15th November, 2007

LLOYD HARKNESS

When we think of missions and missionaries there is a tendency for our thoughts to turn to overseas, to great sacrifices, to Mother Teresa-types who are just one step down from sainthood. There is almost an elitist view here where this type of mission is seen as the pinnacle of serving Jesus and fulfilling His great commandment of taking the Gospel into the entire world.

YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT...: Lloyd Harkness says that whether witnessing overseas or at home, the importance of the task remains the same. PICTURE: Oliver Gruener (www.sxc.hu) "There can be no questioning of the grandeur and calling of introducing Jesus to all. God’s purpose is to have His salvation plan unfold and for Him to be honoured, as quite simply He is God."

Is this all there is to missions? Hardly. Is there a problem in seeing one form of following Jesus as a statement that you have really arrived or come-of-age when you do this? Definitely.

Let’s start with Christ’s mission. His mission was to reveal God’s love and the cornerstone of that revelation was to pay the penalty for our sins so as to make it possible for us to be saved. Working in conjunction with the Father and the Holy Spirit He took this message throughout Galilee, Judea and Samaria.

Post Jesus’ resurrection and ascension every person called to follow Jesus has been given the challenge of introducing Jesus to those who are foreigners to Him. It is the multiplying effect of Jesus sending out his disciples in teams of two and it’s a task which is to continue until all people groups hear the message; until Jesus returns and wraps up everything in the consummation of his kingdom.

There can be no questioning of the grandeur and calling of introducing Jesus to all. God’s purpose is to have His salvation plan unfold and for Him to be honoured, as quite simply He is God.

But is there a pecking order in this call or is it a universal multi-pronged approach wherein each Christian has a part to play? Do we tend to apply near sainthood to those who are seen to have taken on more personal risk, sacrificed more or tackled a more adventuresome situation and people group overseas?

Missionaries are people nurtured, supported and sent out from their local Christian community to carry the Gospel into new fields. Yet, while cross-cultural missions are essential to Christ’s grand calling they do not make for a more saintly work. The adventuresome, risky overseas measuring stick for importance in God’s eyes is nonexistent. In our eyes, our love of a good story might be partly responsible for elevating overseas missions as one of the greatest forms of serving God. God, however, only asks one question; did you do the things I called you to do? And if the answer is in the affirmative then His response will be “well done good and faithful servant”.

So what of those new fields God calls us to? Here are seven different fields.

1. Starting a playgroup.
2. Operating a woodwork shed for blokes.
3. Linking with a para-church organisation, such as Christian Surfers, in a foreign country.
4. Offering a course in a community centre.
5. Being sent by a missionary organisation to a refugee camp.
6. Taking on a foster child.
7. Writing for Sight magazine.

In reading over these seven ideas were you in any way measuring and ranking them? If, in any way, the answer is partly yes then can I suggest you reread this ‘Word’ piece on mission and think again about the grand vision of the great commission and the value of recognising your field, be it near or far, short term or long term, paid or unpaid. Esteem obedience beyond any flirtation with ideas of saintliness and recognise that sacrifice and adventure is inherent in any new field work.

Jesus has chosen a whole spectrum of personalities for a multi-pronged expansion of his kingdom. There are no pedestals for anyone. We simply need to esteem everyone else more highly than ourselves as together we spread the good news of Jesus.

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