, and the work of the church is limited to volunteering for the programs of the church.  

Last week at Lausanne, we had an opportunity to glimpse a Kingdom vision, far beyond a church or denomination, with mechanical engineers, economic professors, pastors, and NGO leaders all sitting at the table to discuss what flourishing looks like for the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

The Gettys were one of the worship teams during the week, and there is one song that I just can't get out of my head.  The name of the song is, "Facing a Task Unfinished" (sung to the tune of "The Church's One Foundation") - the lyrics and the YouTube video are below.  It is a beautiful song, with inspirational words that "rebukes our slothful ease," but the words that capture me are these:

We go to all the world, with Kingdom Hope unfurled...

"Kingdom hope unfurled."  What beautiful imagery!  The Kingdom of God, the author of hope, joy, peace, and flourishing, raising or unfurling a flag throughout the world.  A flag planted in soil makes a claim of ownership.  It is a Kingdom that promises good not evil, that provides meaning and purpose in every day for every person, where "my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands...for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them" (Isaiah 65:22-23). How we long to see this flag unfurled.  

How we long to see hope in the eyes of our brothers and sisters, both at home and around the world! 

How we long to see the Kingdom of God on earth, as it is in heaven; not waiting for the Lord's return, when that will be a sure thing, but actively participating and working toward it in our own ways, in our own sphere of influence!

I have the joy and pleasure of seeing lightbulbs go on when people realize that work is not a curse; that work is a gift; that work is more than a paycheck, but a chance to contribute to the flourishing of others; that their work matters to God; that they were created on purpose and for a purpose, which can be lived out every day; and that work can be done as an act of worship. What a privilege to see new hope on the faces of those who hear this message and then the stories of impact as they begin to live it out.  

This past week, the DML Zambia team had a zoom call with us to share with great excitement what is happening in the churches and businesses who are hearing and living out this message.  Their goal was to share their excitement and to be an encouragement to us!  It is calls like that that gives me hope to believe that Christians can be agents of reconciliation in bringing about "kingdom hope unfurled."

This week, I travel to Trinidad and Tobago to share the message of "work as worship."  Another new country, another new culture, another new opportunity to work with like-minded brothers and sisters in participating in this message.  Please pray for this seed to find a home where it too can flourish.

And if you don't know this song, please click the link below.  But beware, it may also get stuck in your head!

Keith & Kristyn Getty - Facing A Task Unfinished (Lyric Video) (youtube.com) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOpt_bulJxY

Facing a Task Unfinished 

Facing a task unfinished, That drives us to our knees, A need that undiminished, Rebukes our slothful ease

We, who rejoice to know Thee, Renew before Thy throne, The solemn pledge we owe Thee, To go and make Thee known

Where other Lords beside Thee, Hold their unhindered sway, Where forces that defied Thee, Defy Thee still today

With none to heed their crying, For life and love and light, Unnumbered souls are dying, And pass into the night

Chorus: We go to all the world, With kingdom hope unfurled, No other name has power to save, But Jesus Christ The Lord

We bear the torch that flaming, Fell from the hands of those, Who gave their lives proclaiming, That Jesus died and rose

Ours is the same commission, The same glad message ours, Fired by the same ambition, To Thee we yield our powers

Chorus: We go to all the world, With kingdom hope unfurled, No other name has power to save, But Jesus Christ The Lord

O Father who sustained them, O Spirit who inspired, Saviour, whose love constrained them, To toil with zeal untired

From cowardice defend us, From lethargy awake!, Forth on Thine errands send us, To labour for Thy sake

Chorus: We go to all the world, With kingdom hope unfurled, No other name has power to save, But Jesus Christ The Lord

Chorus: We go to all the world, His kingdom hope unfurled, No other name has power to save, But Jesus Christ The Lord