Chapter 7 – Uncomfortable Mission
From the book: “Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community” by Brett McCracken
“Showing up week after week and giving oneself to the building up of the body is a revolutionary act of mission.” (p. 119)
If it were not for the Holy Spirit, perhaps it is just a coincidence that The Source is embarking on its missional journey as a separate congregation this Sunday. I nor anyone else planned this chapter topic for this week. It just happened. But there is a Holy Spirit, and I believe that this is more than a “coincidence”: “A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged.” (Wordnik)
The concept of our Christian mission has many connotations. “Foreign mission” is the most frequent reference. But our mission is much greater than that. It encompasses everything from one’s personal mission toward their own spiritual maturity to one’s family, friends, and neighbors; the local community; the nation; and then to foreign peoples. It starts with the realization that “our own wicked heart is the first frontier of any mission.” (p. 112)
One might find it surprising to note that there are many Christian missionaries from foreign countries who see the United States as a mission field.
There are three things that missionaries must do:
- First, learn the language. To learn the language means to educate yourself on how to talk so that people can understand and relate to it.
- Second, become sensitized to the culture. One needs to become so sensitized to that culture in order to operate effectively within it.
- Third, translate the Gospel. Every generation must translate the gospel into its own unique cultural context. The presentation of the gospel itself must be translated, but never transformed.
“Imagine 127,000 missionaries engaged in these three simple tasks for the sake of reaching the United States. Or maybe it would be quicker if 127,000 existing American church leaders realized they were already these very missionaries, and needed to own the task at hand.” [1]
According to the American Religious Identification Survey of 2008, the percentage of Methodists in Kentucky dropped from 7% to 3% from 1990 to 2008. Over this same time, the Baptists dropped from 47% to 35%. This seems like a pretty ripe field for the harvest.
This is where you, me, and The Source come in. We are already in our own mission field.
Family and friends may not understand or even oppose our mission. There are personal costs in time, money, and maybe even lost opportunities. Our mission is not socially or politically friendly to many around us. Sometimes our mission does not seem to make any progress and can even feel boring. However, if we are not approaching our day-to-day lives, relationships, neighborhoods, and workplaces through the lens of our mission, we are doing it wrong.
“The church is imperfect, messy, maddening, and at times mundane. But she is the body of Christ.” (p. 119)
And our mission, as bearers of the Gospel message to lost souls, is based on our willingness to commit to our local church. One’s mission involves faith and risk, but also obedience. Obedient discipleship is a continual habit of spiritual growth and establishing loving relationships with whomever we meet.
In order to do this, we must exchange our fleshly desires for God’s spiritual desires. The letter to the Romans addresses it this way.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)
Renewing a mind to have the same vision, mission, values, and goals as God takes time and effort. Here are a few steps to cooperate with God in the renewal of your mind.
- Learn God’s characteristics and His likes and dislikes.
“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”?’” (John 14:9, ESV)
- Know who you are in Christ.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12, ESV)
- Shift your focus from yourself to a focus on the things of the Holy Spirit.
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5, ESV)
- Remember that any change we make is because of the actions of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, open yourself up to the work of His Spirit and allow Him to change you.
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)
Once we are in better alignment with the loving guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will live a more righteous life and also be better at reaching out in love to others.
“The truth is our Gospel witness involves both word and deed, proclamation and demonstration. We must speak and we must serve.” (pp. 113-114)
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22, ESV)
“We must first grasp why our faith is worth sharing in the first place. It is not just good news; it is the best news! We must be confident in the Gospel, trusting that we may do the speaking, but God does the saving. We don’t have to be eloquent or perfect; the Holy Spirit empowers us.” (p. 115)
“And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:3-5, ESV)
[1] Dr. James Emery White, Missionaries to America. https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/dr-james-emery-white/missionaries-to-america.html, 12 March 2012