Although I am a mission neophyte, it is becoming clear to me that, in general, the organized Christian Missionary movement has lost it’s way.
The concept of mission work, saving souls, taking the Gospel to unreached people is very interesting. I attend many mission conferences, and take classes dedicated to teaching about the Biblical basis for missions, history of mission work, and current approaches to effective mission work. And finally, to understand how I fit in to Global Missions and have been given opportunities to get involved.
I have worked on the mission board of my church, have been a Board Member of a local branch of an international mission organization, I have participated on a working vision/mission trip in a third world country, volunteered with a group in my city to connect people in our community with mission opportunities available with para church organizations and/or specific church mission departments within our region.
As you can see, I have been busy, learning and doing. In that context, God is shinning His light on a glaring deficiency in missions work. Where is the LOVE?
The message of the Cross is God Loves Us, each one of us, He will never ever turn away. All He asks of us, is to return the favor and love Him back with all of our strength, heart, mind and soul.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, He also asks us to love our neighbor as ourselves.
I ask you, do you know the love of God? Has it effected your life? Has His love filled you up? Are you overflowing? Do you find yourself judging your neighbors? Or do you love them? In other words, do other people feel God’s love, because of you? If not, you probably don’t know Him and/or understand why He has done what He did for you. Do you call yourself a Christian? What would your neighbor say?
If you are like me, you are a hypocrite. Theoretically, philosophically, and practically we understand the Trinity, we believe we are saved, we have faith and hope that we will go to heaven someday, but we do not reflect His love.
For me, when I love you, there are conditions. Those conditions are rooted in my selfish nature. I do not love you unconditionally, like God loves me. There is no forgiveness in my love, and I certainly do not exhibit Grace for the unlovable.
The problem with Christian Missions then, begins with me (and you). If we are not saved, if we do not accept the love God has for us, then His love will never overflow into our world and we will not, (because we cannot), love our neighbor as ourselves.
I believe God loves us unceasingly, and throughout our lives He provides glimpses of His love, and with perfect timing, reveals our fallen nature, and our separation from Him. He also provides a bridge of Grace, through Jesus, that will allow us to enter into his presence one day. Why? because of His Agape Love.
When we finally realize what this means, and sense this Godly love, only then, will it begin to overflow into the world around us. And this is the precise time His next revival will be set in motion, and “the Great Commission”, will be fulfilled. It doesn’t require an organized mission movement!
It will be accomplished by His aroma, what I call the the osmosis of grace, His agape love will overflow in our lives and ripple out into our circles of influence. Profoundly impacting the lives around us, spreading like wild fire throughout the world.
When leaders, missionaries, staff, volunteers and people like you and me begin to love our neighbors with God’s agape love, maybe then, the aroma of Christ will be set free to work as God intends, and the organized church and mission movements will be successful.
** "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God." 2 Corinthians 2:14-17
Caveat: I do believe that we have free will, we can turn away from God - a choice each of us must make. And we must understand, He is God, His nature is holy, pure, just, and jealous but thankfully, He has provided a bridge of grace, through Jesus Christ, over which we can travel back into his presence. And we must also understand, God will never turn away from us, and it will break His heart if we turn from Him. However, if we choose to turn away, we must accept the fact that our eternity will be void of purity, and most important, it will be void of love.
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