I spent the past week in two separate learning communities listening to learned men and women discuss some of the problems and, hopefully, some solutions for the “church” to better mobilize and organize itself to reach the peoples of our cultures for the gospel of Christ. In all the hours of conversation that I sat through, participated in, and hashed over, I came away with these thoughts:
First, the church (you and I) must be passionate about Jesus and compassionate towards the people in the culture God has called us to reach. After all, it is a people business. I listened to a gentleman from China who, along with his wife, served in Hong Kong as chaplains for many years. He said during this time they were seeing 40 to 60 people a year come to know Christ as a result of their ministry. Through prayer, God gave him a burden for some 20 million people living in three cities in China. As he continued to pray, he was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people. He prayed, “God how can I reach these people when my wife and I have only been reaching 40 to 60 people a year? How can we reach 20 million?” One of the first things he said he learned was that God wanted him to talk to everybody. He said that before this he would look at someone and say to himself, “Oh, he looks like a nice fellow. I will talk to him.” The gospel is for everyone. Not just those who look like us.
Intentional mentoring
Second, we are to make disciples, not converts. A disciple is one who knows, emulates and imitates the life of Jesus. Matthew 28:19-20 says to “go baptizing, making disciples and TEACHING them to obey everything I have commanded.” When we go making disciples we are making disciple-makers. These new believers are discipled to become disciple-makers, and they disciple their spiritual children to become disciple-makers. As one speaker said in reference to his children, “If you can walk, you can contribute.” As a new Christ-follower you have a story, a beautiful gospel story of God’s redemptive work in and for the world. He did it in you! You have a mission field: your friends, family and co-workers. “If you can walk, you can contribute.” And since we are the family of God, it’s ok for your mentor to check up on you. Who in your life sphere did you disciple this week? With whom did you have a spiritual conversation? Remember, we are to go baptizing, making disciples. Every believer is a disciple maker.
Third, pray, pray, pray. This same gentleman from China encourages the disciple-makers he is mentoring to spend two hours a day praying for the future disciple-makers they are journeying beside. Two hours a day! Is it any wonder the church in China is exploding? By the way, this gentleman has seen 160,000 churches started out of his ministry over the past 10 years. From 40 people a year to 160,000 house churches in 10 years. Hallelujah to the God who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or dream!
Some random thoughts and questions…
There is tension in the “go” and “stay” of incarnational mission. What does incarnational mission look like in suburban America? Is God calling all of us to sell our homes and move to the inner city? If so, what happens to suburbia? How can we be both/and? How can we be attractional so that we reach the suburban dwellers, yet missional to reach beyond our own small worlds?
As a true Christ-disciple how do I live and move in the tensions of the strife of life and the mission of God? How do I balance doing the things I must to participate in the culture in which I live and be on mission for Christ?
Though not all, these are just a few reflections and questions from the experiences of the past week, a week of exploration, exhilaration, frustration and hope. We are the people of God, and God’s plan to reach humanity with the redemptive message of the gospel is the church. There is no “Plan B.”
I am grateful for men and women who will engage in dialogue to encourage and motivate the church of Jesus Christ as we together pursue the great commandment and the great commission.
“Lord, hear our cries as we, face down in prayer, plead your mercy and grace and seek your guidance as we strive to reach the nations for your glory.”
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching out our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you, for the honor of your Name. Amen.Book of Common Prayer