What does it take to be a church “on mission“? Good question! To find the answer, we must first define what it means to be “on mission.” We see the definition in the Book of Acts, which is one gigantic mission. The church starts in Jerusalem and ends at the ends of the world. Using the book of Acts as our guide, we can see that being a church “on mission” means:
–Praying to the Lord and studying His Word while waiting for His return (Acts 1) –The church on-mission is an example of godliness, unity and Christ-likeness to the community (Acts 4:32-37) –Sacrifically supporting missions financially (Acts 11:27-30) –Laboring to ensure the doctrines taught are accurate according to the Word of God (Acts 15)
PLUS…
–Sharing the Gospel with the lost in the community, dependent upon the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) –Sacrificially sharing the Gospel with the lost around the country, dependent upon the Holy Spirit (Acts 8-9) –Sacrificially sharing the Gospel with the lost around the world, dependent upon the Holy Spirit (Acts 10-28) –Sacrifically supporting missions financially (Acts 11:27-30) –Sacrifially supporting missions with our time (Acts)
I could expound on each point and add a few more. But in essence, a church on mission is a church that prioritizes the spread of the Gospel at home and around the world. A church on missionlooks like heaven on earth while taking heaven to all the earth.
A church on missionlooks like heaven on earth, while taking heaven to all the earth.
To be a church on mission requires a dual focus. First, the church must be missions-minded. Secondly, the church must be missions-active. Only when both occur can a church claim to be “on mission.”
The Missions-Minded Church
This church gives, prays, and helps hold the mission accountable to the Word of God. In some ways, we could say that the missions-minded church is a “sending church.” At home, they live in harmony according to the will of God. They study to ensure doctrinal fidelity. They sacrifice financially to send others out on mission. And they pray for the Gospel to advance.
The Missions-Active Church
The “activity” of missions requires…well, action. The missions-active church is the “sent church.” They go from the church as a representative of the church and, most importantly, as a representative of the Lord. They take the good news of the Gospel wherever they go. They are dependent upon the Spirit of God to direct them. They sacrifice financially to go. They labor to teach doctrine accurately according to the Word.
Three Common Objections
Objection 1: “We are an aging church. We can’t “go” on mission, but we can send. Are you saying we aren’t a church “on-mission”?
Answer: Yes, you can be a sending church without being a church “on mission.” Think of it like baking a cake. You can mix all the ingredients in a bowl, pour them into a pan and then leave it on the counter. But you don’t have a cake if the pan never hits the oven. Instead, you have all the ingredients of a cake but no cake.
A church that sends can ALSO be a church that is sent. In fact, I would argue that the aging church that can’t go on mission has probably been functioning as a “missions-minded” church while believing they are a church “on mission” for decades. That’s likely why they are aging, with few or no young people going out. A church that is sent doesn’t have to start by taking the Gospel to a place like New Delhi. They only need to take the Gospel to new places. To be on mission means taking the Gospel to your neighbors and neighborhoods surrounding you. We tend to think of “evangelism” as sharing the Gospel at home and “missions” as sharing the Gospel abroad. But missions is evangelism rightly applied wherever you are. Everyone can be “missions-minded” and SHOULD BE missions-active. Start where you are, do what you can.
Objection 2: “If we send out missionaries, won’t they eventually leave our church to serve in other places?”
Answer: Prayerfully, YES! This is the call of Christ on the church. To be a church “on-mission” means saying goodbye. It means sending out pastors to preach and people to share. And while we would LOVE to keep as many people as close to us as we possibly can, the call of the sending church means a church that has painful yet joyful “Gospel goodbyes.”
Objection 3: “Why should we invest money to share the Gospel around the world when there is so much lostness here at home?”
Answer: Because the Lord said to do so. The question of missions isn’t an “either/or” (Should we send mission teams to the world or share the Gospel on mission at home?). It is a question of “both/and” (We should send missionaries around the world andshare the Gospel at home). Being on mission is sacrificial, meaning it costs money and time. There’s no way around this. The church on mission shares the Gospel here, there, and everywhere.
Be a church “On Mission”
If you find yourself or your church falling into only one of the two categories, take the leap to the other. If you are missions-minded, become missions-active. Pray and ask the Lord to show you how to live on mission for him right in your neighborhood. Forsake the idea that “you’re too old” to go on mission! You aren’t! If the Lord calls you to go, he’ll equip you ON the journey. Be obedient!
If you find yourself or your church falling into the trap of thinking you can’t afford to go onmission, stop! You can! If the Lord calls you to go, he’ll equip you FOR the journey. Be obedient! The truth is, he’s already given you what you need to go. The question is: “Are you willing to sacrifice to get there?” How much of your “stuff” do you need? Would you be willing to sell your “stuff” to share the Gospel with the lost so they can be saved? If you aren’t, consider praying that the Lord would destroy your idols so that HE can be the Lord of your life and not your stuff.
If the Lord calls you to go, he’ll equip you ON the journey. If the Lord calls you to go, he’ll equip you FOR the journey. Be obedient to the Lord!
In all things, honor the Lord! A church on mission begins with an individual on mission. It starts with you. So take the plunge: Be a missions-minded, missions-active individual IN your church so that your church can become a missions-minded, missions-active church ON Mission around the world.
To God be the glory, great things He will do with the church that’s ON MISSION.
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