Misconception….
We recently started a new series on missions, talking about what it means to make a difference in our communities. Sharing ideas on how we can love others and truly carry out the great commission. Today, something I’ve been wrestling with is becoming a bit clearer, so I thought I’d share it with you. It’s a little long, so hang in there…
It seems as if what started out as the great commission for many has become the great challenge. What do I mean? It seems like its okay to take out the part of the great commission we find difficult to carry out and just stick to what we do well. We’ve often justified this concept of having a few good Christian friends exempts us from having to go, disciple, and lead others to Him. I’m not passing on blame, because I’m just as guilty of it. Why? Here’s why. I love being around other Christian people. Having them over to our house. Going with them to a movie. Watching a ball game with them on the weekend, yet still believe I’m doing what we’ve been called to do.
If fellowship was all the commission was about, then I would say I’m doing a great job. Somehow I don’t think this all He had in mind.
Recently in an article by Geiger, he says that church has too often become like the movie The Village. This movie, for those of you who haven’t seen it, is about a group of people who have been hurt by society, so they do all they can to build their own community. They move away from society deep into the wood, away from everyone. They create a self-sustaining environment secluded from those who may try to corrupt them. They hope to never leave their safe place, desiring to be self-contained far away from the real world.
It seems like as Christians we often do this. We listen to our Christian radio, because its safe for the whole family. We go to Christian bookstores, where we can buy mints with scripture on it. We shop at Christian stores, hoping to one day score a job were we can work in a Christian environment. If there is a Christian fitness class, it’s got to be better than the one at the local gym, right? We home school or send our kids to a private school to protect them for society. One of my favorites is the Christian coffee shop. A place like all other coffee shops with free wifi (because we are so generous) where we can surround ourselves with Christians no matter where we go. We often try to replace something that already exists with a Christian version, like Godtube instead of youtube. In doing so we often tend to seclude ourselves from society all together, creating our own little Christian village, full of Christian people.
What interesting is that you see Jesus hanging out with sinner and tax collector all the time. So if this Christian village is really what He had in mind for us, why does He said things like:
– i’ve came not for the healthy, but for the sick
– i’ve come to seek and save the lost
– i’m here not for the righteous, but for the sinner
– i’ve came to seek and to save the lost
– i’ve come to serve and give my life away
– be salt and light to the lost
– go to the ends of the earth and tell others what you’ve learned
He was living something out 2,000 years ago that as Christians we still haven’t totally figured out. Carrying out the great commission.
Question – Are we truly carrying out the great commission He called us to? Truly? Nothing against all of my Christian friends, because I love everyone of you. However, there are people who are still lost and the commission hasn’t change.
Our mission, to reach out, love and help those who are lost come to know Christ.
JP's Weblog 
Mark Hoover said,
November 18, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Ok, first off … you can’t make me think this hard on a Tuesday morning.
All jokes aside – you are 100% correct.
Reaching out is an opportunity that is only realized through our listening – not our evangelism skills. We are called by the Spirit of God all the time, but many times we choose to ignore the call for reasons that don’t matter. In the end we must rely on God’s strength and direction – not our own.
There have been many times that I met someone or was in a situation where I had an instinct to do something – but didn’t. Right after it I realize that God gave me an opportunity that I missed – needless to say sadness is abound.
I am expecting that the Spirit of God will tell me who/what/where/when – I just hope I am listening and I rely on his choice – not my own.
mgh
Mike said,
November 18, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Good stuff.
I go to great lengths to stay in my comfort zone. Reaching out, pointing others to Christ, is very uncomfortable for me. I am always thinking “I don’t want to offend someone” or “I don’t want to look like the stereo-typical church wacko”. Logically that is so stupid of me, but that is honestly how I feel. I am confident of what I believe, and who Christ is. I know what he has done for me. Then why do I feel like this? It is a great mystery to me.
I know I don’t want to be like many church people I see, where they try to sell Jesus like he is the next multi-level marketing idea or by beating people down. I truly admire Christ followers who ooze Jesus. They look and act like the Jesus of the New Testament. They are authentic and share real life experiences of what God is doing in their lives. They make great impressions on others by how they live their life.
You challenge me!