I'm Not a Missionary...Am I?
Our unique calling as people sent into a rapidly changing world (August 2, 2023)
"The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become."
—Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Persia
In this article:
Story — “I’m not a missionary…am I?”
Photographic Art — Bowing Before Jesus
What’s in that word? — Mission
Other links to Look At
I’m Not a Missionary…Am I?
Once upon a time, a young undergrad named Bella lived in a quiet little town not too far from you. She enthusiastically took part in all the many activities at her small church and was always very eager to help others. One Sunday morning, as the sun peeked through the church's stained-glass windows, Bella sat still, listening to a sermon that would change her life.
"My friends," Pastor Salvador began, "each of you is a missionary, spreading God's love and message wherever you go…in your unique way…with your unique gifts…and unique opportunities."
Pastor Savadore spoke passionately about the calling of a missionary, and Bella couldn’t help but notice the knot forming in the pit of her stomach. She had always admired missionaries’ courage and dedication to serving others in distant lands. But…missionaries were special people that God called to a special purpose. They weren’t like other ordinary Christians, right? They were like Christian superheroes!
Bella couldn't imagine herself as a missionary. She was far too ordinary…far too average…and nothing but “meh” at best. Missionaries were adventurous and fearless, two things she was not!
(Along with a long list of other things she quickly noted on her mental notepad).
Throughout the following week, Bella couldn't get rid of the pastor’s words from her mind. She pondered the idea of being a missionary…and found no response other than inadequacy. Finally, she decided to talk about it with her friend, Sarah.
"Sarah, the pastor said we are all missionaries, but I don't feel like one." Bella paused, her brow furrowed with uncertainty. “I’m not a missionary…am I?”
Sarah smiled sweetly, paused momentarily, and then replied, "Bella, being a missionary doesn't always mean traveling to far-off places. Some are called to such adventures…but everyone is called to be a missionary right where they are, every day, among the people with whom they cross paths. It's about living out God's love in your everyday life, wherever you are."
Bella listened intently as Sarah continued, "Remember those times when you volunteered at the local shelter or helped the elderly couple across the street? Those were acts of kindness and compassion, just like missionaries do."
"I guess you're right," Bella said, feeling a glimmer of hope.
“And do you remember all those times,” Sarah continued, “when you listened to people pour out their hearts? You’re a great listener. Each of those is an opportunity to share the love of Christ and point toward Jesus as the reason for your hope.”
Over the next several weeks, Bella paid closer attention to the opportunities around her to be a missionary in her own town. And as she began to pay attention, she began to notice more and more opportunities! Even relatively small acts of kindness and encouragement, she realized, could make a significant impact on people's lives. Sometimes they led to opportunities to listen and have a conversation; on a few occasions, she even offered to pray with someone.
One day, Bella noticed a new girl sitting alone in the cafeteria on campus. With her heart pounding, Bella approached the girl, introduced herself, and invited her to sit with her and her friends. As they began chatting, Bella learned that the girl, Maya, had recently moved into town, transferred into a new school, and felt awkward, lonely, and overwhelmed.
As days turned into weeks, Bella and Maya became fast friends. Bella showed Maya around town, introducing her to other friends and helping her adjust to her new surroundings.
“Hey Maya,” Bellas asked one day as they walked across campus, “would you like to come with me to church on Sunday?”
“O…ummm…well…,” Maya stammered for a moment, “I’m not really sure that’s the right place for me. I mean, I wouldn’t have the first clue about what to do or say, ya know? And…well…I’m not sure people there would appreciate having me there…I don’t know.”
“That’s okay,” Bella assured her, “maybe another time. Whether you come to church or not, I’ve been thinking I should tell you my story about meeting Jesus. Would that be okay?”
Maya chuckled, “Yeah, I suppose; if you buy the coffee, I’ll happily listen to your story.”
“Deal,” Bella replied enthusiastically as they laughed and went their separate ways as they entered the quad. Despite this rejection of the invitation to join her at church, Bella knew that her simple friendship with Maya was authentic and significantly impacted her life. Going to church seemed overwhelming, but maybe Maya would be open to spending some time reading the Bible together and praying. They had a strong friendship, so she felt confident that Maya would at least consider the offer.
As time continued, Bellas's perspective on being a missionary began to change. She began to truly understand that a missionary wasn't only someone who ventured to distant lands and far-away places, learning new languages and customs, encountering mammoth snakes, and learning to eat all kinds of crazy food. No, a missionary was any disciple of Jesus who lived out God's love and compassion all the time, everywhere, and with everyone they met.
And besides, Bellas was learning a new language—the language of a young adult who had never walked with Jesus, whose background was so different from hers, and who was dealing with situations in her life that Bella had never encountered. As for food, learning to drink coffee—Maya’s favorite—was both challenging and enjoyable.
Several weeks later, on a reasonably typical Sunday morning, Pastor Salvador approached Bella with a warm smile and told her how he had noticed her newfound enthusiasm and a sense of purpose. "Bella, I've seen how you've been living out your calling as a missionary. You may not realize it, but you are making a meaningful difference in people's lives right here, right now. I’ve been blessed and encouraged watching you."
Tears welled up in Bellas's eyes as she thanked the pastor. “I am a missionary,” she thought to herself, “I am a uniquely created masterpiece of God, made in God’s image, growing in Christlikeness, equipped with gifts and graces and a handful of personal quirks and traits that are all mine…all to shine the light of Jesus into peoples lives right here, right now, to the people around me. Thank you, Lord.”
I Created You!
Well, I just couldn't bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, "God, why don't You do something?"
He said, “I did, I created you”
—Matthew West, “Do Something”
Photographic Stories and Art
“Bowing to Jesus”
I was visiting the campus of Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, with my wife and six-year-old daughter. From quite some distance away, I could see the Jesus statue I knew was standing at the center of campus. I told my daughter to run ahead and find Jesus and that we’d meet her there as we walked more slowly in that direction.
She took off in a full sprint through the freshly watered grass.
We stayed on the paved path.
As we rounded the corner past the library, we could see our daughter, 50 yards ahead, bowing at the feet of Jesus. She even laid down her Barbie on the altar.
My daughter provided me that day with an image that I won’t soon forget—the posture of the fully surrendered heart.
[See additional versions of “Bowing Before Jesus” here.]
What’s in a Word?
“Mission”
The word “mission,” as we use it today, comes from the Latin missio, which means “to send, dispatch, release, or set free.”
In Greek, the closest comparison is with the word “apostle” or “apostolic,” which means “a sending” or “someone who is sent.”
In theological study, Missio Dei often describes “the mission of God” or the “sending of God.”
So, based on these definitions, we can define several other common words and phrases:
Mission – a purpose or a plan for which people are sent, dispatched, or commissioned. Mission—God’s purpose and plan to redeem humanity—is the central theme of the Bible. Mission is not primarily an activity of God (something God does along with numerous other things) but is an attribute of God, part of God’s very nature.
It’s not so much that the church has a mission, it’s that the mission of God has a church.” — Alan Hirsch
Missions – In the church setting, missions often refers to sending global missionaries to other parts of the world – a missions program, or example, or the statement, “We support missions!”
Missionary – traditionally, this title was generally reserved for a person commissioned and sent out as part of a missions program, whether foreign or local. More recently, however, the term has increasingly been used to describe someone God sends to live “on mission,” whether across the globe or in the local setting.
God had an only Son and He made Him a missionary. – David Livingstone
Missional – having to do with the mission of God, as seen in Jesus Christ. More specifically, missional means actively living out the mission of Jesus (or the Missio Dei) in every aspect of life. So, we can apply this as an adjective in many ways – missional living, being a missional church or a missional Christian, or having a missional mindset.
“…a missional church is not for the faint of heart. It takes courage to push yourself beyond your comfort zone and to lead the church beyond its personal limits. — Gary Rohrmayer
Steve, seeing your daughter bowing at the foot of Jesus is heart warming. God is surely working in her life!