Good morning Jesus, in the silence of this morning I lay my soul before you and say you are worthy of everything you ask me to do in your name today.
Holy Spirit day 17: Sends,
If you have not yet, you need to watch he movie “The Insanity of God.” It is based on the greatest book I have ever read on persecution in the church and Matthew 28’s commission to “go” and make disciples. This morning the aspect of the Holy Spirit on my list I was to meditate on this morning was “Sends.” I smiled inside as “sending” is one of the core elements in the DNA of the church, but one of the elements that is obeyed the least.
My definition of a missionary is: Someone who is willing to sacrifice everything except the Gospel, for the sake of the Gospel.
The definition of a Congregation is: The act of assembling.A body of assembled people or things; a gathering.
Our goal is to become disciples of Christ, correct? Disciples meaning apprentices of Jesus Christ who imitate the life of Jesus, correct? Then which of the the two: a congregant, who’s goal is to congregate and gather in a building or a missionary who’s goal is to be sent and go outside of walls with the Gospel, which of these two life styles imitates that of a Jesus? It is a Missionary. So if the goal of The Church is to imitate Jesus and make disciples of Jesus Christ, why is it so consumed and focuses so much time and resources on making congregations instead of missionaries? Why is it’s goal how many people it can gather together on a Sunday morning and it’s focus on its seating capacity instead of its sending capacity? The church prepares, plans, hires employees, and invests the majority of its time and resources into Sundays when the church family gathers in the building. Why doesn’t the church prepare, plan, prioritize and invest as much in days when the church as a family “Leaves the Building” and serves witnesses in its neighborhoods? Gathering together and corporate worship is important. However, we gather together to equip each other and send us out. We gather to scatter.
As a pastor I struggle with this. Do you know the word “missionary” is not found anywhere in the Bible? It is because all the writers of it as inspired by God did not even think of, and it never crossed their mind there being a distinction between Christians who “go” and those who do not. “Going” and sharing the Gospel is at the core of being a Christian.. And it never crossed God’s mind as well or He would have inspired them make that distinction in the writing of His word. All who call Jesus Lord are called to the mission of God, “missionary” and the movement of God.
Why is it that if people do not sit inside the walls of a church building on a Sunday morning, they feel like they have not been to “Church.” I believe it is because Christian’s in the west have been conditioned and conformed through tradition, cultural norms, pastors and parents, and to some extent the use of shame to believe this. This understanding of “Church” is not Biblical.
Now hear me, I am not in anyway against corporate gatherings of prayer and worship I encourage people to go. When someone tells me they have a solitary, personal faith, and that they do not need to participate in the body of Christ and that they live out their faith with God in their living room, I cringe as that belief is not a desire of God but a desire of the enemy. I am against solitary Christianity. I have a social view of holiness. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism believed in social holiness. There is a need of the body to gather and encourage one another. Yes its goal is to equip its members, however this equipping is for scattering of its members into its communities and unto the nations. However, like a pendulum that should be centered between congregating and going, gathering and scattering, the pendulum of the church in America has swung way past center to the side of congregating. The Church in the west has an unhealthly and un-Gospel focus and has swung way out of balance towards congregating. This unhealthy balance is now our norm, what we are comfortable with it now and it is what we default to.
Yes, we need to be marked by a growing love for God. But we need to be also marked by a tangible love for others! Observable engagement with the Holy Spirit, our discipleship must encompass the whole Gospel. It must transcend personal salvation and embrace the mission of God. Our story has to more than attending church gatherings, hearing the gospel and how Jesus enables me to go to heaven when I die. As my personal knowledge that I am saved, and the collective knowledge of a congregation that they are saved has no impact or effect on those around them facing a Christless eternity unless that knowldge is shared. It must include how I am willing to die for the spread of that gospel. It must include our on going engagement with the “Missio Deo”, the mission of God. This is the sending ministry of the Holy Spirit. We must repeatedly remind ourselves that Christianity it is not about us! Not about surrounding ourselves with people like us, and who like us! The announcement and demonstration of the Gospel happens out there, not in here, as we as disciples live missionaly incarnate lives in our community.
My family, Read Matthew 28:18-20, John 17:14-19. Then watch the short video I have attached by Francis Chan on being sent by the Holy Spirit.
If you would like to receive a link to watch “The Insanity of God” movie, ask in a moment to this post or email me at strat318@gmail.com
My family, I pray and encourage you to please reflect throughout the day on your being sent, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Post your thoughts, reflections, questions, and prayers below in the comments below.
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