"Living Missionaly"
If you knew that a loved on only had a few precious days left on this earth and they requested to speak with you directly, you'd drop everything on your "to-do-list" to met with them and hear them out, wouldn't you? Not only that, but if they left you with one final request, you'd do everything in your power to see to it that it got done.
In John 20:21 Jesus makes his post-resurrctions appearance to a group of his disciples just days before his ascension to the father, sharing some final directives for them to follow. He spoke the following departing words to them: "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." The only difference is that this is not Jesus' final request; rather, it is his final instructions for the on-going perpetuation of the advancement of his purpose on earth - the redemption of people far from God! What this really boils down to is the fact that Jesus has called all of his followers to missional living. What does it mean to live missionally? It simply means that we see ourselves as missionaries to the communities in which we live! This is the heartbeat of God's pirmary purpose for our lives. The simple fact is you're either a missionary or a mission field! You cannot live somewhere in between these opposite extremes.
With that in mind I'd like to share a few simple steps that you can take to cultivate a develop a missional heart in your own life:
1. Learn the principles of God's Word - His ultimate redemptive playbook!
2. Live in obedience to God's commands and to be a 'sent person' in the community in which you live.
3. Love people unconditionally, for this is appropriate as children of the Most High.
4. Listen for the cries of lost humanity - they really are searching for answers.
5. Launch out into the deep - As a missional person, there cannot be any place that we cannot go!
I believe as we take these necessary steps we will begin to see things from a differen perspective - God's perspective! Think about it, aren't you glad someone was missional in your life, willing to enter into your world to introduce you to this precious life in Christ? Let's return the favor by living missionally in the culture in which we live today!
Special Note: It is my privilege to be the new pastor of Bethel Assembly in Boiling Springs, SC. My wife and I are filled with anticipation and a tremendous vision for the future as we begin our new journey here. Lord willing, we look forward to making our home in the Spartanburg area for years to come! You can find more information about the church and the ministries we offer at www.agbethel.org. We hope to see you soon.
Paper Pulpit - Lead Pastor - James Cencebaugh