Although it isn't fun to repeat how terrible we are, for the sake of clarity, I will.
Aaron and I have been broken by the fact that we have never considered going, (leaving the US and going to proclaim the gospel to the nations) and we haven't been actively sending missionaries either. It's been an all-around suckfest around here in the area of global missions.
I want to say that our church has done a top-notch job of teaching us to live mission-minded right here in the US. As in...we have been trained extremely well to ask God for opportunities to share the gospel with everyone with which we come in contact. Sports teams. The lady at the park. Aaron's job. Our neighbors. New Life has helped us to live our lives in such a way where we (us..our family) see living "on mission with God" as our own personal responsibility. They've taught us to quit punting to the church and to simply start doing the work of Jesus in our every day lives. I pray we're faithfully living out God's command for believers to make Him known among the people God has placed into each of our lives.
When I'm talking about missions...I'm talking about global missions. The "go into all the nations" aspect of the great commission. Yes we're supposed to be "on mission" here where we live (and I hope we are), but my word...God also wants people to go. Like leave. Pack your bags, kiss your mom, and go.
We have both been on lots of short term mission trips. Aaron has been on so many, I don't even think he could remember or count them all. Aaron's parents are missionaries and were faithful to raise him up in an environment filled with mission trips. They were "that family" that would spend their vacations doing mission work. I'm thankful for Aaron's parents for a very long list of reasons...but the way they pointed Aaron to selfless service of the church and the lost world is at the top of that hefty list.
We believe God desires for all believers to heed His Word. I think most of you believe that too. Obviously our obedience does not save us. We know that. This isn't about trying to do these things so that God likes us more. Aaron and I belong to God, so He likes us all He's ever gonna like us. Asking God to grow our obedience when it comes to missions is about desiring to know God better...to have His heart...to thank Him for His sweet grace.
There's strong evidence in scripture that we should either be "going" or "sending."
For the first time in our lives, we're asking God what those things look like...in real-live, every day life kinds of ways. How do we live this sending stuff out, God?
Here are some great words from John Piper about sending out missionaries. You can find the entire sermon here. I'm posting two of his fourteen points about missions. (Only John Piper would be totally fine with having 14 points instead of 10 or 15 or 20. 14 would drive any normal pastor insane...especially a Baptist one.)
Conviction #10—It Is the Joyful Duty and the Awesome Privilege of Every Local Church to Send Out Missionaries “In a Manner Worthy of God” (3 John 6).
But before we can send them, we must grow them or identify the ones who have been “grown” elsewhere but whom God is calling us to send. According to 3 John 7-8 there is a biblical mandate that we ought to support missionaries—a certain kind of missionary—one who has gone out “for the sake of the name.”
“For they went out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support such men, that we may be fellow workers with the truth.”
There is a big difference between a church that “has” missionaries (on the back of their bulletin or as a line item in their budget) and a church that “sends” missionaries.
To send in a manner worthy of God is to so recognize the supreme importance of proclaiming the name of God in word and deed among the nations that we will do whatever we can to support those who go out for the sake of the name—spiritually, practically, emotionally, financially.
Conviction #11—We Are Called to a Wartime Lifestyle for the Sake of Going and Sending.
To send in a manner worthy of God and to go for the sake of the name, we must constantly fight the deception that we are living in peace time where we think that the luxury of self indulgence is the only power that can break the boredom. O may God open our eyes to what is at stake in the war raging between heaven and hell.
The spirit of the great missionary, Paul, must grip us more and more. “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8).
In wartime everything changes. The luxury liner, Queen Mary, became a troop carrier, and instead of bunks three high they were stacked seven high. Resources are allocated differently in wartime. And we are in a war far more devastating than World War II.
A wartime lifestyle presents itself not as a legalistic burden, but as a joyful acknowledgment that our resources aren’t entrusted to us for our own private pleasure but for the greater pleasure of stewarding them for the advancement of the kingdom of God (Acts 20:35; Matthews 6:33).
_________________________
We're confessing, as a couple, that we have not truly sent missionaries. Yes, our church may support missionaries, but personally we have not sent missionaries in any way that really matters.
John Piper says to send missionaries means we support them in the following ways:
Spiritually, practically, emotionally and financially.
We believe all lovers of Jesus (including ourselves) need to be supporting missionaries in these ways.
Are we? The answer is no.
Are you?
Here are the questions we've had to ask ourselves, and the answers totally stink.
Do we know the missionaries our church supports?
Do we pray for them?
Do our kids know them?
Do they hear us praying for those missionaries?
Are we involved in their lives? Do we send them emails? Do we encourage them? Do they know we are praying for them? Do they know we are rejoicing with them as they see people come to know the Lord and see lives saved (spiritually and physically?)
Do we truly see the missionaries we're sending from our church as going while we're here sending? Do we see our relationship as ACTIVE. Do I see our relationship as a true partnership. My sending, their going = both of us living out the great commission.
Truthfully we haven't. We've seen missionaries as people who left to do cool God things, but have not truly felt how connected God wants us to be. We've not lived within the relationship that should exist between a goer and a sender.
Are there missionaries we need to support financially that our church does not support?
Do we meet practical needs of the missionaries we're sending? When they need things from the US are we eager to send those items? Arrange places for them stay? Serve them while they are back in the US? Do we even know what their needs are?
If we're not the ones going, then we should be sending, and quite frankly we have been the sorriest senders.
A lot of sending takes money.
That's why I loved John Piper's 11th point.
As the senders, are we living in a war-like mentality? Are we sacrificing here so we can send more there?
If we don't have enough money to fund the great commission, then we should probably admit the great commission is not flawed...however, our lifestyles may be.
What I'm learning (in a very painful way) is that to live in a war-like mindset...sacrificing to send more money for the sake of the gospel going out...giving up things here in my own life so that I can invest in heaven...my faith must grow.
It's hard to live for something you can't see, and yet that's exactly what Jesus calls us to do every single day of our lives. Only faith could make me live like a war is raging while sitting on my porch swing in my quiet, safe neighborhood feeling a gentle Spring breeze. Can I see past my lazy street...my green lawn...the dandelions floating in the air and remember that a bloody battle is taking place, every second of every single day for the souls of men, women and children in countries I can't even find on a map?
In order to be a faithful sender, I need more faith (and a big fat kick in the butt).
As with anything in the life of a believer...we're not feeling condemned over our lack of sending. Instead, we're sad we've been disobedient because that means we've missed out on a lot of good God has for us...a lot of growth...a lot of life. We're thankful that God is graciously teaching us these things now so we don't have to miss out on this good any more.
Thoughts on sending?
John Piper says to send missionaries means we support them in the following ways:
Spiritually, practically, emotionally and financially.
We believe all lovers of Jesus (including ourselves) need to be supporting missionaries in these ways.
Are we? The answer is no.
Are you?
Here are the questions we've had to ask ourselves, and the answers totally stink.
Do we know the missionaries our church supports?
Do we pray for them?
Do our kids know them?
Do they hear us praying for those missionaries?
Are we involved in their lives? Do we send them emails? Do we encourage them? Do they know we are praying for them? Do they know we are rejoicing with them as they see people come to know the Lord and see lives saved (spiritually and physically?)
Do we truly see the missionaries we're sending from our church as going while we're here sending? Do we see our relationship as ACTIVE. Do I see our relationship as a true partnership. My sending, their going = both of us living out the great commission.
Truthfully we haven't. We've seen missionaries as people who left to do cool God things, but have not truly felt how connected God wants us to be. We've not lived within the relationship that should exist between a goer and a sender.
Are there missionaries we need to support financially that our church does not support?
Do we meet practical needs of the missionaries we're sending? When they need things from the US are we eager to send those items? Arrange places for them stay? Serve them while they are back in the US? Do we even know what their needs are?
If we're not the ones going, then we should be sending, and quite frankly we have been the sorriest senders.
A lot of sending takes money.
That's why I loved John Piper's 11th point.
As the senders, are we living in a war-like mentality? Are we sacrificing here so we can send more there?
If we don't have enough money to fund the great commission, then we should probably admit the great commission is not flawed...however, our lifestyles may be.
What I'm learning (in a very painful way) is that to live in a war-like mindset...sacrificing to send more money for the sake of the gospel going out...giving up things here in my own life so that I can invest in heaven...my faith must grow.
It's hard to live for something you can't see, and yet that's exactly what Jesus calls us to do every single day of our lives. Only faith could make me live like a war is raging while sitting on my porch swing in my quiet, safe neighborhood feeling a gentle Spring breeze. Can I see past my lazy street...my green lawn...the dandelions floating in the air and remember that a bloody battle is taking place, every second of every single day for the souls of men, women and children in countries I can't even find on a map?
In order to be a faithful sender, I need more faith (and a big fat kick in the butt).
As with anything in the life of a believer...we're not feeling condemned over our lack of sending. Instead, we're sad we've been disobedient because that means we've missed out on a lot of good God has for us...a lot of growth...a lot of life. We're thankful that God is graciously teaching us these things now so we don't have to miss out on this good any more.
Thoughts on sending?
6 comments:
The Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention has been a blessing to missionaries around the world.
All participating churches pooled their mission giving to equally support all the missionaries, schools and benevolence organizations.
No longer do missionaries have to spend their furloughs trying to collect enough support to sustain them for their next term on the field.
But the blessing is also a curse.
Churches give to "missions" without ever seeing a missionary.
The challenge has always been to be personally connected to missions and missionaries - without missionaries having to beg for support.
The "auxiliary" groups of Baptist churches, WMU, RAs, GAs, Mission Friends, were designed to keep focus on missions.
As a GA, I prayed for missionaries on their birthdays. We learned where we had missionaries and what they were doing. And we learned the scriptural basis for missions.
But auxiliary groups exist in only a small minority of churches now.
The mission-focus mechanism has effectively died.
Missions has become an impersonal, "out-there" kind of thing.
And, frankly, people lose interest in impersonal, "out-there" kind of things.
It's a hard balance, and although the Cooperative Program has worked well for 90 years, it is now in decline.
Some Southern Baptist churches are choosing to personally support their missionaries again. Even the Cooperative Program is now allowing for designated giving.
Which, it seems to me, defeats the purpose of the Cooperative Program.
No answers here.
Just acknowledging that the issue is deep and complex.
Lots of what you're talking about here are things I was challenged with by reading K.P. Yohannan's book "Revolution in World Missions" and then another of his books "Road to Reality". War-time mentality is something I've heard him talk about. It's a large part of why we left our church in Pa, where my husband was on staff, and came to serve on staff at Gospel for Asia. But, even where we are right now --being "missionaries" and raising support and supporting a native missionary and other missionaries (being sent and being a sender)-- I still don't think I live with a war-time mentality. During WW2, Americans gave up certain things on certain days to contribute to the war effort (meatless Mondays, etc). There are things we don't have b/c we are giving, but there are still PLENTY of things we do have, things we don't need. And, we could give a lot more.
Judy mentioned the Coop Program of SBC. I've been part of SBC churches most of my life. I never knew any missionaries personally until we went to serve on staff at our church in PA (not SBC). They had missionaries come every year to a conference we held. Now we know lots of missionaries (those in Asia through GFA but also lots of others). Thanks to the need to raise support for us to serve on staff with GFA, we have met lots of other people who are serving God all over the globe. And, we pray for many of those families by face and name. It's been a process.
Neat to hear how God is working in your hearts. Thanks for sharing!
I have been overseas to serve in Kazakhstan and I have been a sender from the US. Both are so important - and don't underrate the sender role. We depended on so many people to make it work for us to be serving there. Often it is most effective for nationals to be at the front lines: they know the language, the culture, the ins and outs, and they can be effective immediately rather than spending years training and language learning. But they need to be supported too. Our money goes to church planting efforts that directly involve nationals who reach muslims. This is a good journey you are on!
Melissa
I've enjoyed being part of a sending church and seeing the ins and outs. I’m part of Antioch Community Church in Waco.
God has done some neat things through people who were willing to ask Him. About 20 years ago, our pastor Jimmy and his wife, just out of college, had a dream and a question in their hearts about what would happen if missionaries could be trained and sent out by the local church. It is amazing the dreams that God will birth and bring to pass through a process of prayers, prophetic words, gut wrenching times, & decisions to obey Him even when it is hard and uncomfortable. He initiates it & He gets the glory for it.
One thing that drew me to Antioch to be trained and sent is that very thing... the local church being the backbone and home base of those being sent. Practically it looks like this... There are 2 training schools called Elevate and 24:14. Elevate is for anyone, and everyone is encouraged to take 9 months to do this. It's a time of discipleship and short term trips to church plants. It's about learning how to live out the values of the Kingdom in whatever area of influence you are in: healthcare, education, athletics, administration, etc. It was one of the best and hardest years of my life. 24:14 is the second school. It's the training and launching ground for missionaries who are about to go out on the field as church staff.
It has been fun and hard to see friends go on the field. I love getting their updates and being able to send them emails and encouragements, not as far off distant missionary people, but as friends who I know and love. I also appreciate the opportunity within the training schools to be an integral part of the church, learning, serving, & being counseled in community. People who are sent out (long term and short term) are prayed for in a Sunday morning service. (This happens about 2-4 times a month, a regular occurrence.) Also people who return for furlough are introduced and welcomed back, and the church body is encouraged to love on, connect with, (babysit for) them while they are home. The church owns a few furnished missionary homes next to the church that provide peaceful places for families on furlough.
Also, every two years Antioch has a conference called iCon (or international conference) for all the missionaries stateside and overseas. First is a week of team leader training and then a week of team time for learning, connecting, getting re-envisioned for the field.
During Elevate I got to be part of a ministry track called the administration track for people who are interested in using their administration gift in church planting. One of my favorite things I got to do was making a spreadsheet of iCon participants’ feedback on the conference. I read through hundreds of forms and narrowed down the common feedback into one form to pass on to leadership so that they could improve iCon for the next time. That was an interesting insight into the sending process. There are a lot of hands and a lot of gifts that go into the sending process, and everyone is needed!
I appreciate this training & sending model so much - it's simple, covering, educating, accountable, and, from what I have experienced, centered around Jesus and His church at its core. It's about being a church and reproducing church!
A good book about what God has done in Antioch's history is called The Church Can Change the World by Jimmy Seibert. A quick, fun, interesting read. I don't think there is any one model that is perfect or right for everyone, but I think we can learn from all sorts of ways of doing this Great Commission thing.
Thank you for sharing your process on this, Heather. :)
Thanks for sharing your journey, struggles, etc. about global missions. It's definitely an area that I have been digging deeper into lately (am I being obedient in this area, etc.).
A class I'm taking is called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (www.perspectives.org). I highly recommend it if it's ever offered in College Station. But, like anything, sitting in a classroom and hearing from missionaries about what we SHOULD do isn't effective unless we actually go DO IT!
Thanks again for sharing your journey with us...
Our family falls short on lots of things we should be doing for the kingdom but we are supporters of 3 missionaries in different parts of the world. I will have to say I really enjoy getting their newsletters every month and rejoicing with them on what they are doing. It is a way for our family to learn about other countries and see the needs of others. Just by supporting those in the mission field, I am gaining so much in my life too. We have taken our boys on mission trips as well. But as you know we are all called in different ways, just let the Lord lead.
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