The Pitfall of a Non-Missional Mindset
I have been in church since I was a kid. I saw the same people every Sunday. The same people came to the church events. The same people came to home group. Every so often, a new family would come. Depending on how they looked, would most likely determine whether they were welcomed in to the church, with the same people, who went to the same groups, and the same events.
As a kid, I didn’t understand this mind-set. It went against what I was being taught in children’s church. They taught us about Jesus and the disciples who went out and preached about how Jesus died on the cross for our sins. I was always telling my schoolmates what I learned in children’s church and tried to get them to ask Jesus in their hearts. At some point I realized that the adults weren’t doing this. At least, I never heard anyone talk about it.
Now as an adult, I am once again confronted with this issue. I am no longer the cute little kid asking the adults why we don’t talk to people about Jesus. I am adult, looking into the faces of other adults, including my own sometimes, and asking a question that hasn’t changed a whole lot since I was a kid: “Why don’t you care about those who are far from God?!!!”
Matthew 18 (English Standard Version)
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12) What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13)And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14)So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
I have heard a million excuses about why people don’t share Jesus with others and used about half of them at one point or another. When people think of missions, they think of going to the jungles of Africa, preaching to half naked people. That is only a part of what it is. Jesus declared in Acts Chapter 1:
8 ) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The first place Jesus mentioned was Jerusalem. Right where they were staying. Right where they were living! You may not be called to the end of the Earth, but we are all called to Jerusalem. We are called to share Christ to our friends, coworkers, neighbors, and relatives.
You might not be able to explain the fine doctrinal points of salvation from the fall of man in Genesis to the resurrection of Christ, but you can invite your friends to go with you to a source group, or church, or mountain biking. There are ways of getting those you know in an enviornment where they can hear the gospel of Jesus. That is what being missional is all about. It’s not about standing on a street corner with a sign that says “turn or burn”. That’s just a stupid waste of time.( it is, and it makes Christians look like idiots) How bout inviting someone over and grill some burgers and watch a football game, or do something nice for someone (preferably someone who doesn’t know Christ)else to show them the love of Christ.
There are endless ways to be missional. The first thing we must do is shake this deadly mindset that it is someone else’s job to tell people about Christ. It is deadly cause that is the way a church, even one that may be doing well right now, will eventually become a country club for Christians, and not a refuge for the repentant. If we are truly Christ-Followers how can we ignore the last words of Jesus Christ before He ascended? How can we be so comfortable with people dying without the opportunity to hear the gospel? How can we say we are too scared to tell our loved ones or friends? How can we not invite them to church, or source group, or a men’s breakfast?
Dear God, please forgive us for not being Christ-Followers. Break our hearts for the souls of those who are far from you. Help us to take advantage of the opportunites you give us to share Jesus with others. Break mindsets that make it feel ok to not do whatever we can to show your love for others. Help us to not grow complacent, but fan the fire of passion for reaching those far from Christ. Amen
Kevin
