Refelctions on the Mission of Christ for His Church and the World

Mission Week at Durkeetown provided me with space to reflect on this thing we so casually refer to as the "Great Commission." I use the word "casually" because too often I do see a lack of intensity as it relates to our "sentness." My hope for my own life and our congregation at Durkeetown is that a renewed passion, ignited by a renewed vision for God, would shake us to fresh obedience. After all, the eternal joy of the human community is worth begin shaken for.

Here are a few insights the Spirit gave to me during Mission Week. I pass them on to you for the encouragement of prayer and obedience. I also would encourage you to write our your reflections and include them in a response to the blog.

Francois Turcotte (Quoting David Powlison) suggested this strategy for Christ followers to use in engaging non-Christ followers with the gospel:

  *  Listen to their story - this requires patience and love


  *  Empathize with their story - this requires reflecting on your own condition prior to salvation

  *  Retell their story redemptively - this will require you being thoroughly gospelized and filled with the Spirit.

I wrote this note to myself as a way of potential practice in application: A good way to practice this is by using the three step process while you watch TV or a movie or listening to a song. You can also do it as a small group or with friends.

Francois also kept using the phrase - "love your community to Jesus." I thought about the  difference betweeen "to" and "for" because it would be normal to say, "love your community for Jesus." I would suggest the difference is found in zeal. Loving them to Jesus means that I spend my life being the "fisherman" that Jesus calls me to be regardless of the cost. I would be like the men who wanted their friend to be healed so they cut a hole in the roof and lowered him down to Jesus (Mark 2:1-5). This is more than loving their friend "for" Jesus. They loved him "to" Jesus.  

Craig Querfeld:

"Missions is moving people from their agenda to God's agenda (quoting Henry Blackaby). We had a great discussion with Craig over leadership development in the church and helping people in their discipleship embrace the mission of Christ. First priority though was praying for God to change the agenda that most people live with.

Ed Hart:

"Jesus never commands us to do something He has not enabled us to do" - Matthew 28:18-20

"The place where the gospel engages us to do the mission of Christ is that walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh" - Galatians 2:20

Ed gave us five principles for walking in the Spirit:

  *  Living the gospel is living with an earnest expectation to exalt Jesus in all things, whether by life or by death (Philippians 1:20)

  *  Living the gospel is living with an others orientation for their joy in Jesus (Philippians1:21-26)

  *  Living the gospel is living with an eternal point of view about everything in life. You cannot be any earthly good unless you are heavenly minded (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Colossians 3:1-4)

  *  Living the gospel is living with the realization that God is sovereign over all things (The Whole Bible)

  *  Living the gospel is living in the power of the indwelling Spirit. This is normal Christian living - yielding to the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:16-26)


Pray as Durkeetown is being challenged to engage the gospel more deeply so that we live the Spirit filled life in faith and obedience to the commission Jesus has given us.

Pray specifically for the "Durkeetown Seven" - Abbie, Zeke Neigh, Cheyenne Robinson, Emily Jenks, Bekkah Neigh, Kaite Fish, Zach Prater. These seven came before the church and declared their intentions to do cross cultural missions. Pray for them and for others.

Pray for Chris Miller who is going to start a soccer ministry that he hopes will connect with Latinos in our local area.

May God help us to bring the presence of Jesus Christ where ever we go. Let us love people to Jesus.