Lindsay Brown spoke on Friday evening about mission, which he defined as “proclaiming the truth, wonder, and power of the gospel by word and deed.”
Some argue that mission is only for those who feel called or are really keen. But the God of the OT is a missionary God. Though there is a people of God, many foreigners are reached out to. Psalm 96 shows there is a link between worship and mission. You cannot separate them. The Christ of the Gospels is a missionary Christ. The Spirit of the book of Acts is a missionary Spirit. When the Spirit first came it was not for worship, but for mission in Acts 2. The church was always intended to be a missionary church.
Some argue we should just concentrate on the UK. But our great forefathers of the Reformation, like Knox and Calvin, were captivated by truth that led to missionary vision and spread the word in other countries.
Some argue that the southern churches will do it. But we don’t have the opportunity to sit back, even though there has been great church growth in some areas. There are still people groups without a gospel witness. At least 600 groups have never even had one verse in their language, and no church witness. We spend too much of our energy on maintenance rather than pioneering.
We have the message of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus and how he incorporate us into his family. This should induce a sense of wonder in us. Because we are no longer in awe of what God has done, and instead are cynical, we do not share it.
Sometimes we think God cannot use us because of the shadows that remain in our lives. But God’s grace is so wonderful and deep and profound that we have a glorious powerful message we cannot but share it!
This gospel must go to the ends of the earth. There is no greater way to live our lives than speaking, and living, and if necessary, dying for this message.
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