By Holly
The idea of living missionally is rocking my world. We have only been in class for two days and I already see God working in my heart about His true desires for the church. Why is it that I have grown up in the church and have never thought of myself as a missionary no matter where I am? Is God really calling us to step outside of our comfort zones and live out our faith in full submission to His will every day of our life? Not just on Sundays? Yes. The church is an instrument sent by God to meet the needs of His people in the world, not a place for Christians to compartmentalize their faith and block out the world.
I am constantly overwhelmed by God’s call on my life because it means submitting to His will, rather than mine. Darrell Guder says, “daily life becomes a discipline of asking how one may move more squarely into the realm of God’s reign and how one may welcome and receive it into the fabric of one’s life this day more than ever before.” Every day I have to wake up and spend time in prayer asking God to change my heart, to forgive those that have hurt me more than I can bear, to love those that make life difficult.
This is what God is calling the church community to do as well. To submit to the reign of God by giving up our control on ministry and trusting that the Holy Spirit wants to take the church in a new direction. We need to change the way we view church and let the gospel refresh our hearts on how we can be a new light to the world we live into today. hg
I Love that you stared off by taking responsibility for the change in your own life in order that you help aid the transformation of the church.
What do you see as the biggest things the church needs to give up when it comes to doing ministry?
I totally agree Holly! American’s have a tendency to think of the mission field as somewhere across an ocean. We like to think that the only people that need to hear the gospel are the hungry people in Africa. While these people do need to hear the gospel, there is also a huge mission field right outside our front door.
Holly, I am right there with you girl. So much of what we’ve been going over is challenging so many things I’ve either questioned or just accepted without much thought. The tension of giving God the reins, then wanting to take them right back is so difficult, especially when a few more challenges come in life. I like to be prepared, know what’s going to happen and have to keep reminding myself that He is in control and is always with me. I may not be able to handle everything, but He can and does. -jd
Holly, I love what you have to say. I think it is so easy to become stagnant in faith and service. After reading your blog it sounds like you and I are on the same page. For me, I am challenged by serving and acting out a missional life each day. So often I think the church is taught preparation for service, i.e. preparing your heart and mind for a mission trip, but now we are taught to practice what we have learned the moment we walk out of class and it is blowing my mind. – cz
Holly,
I love the fact that you mentioned having to wake up everyday and ask God to continue changing your heart. I think this is so important, that we remember choosing to change the way we live as the missional body of Christ, the Church, is not a one time decision, but a continual work that God does in us. Surrendering our efforts to God is the only way true change takes place. Thanks for the reminder!
– Laura
Holly I love your post. I can really relate to the struggle to “let go and let god.” I am definitely a planner and I frequently find myself making plans and then realizing that I have hardly considered the most important plan of all, Gods will. I just thought I would let you know that you aren’t the only one who struggles with this. I think you have a great view on where the church needs to center itself in the future. Nice job!
-Kayla
Hol. This was really great! You have such a ministry focused mind and I love how into this class you can be from the start! I think you are totally right about what the church is called to do and I am excited about your future posts 😀
-Kenny
Wow, I’m inspired to hear more of your reflections as this class goes on – because this is excellent and a good reminder even to those of us in the trenches trying to do this thing.
It’s incredible that in one sense it is so simple, and yet in another this shift is the most difficult thing that we can ever attempt to do where we are met with struggles of how to align ourselves to God’s mission regularly and are confronted with our need to die to ourselves.
Holly,
I have never met you but I am excited to hear about the transformation you are allowing to take place within your heart concerning the church. I specifically liked your comment, “To submit to the reign of God by giving up our control on ministry and trusting that the Holy Spirit wants to take the church in a new direction.” I believe this is what Jesus asked Peter to do in the garden when Peter drew his sword to try and protect the ministry of Jesus and the disciples. To embrace living missionally is to recognize that God’s Mission of 1)Glorifying His Name, 2)Establishing His Kingdom, and 3)Reconciling the World to Himself is what is constant; our ministry/missional living is the variable we use to serve that mission. Many in the Church have gotten these two confused in thinking their ministry IS the Mission of God and must therefore be protected at all costs. God’s Mission will be met, and He can protect it to ensure it is; our place, as you mentioned, is to submit and to serve.