Living Missionally
Living Missionally: Embodying the Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
— Matthew 28:16-20 NKJV
Jesus commands His followers to “disciple” all nations. Our primary mission is to “disciple” others. The challenge with this is that discipling is not mere teaching. It assumes you have internalized the teachings, and your disciple observes you and learns from how you live your life. Teaching is also part of it (Matthew 28:20), as is going. But the main command is to “disciple.”
Jesus does not call us to attend church or participate in programs. Churches and programs are not bad; oftentimes, they are incredibly helpful, but that is not what we are called to do; they are supposed to aid and support our calling to disciple others.
So my identity should be that of a missionary. I define a missionary as someone who is light and salt. Someone who makes a positive difference in their environment for the benefit of others. When you identify as a missionary, your habits change. How does a missionary begin her day? How does a missionary handle hardships? How does a missionary use his time and resources?
Identity-based Habits
You might have heard about the book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. One of the points James makes in his book is about identity-based habits. This approach contrasts with a results-oriented approach. In practice, this means that you should not just focus on what you want to achieve but on who you want to be. One of my main takeaways from "Atomic Habits" is that lasting behavior change requires a shift in identity. By focusing on who you want to become, you can build habits that are more likely to stick and lead to long-term success.
You don’t have ot travel far away, though that can also be a part of your mission. Jesus wants us to disciple others exactly where we are. Changing location is not a prerequisite to becoming a missionary. Who do you interact with on a regular basis? How can you disciple that person?
Disciple vs Teach
It’s not that discipling does not involve teaching, but rather that teaching is not necessarily discipling. I think all of us have been taught by someone who did not practice what they taught. There are many who do not practice what they teach. In most areas, this can be funny or frustrating, but when it comes to faith and our spiritual journey, the consequences are devastating.
People don’t quit a gym because the owner is out of shape. Football players do not quit the team because their coach let himself go. But how many people can you think of who accuse churches of being full of hypocrites? I have never heard someone say they stopped going to the bar because it was full of hypocrites. I have yet to meet someone who stopped going to the club because the people there were not authentic.
To teach, you need to know the theory. To disciple, you must live out the principles. The message and principles must be internalized.
God gave us the principles and the lists of what to do. People had an understanding of what God was like from the messages of the prophets, the writings of Moses, and the stories and histories of God’s people. But ultimately, we know God because of Jesus, who lived out God’s will. Jesus was the Word of God made flesh! Our friends and neighbors cannot see Jesus; they can only see us, so we should emulate Jesus to the degree that others will catch a glimpse of what He is like from their interactions with us.
Missionary vs Christian
It should be enough to say that we are Christians, but the term Christian has been hijacked and politicized. There are all kinds of notions that have been associated with the term “Christian.” A “Christian” can be someone who holds certain political views, attends church on Sundays, and dislikes certain segments of the population. In many ways, I fit in the mold and the popular narrative of what a Christian is. But in some significant ways, I am quite different from mainstream Christianity. I am no different simply for the sake of being different, but only when I notice a conflict between Christian popular culture and the teaching of Jesus/the Bible.
My main reason for encouraging you to identify as a missionary as opposed to just a Christian is because I want you to transition from a passive to an active identity, from attending church to being the church.
What does living missionally mean?
It means that every aspect of my life is leveraged for the sake of the mission. My human weakness is surrendered to a divine calling.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
— John 3:16-17 NKJV
We live our lives deeply aware that people need Jesus. Our faith will grow, and our theology will develop and mature as we intentionally seek ways to reveal God's character in our lives. Oftentimes, what keeps us stuck in our spiritual journey is our consumerist attitude.
Here’s what that shift might look like.
In the morning, I begin the day not only thanking God for the gift of life but also asking Him to equip me to share His love with those around me. When I read my Bible, it is not only to learn more or perform a spiritual discipline, but also to be equipped to minister to others. I want to read the Bible to give God the opportunity to teach me something that I can share with someone in need.
Many times in my life, I have been able to share an insight I gained that morning during my personal study of the Bible. It is not that I would necessarily suffer if I had not read my Bible, but I would have been less equipped to bless someone else. Instead of thinking that life would be worse if I slacked off on my spiritual disciplines, I freely choose to spend time in prayer and in the study of the Bible because I can be a greater blessing to those around me.
Even if you already have the habit of studying the Bible and praying, living missionally changes your attitude and mindset. We should continually seek the Holy Spirit for the sake of the Mission.
Being the Church vs Attending the Church
If my identity as a Christian is wrapped up in which church I attend, what happens if I ever move? What happens when I am traveling? What happens if I find myself in a place where there is no church? What happens if suddenly all the churches are closed for some reason?
I listened to a fascinating book entitled “The Insanity of God,” by Nik Ripken. Nik Ripken is a leading expert on the persecuted church in Muslim contexts, with over 25 years of experience in missions. For "The Insanity of God," Nik and his wife, Ruth, spent a dozen years interviewing more than 700 persecuted Christians all over the world.
A few key points that I took away from the stories in that book include the fact that in Russia during the early 1950s, Christians primarily met in house churches, and these churches were predominantly composed of people who were related to one another. Their entire faith experience had been defined by weekly worship in the front room of the house with mom and dad and a few other relatives. The faith endured for generations, with family members passing down stories.
This reinforced my understanding of the importance of family worship. Not only singing and reading the Bible together and discussing its meaning and application, but also how God has blessed and guided the family in the past. Stories about family members and miracles provided the new generation with an identity rooted in who God was and who they were as a family.
This is how so many Russians and Ukrainians kept their faith strong over decades of communist oppression of believers. They told stories of pastors and family members who had faced incredible trials but refused to give up their faith in God. They learned the stories from their mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers. They learned it from their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers.
In countries where Christians were persecuted, it became evident that the family is the believer’s greatest reservoir of faith and resistance in the face of persecution. Regular worship in the home is indispensable for passing faith to the next generation.
Worship and Mission
Worship must be more than what happens when we come to church on the weekend. Mission must be more than what happens overseas during a trip, a few times over a lifetime. How has your love for God shaped your life and your decisions? What stories do you have to share about how God has been active in your life?
I wish I could tell you about how everyone I study the Bible with accepted Jesus as their lord and Savior and joined my church. The truth is that many did not make that decision, at least not to my knowledge. But my mission is not to convince or change anyone; only the Holy Spirit can do that. My mission is to share, or to be willing to share, when the opportunity arises.
I have learned through experience that trying to force Jesus into every conversation is an easy way to get people to avoid talking to you. I have also learned that telling people that they are wrong and what they should do instead also does not go well. My best experiences have been the result of answering questions from people who were interested or actively searching for Jesus.
The way I see it, I want to partner with God in what He is already doing. Everyone has their own faith journey, and everyone needs encouragement, help, and guidance. But not everyone is ready to receive that input. This is where patience and wisdom come in. I want to be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and I need to actually want to help the other person.
Sharing the gospel is not about winning arguments, it is not about judging others, or acting superior in any way. Sharing the gospel is about wanting the absolute best for someone else and knowing that their best life can only be found in Jesus. Sharing the gospel means realizing that others need Jesus as desperately as I do.
Meet Virgil
When I baptized Virgil, he was about to turn 85. I was not the one who invited Virgil to church or gave him Bible studies. Mireille gave him Bible studies. This happened while I lived in South Georgia, just north of the Florida state line. Virgil was an Anglo man who spoke with a southern drawl. Mireille was a Haitian woman who spoke with a strong French accent. Mireille met Virgil at a Walmart while shopping. They talked for a bit, and she asked if he was interested in studying the Bible. Mireille asked me if I had any Bible study guides. I gave her two sets, one for her and one for Virgil. I gave her a few tips on how to give the Bible studies, and she and her husband gave Virgil Bible studies.
Mireille and her husband had lived in New England and moved to Georgia after retiring. They both had a strong accent, and some struggled to understand what she said, but she did not allow that to stop her from giving Virgil Bible studies. Mireille loves Jesus and is always seeking ways to bless others and share with them the love Jesus has for them. For many years, it was her husband who gave Bible studies and preached, but she wanted to be the one to give Virgil Bible studies.
Virgil enjoyed the Bible studies and continued to attend, eventually completing all of them with Mireille. Once she finished the studies, we set up a meeting and I talked with Virgil. He told me he wanted to give his heart to Jesus and be baptized. I was happy to baptize Virgil, and the local church warmly welcomed him as a new member. Virgil joined our church and attended every service. He loved to tell jokes and pass out candy to the kids. He was there for prayer meeting and every worship service. He soon made many friends.
This week, talking to a friend from that church, I found out that Virgil died recently. They will be having his memorial service this month. Though it breaks my heart to hear of his death, I know I will see him again. Virgil gave his heart to Jesus because the Holy Spirit was moving in his heart. The Holy Spirit also moved in Mireille’s life, and she was sensitive to His prompting, offering Virgil Bible studies.
Mireille could have found many excuses not to offer Bible studies. She's retired, has a strong accent, and was living in Georgia. Given the prevalence of Christians in that area, it was very likely that Virgil was already a Christian. But Mireille offered Bible studies, and Virgil was interested. God gets all the glory in this story, but Mireille got to play a special role in the work God was doing in Virgil’s life. The local church embraced him and loved him, and Virgil became an active member of our church. We each played a role, and all of us experienced a special blessing that comes from being part of the good God is doing in the world.
Mireille is a missionary, although I am not sure if she would think of herself in that way. Among many other things, God brought her from Haiti to New York, then to Georgia, to share the gospel with Virgil, who was 84 years old. Virgil responded and gave his heart to Jesus.
Takeaway
God wants to use you to share Jesus with those around you. This includes family members, neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and even people you meet at the park, gym, or grocery store. In everything we do, and everywhere we go, may we go as missionaries for Jesus, making disciples for the Master. As we do this work, Jesus promises to be with us even to the end of the age!
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
—Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV
