Integrating Missions Into Your Daily Life and Fellowship

Glory. Worship. Mission.
God is about revealing and receiving glory - among the nations. Throughout time God gathers to himself a covenant people, conforms them to the image of Christ, and uses them to be agents of reconciliation and redemption. God, because he alone is God, is fully deserving of worship by all of creation. The reality is that there are pockets where Jesus is not receiving what is due him - within our own lives, in our communities, and to the ends of the earth. God's mission is to restore worship and thus his glory among all peoples.

Missions.
God's enduring purpose is his Mission. Our participation in cross-cultural expression of that purpose is missions. Missions is based in the character and nature of God. It is not merely a New Testament or North American phenomenon.

God created all people in his image. God blessed Israel that they might be a blessing to the nations. God became a missionary in Christ to die for all who might believe. Jesus' ministry on earth demonstrated that God's kingdom is one for all peoples. God has given the church a ministry of reconciliation that is not limited by borders or boundaries. God's future kingdom is one in which people from every tribe and tongue will be gathered to worship him. God is using the world to reach the world. We are at an exciting juncture in history where the worldwide church is responding to God's invitation to join in this wondrous venture.

Missionaries.
God's work of fullness (conforming us to the fullness of the image of Christ) and fulfillment (working through us to fulfill his redemptive purposes) must not be only local priorities. The scope of God's heart is the world. His purposes are not provincial but global. The world is the context for God's mission and thus our lives as well. Anything else is too small and sub-Biblical.

We are not random people, at random places, at a random time, for random reason. Rather we are God's chosen people, at this specific place, in this particular time, for his global purpose. Maybe surprisingly (at least to me), God chooses to use his people to transform the world. And amazingly he uses the world to transform his people. In stepping into his purposes God is glorified, others come to know of Christ, and we find true life. How amazing!

God gives his followers the gift of sharing his heartbeat and stepping out into his glorious purposes. Our calling is to be used by the Holy Spirit to call the nations to worship.

Mission Integration.
God's mission is to be central to the worldview and lifestyle of all believers. The world must become the context for our life of faith. Too often missions is relegated to the sidelines. It is often viewed as supplemental or for those special few believers. Missions must move from the margins to the main text of our lives. Our participation in God's heart for the nations can be foundational and integrated into our discipleship. It doesn't necessarily take living overseas to become a world Christian.

At times it is appropriate to have special missions events or announcements in the life of our fellowships. Yet too often missions is segmented (and moved to the fringes) rather than being integrated. Can you imagine what your fellowship might be like if missions became normative and woven into the warp and woof of your community?

Large gatherings (church service or campus chapter meetings) could reflect God's diversity in the worship repertoire, content of the prayer, or sermon/talk illustrations. Small group Bible studies could ask what the passage has to say about God's heart for the nations. Social events could reflect traditions or foods of different cultures. Discipling relationships could cross ethnic or cultural lines. Believers from different countries could give their testimonies at any number of different fellowship gatherings. International students could easily be incorporated into the life of the fellowship. Even missionaries could be asked to speak (although I recommend they might talk on something like "prayer" or "dependence on God" instead of just plain old missions).

Find ways to expose your fellowship to Biblical truth regarding missions, to people who are infected with God's heart, and to healthy cross-cultural experiences. Let your imagination go wild. It may take a little work but it will be well worth it in the end.

Other Articles on Missions Integration:

Integrating Your Short Term Trip

Building a Group's Mission Vision
by J. Mack Stiles

Missions Speaker Ideas and Topics

Missions Videos

Related Articles of Interest:

The Heart Cry of God: Establishing and Restoring Shalom
by Sam Barkat

Why Missions? Why Me?
by John M. Criswell

Preparation For Mission - Practical Steps
by Jack Voelkel

The Heart of God / A Heart of Mission
by Mary Fisher