“Mission” has become a popular buzzword in the church of late. When people hear the term, they often come to it with preconceived notions of its meaning. What does it mean to be on mission? Isn’t mission supposed to involve a foreign country? Most importantly, what does the Bible have to say about it?
Genuine action
The account of Jesus in the Gospels makes it clear that, to reveal himself, Jesus discipled people. Jesus took the circumstances that naturally arose in life as teaching opportunities for others to further understand him. When Jesus’ incarnate mission on earth was completed, he called his church to join him on his mission. Luke wrote in Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.”
Jesus calls us to likewise disciple people and he empowers us to be his witnesses. We’re not called just to memorize verses about witnessing. We’re called to genuine action. Jesus calls each of us to go and make disciples in our context.
No casual calling
On the surface, the idea of witnessing seems almost casual, yet it’s anything but. Jesus came to us sent on a mission. Jesus obeyed what his Father commanded him to do knowing that it would be completed at the cost of his life. He freely gave it up in obedience so that we would know him and so we could be reconciled to the Father. He similarly calls us—potentially at the cost of our own lives. The word translated as “witnesses” in Acts 1:8, is martys in Greek, which is (you guessed it) the same word we derive “martyr” from as well.
In other words, we are called to witness Christ’s name at the potential cost of our lives. When Jesus tells the disciples in Matthew 16 that they are to pick up their cross and follow him, I think he knows that many of them will go on mission as he commanded them and lose their lives in the process—not to make war on people, but to share the truth to see them reconciled.
Start simply
Where do you start? Think about someone that in your life that doesn’t know Jesus, but that you have a catalyst for relationship with. This could be someone in your family, your workplace, your neighborhood, or among your friends. What would it look like to foster a deeper relationship with the intention of sharing your life and the good news about Jesus with them?
Paul instructs us about the importance of our heart in this as he recounts the mission to the church at Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 2:8. He writes, “Being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves.”
Too often we mistakenly overcomplicate mission or think we have to give the perfect gospel “elevator pitch” at a moment’s notice. It could start by routinely grabbing lunch with a co-worker and getting to know them better. It could be meeting another stay-at-home mom in your neighborhood and inviting her to join you at the park. It could be simply inviting someone over for dinner. We all know how to meet people and build relationships—discipleship is just getting to know someone, plus the intentionality to reveal the truth of the gospel to them.
