Delight, Spirit-empowered character, appetite, hunger, desire for God, rejoicing in the righteousness of Christ. When the Psalmist cries “I am consumed with longing for you” and our hearts leap, that’s it. That’s the joy of the Lord I am talking about.
Read moreJoy in Missions
The purpose of proclamation is to draw a worshipping people. And it is done by worshipping people. We don't merely proclaim him among the nations, we praise him among the nations. We extol him and publicly exult in him. We find words and phrases that express our admiration, our adoration, our wonder and amazement.
Read moreWhat Mission is Not
Fabulous post over at Desiring God on what their mission (and the mission of all Christians) is not:
Our mission at Desiring God is to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. By turning a few things around, we can also see what our mission is not - and therefore more clearly what it is.
Our mission is not to create cul-de-sacs, but to spread.
Our mission is not to spread just knowledge about God. It is to spread a passion for God. Head and heart.
Our mission is not to spread a passion for the mediocrity of God or for the overlooking of God or for the assuming of God. It is to spread a passion for the supremacy of God.
Our mission is not to spread a passion for the supremacy of human beings or Western materialism or even you. It is to spread a passion for the supremacy of God.
Our mission is not to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in just a few things, or just a few parts of your life like the time you spend at church, but in all things.
We aim to do this not simply for Americans or Western Christians but for all people groups.
We aim to do this not for the boredom or gloom or sadness of all people groups, but for the joy of all people groups. “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy” (Psalm 67:4).
And we aim to do this not through our own efforts or with an ambiguous God-is-whoever-you-think-he-is Godin mind, but through Jesus Christ, who died for us on the cross 2,000 years ago, rose again, ascended into heaven, sent the Holy Spirit, and will come again.
I want every Christian in my church to be saying that. And most especially the first one: no cul de sacs. God has grown a lively, loving, congregation of 200. It would be so easy to leave it at that. Its comfortable and warm.
I want us to spread. To go from 5% of our area knowing God to 10% as a bare minimum start which would mean us doubling in size rendering all our existing structures inadequate. I want our structures to regularly be rendered inadequate because of the amazing work of the Lord.
Ends and Beginnings
Ends and beginnings are important things. Paul's arrival at Jerusalem in Acts 21 marks an important end and an important beginning. It is the end of the church-planting journeys and the beginning of getting arrested, tried and proclaiming Jesus to rulers, authorities and nations in wholly new ways.
Read moreGalvanising for World Mission
Brilliant article by Andy Stevens on the OMF blog on 10 steps your church could take in putting world mission front and centre.
http://www.omf.org/omf/uk/omf_at_work/blogs/node_6569/ten_ideas_for_a_strategic_missional_church
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