For the last three years I have been studying Intercultural studies at Biola University. Sometimes I wonder why I chose a major that is rather ambiguous and immediately associated with Missions. Do I want to be a Missionary? Am I called to be a Missionary? For three years I have been asking myself these questions because I want to know, and because other people ask me when I tell them my major, and I feel like I need a substantial answer. I am beginning to think that I have a substantial answer, but that it sounds awfully vague and rather ‘obvious’.
Let me give you a quick overview of a class called Foundations to Global Studies that I took freshman year. My favorite Prof. Murray Decker taught this class and this is mostly straight from my notes.
Mission: is the heartbeat of Biblical revelation. God’s very nature is mission. It belongs to God, not to the church or any individual Christian. It is the whole work of God in the world.
Missions: is a post-Pentecost activity. It is the means by which the Church is taken out into the world. This is the activity that we, the Christ-followers carry out. It exists so that the nations may worship Him; that they may be drawn into His presence.
Worship is the fuel and goal of Missions.
John Piper said this:
“God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshippers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of is name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His and for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join in His global purpose”.
I believe that missions is a mandate for all Christians. That does not mean all people should be Missionaries, or are Missionaries, far from it. But as Christians, who make up the church we have to recognize that Mission is God’s nature. A nature we are called to imitate. So be it praying for missionaries, supporting a long-term missionary or organization, caring for the needs of Missionaries, going on a short term Mission trip, sending Bibles to closed Nations... just being part of Missions is essential to our calling as Christians.
I hope you cam see something of my heart for Missions. I do not believe I am called to live my life full time on the Mission Field, although someday that may happen. Right now I am interested in two things.
One, what the role of short-term missions trips should be in missions. What makes a good short-term missions trip and what a harmful trip looks like. What’s the impact and purpose of short-term mission trips?
If the local Church is God’s agent of change in the world, then how should it be taking care of its missionaries? What does good missionary care look like? How does a church partner with long-term missionaries to further its impact, and respond to the great commission?
These are the questions I am asking as I look at the internship I have before me this summer.