03 June 2012

Gospel to the Nations - Part 2

When you hear the word missions, what comes to mind? Digging a well? Serving meals at a homeless shelter? Building a church? Third-world countries? If these came to mind, great! But I am here today to tell you that missions is more than that. There are lots of ways to get involved with missions.
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Before we begin, I ask you to remember one thing and act on it. All people matter to God. Christ redeemed us all, therefore, we are all in need of hearing the Gospel. You know this. Check out Romans 3:22-24. Missions can occur in your hometown and in other countries. Do not overlook the communities in your own backyard. Your family is part of your mission field. Your coworkers are, too. If you serve in Christian ministry in any capacity (pastors, ministers, counselors, Bible study leaders, worship leaders, praise team and choir members, laymen, lay women, volunteers, etc.), the people you serve are in your mission field. For heaven's sake, do not neglect them! The mission field is not confined to foreign countries. The mission field is not only "over there." The mission field is here and now.

Also, mission work is not for "other people." It is for all those who call Jesus Savior and Lord and involves a variety of skills. We are all called to share the Gospel, as Jesus commands in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20. Don't let the enemy tell you that you don't have anything to offer in the world of missions. God is the one who created you. You have skills, gifts, and talents that He wants to use. He knows your past, your tendencies, what makes you tick, your heart's desires, your thoughts, etc. God knows about your fallacies. But, the beautiful thing is that God still wants to use you!


Now, onward to the possibilities! Has anyone ever shared with you the kinds of mission opportunities that are out there? If not, let me tell you about a few. If someone already has, well, they beat me to it! But, keep reading. Maybe you'll come across something new.

Ideas for Missions
  • Wash feet.
  • Dig wells.
  • Serve meals at a homeless shelter.
  • Help an elderly person run errands.
  • Build churches.
  • Provide medical care.
  • Rescue people from human trafficking.
  • Start a Christian bookstore in a foreign country.
  • Show those in your community how to study God's Word.
  • Teach those in other countries how to study God's Word.
  • Teach your children how to study God's Word. (No, this is not too advanced for them. Just teach them the basics.)
  • Disciple others.
  • Teach others how to make disciples.
  • Host a group of college or graduate school students at your home occasionally.
  • Keep in touch with seminary students you know.
  • Pick a new missions organization each year to support financially, spiritually, and emotionally.
  • Start a blog to share personal stories about your missional experiences.
  • Write a book about a missional topic that interests you. Even if you don't publish it, you can still share your work with family and friends who can learn from you.
  • Keep in touch with the missionaries from your home church or community (Missionaries always need support - emotional, financial, spiritual. You could send them a check or an encouraging note to let them know you are praying for them.)
  • For one year, commit to learning about a new missions organization each month - that's 12 per year. Or you could double it and learn about two new ones each month.
  • And don't forget about social media! If missionaries or organizations are on social media sites, stay in touch with them. Follow them on Twitter. Post something encouraging on their Facebook wall. Read their blog posts. If you go to the same church, send them updates on what's going on back home. It's great to stay connected, because it strengthens ministry both at home and abroad.
  • Grab a journal and write down some of your own ideas!
The ideas I have posted here are simply ideas. Some require more work and attention to detail than others, but all of them require intentionality. Whatever means, skills, or finances you have, God has equipped you in some way for missional living. If you know that a missionary needs something and you don't have it, ask God to provide for them. If you want to go on a mission trip and you don't have the funds, ask God to provide for you. When God places a desire in your heart and the time comes, He will provide for you. God's provision is a major theme in Scripture.

Remember that the goal of missions is to share the Gospel with others.

Organizations (click the names to view their websites)

Think Outside the Box (click the names to view their websites)
  • Mosaic Family Services - supports political refugees and victims of human trafficking
  • Not for Sale - campaign to end human trafficking
  • Jesus Said Love - provide support for society's outcasts
  • Free City - provide aid to political refugees
  • Yugo Ministries -establish sustainable communities
  • The A21 Campaign
  • The World Race
  • Joshua Project
  • Invisible Children - While this organization does not have the word Christian in its title or description, its founders and team members are Christians, who are working together to help the oppressed. The whole Kony campaign may not seem relevant from a missional standpoint at first, but if you think about it, the people and children he has manipulated and abused have had no chance at all for hearing the Gospel. In many cases, Christians have to unmuddy the water and prepare a way for missions to even be possible. That is how this organization serves in missions. We need forerunners like them.

Resources (click the names to view their websites)
Well, that concludes my list of ideas, organizations, and resources. This definitely is not an exhaustive list, but I hope it gives you a broader idea of missions, both locally and globally. Contact your church for more info! Below are a couple of videos on missions. Enjoy!



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