On a recent podcast I heard a Christian apologist offer what I felt was an excellent response to those who try to enter into an argument with him regarding creation verses evolution. His suggestion: “I hear you asking me what I, as a Christian, believe regarding evolution. Before I give you a response to this, I must first tell you who I am as a Christian.” From there he gives a brief explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then says something like, “Now, what is your question?” His purpose is clear. If one immediately gets into a conversation about creation (or name your topic), one seldom will ever have the opportunity to share the Gospel. And since it is through the Gospel that Jesus saves people and changes things, when all is said and done, he can walk away and say, “I have done what I am asked by Christ to do. The rest is up to Jesus.”
His logic fits very neatly with the logic Greg Finke presents in his book “Joining Jesus on His Mission.” Keep it simple. Eliminate roadblocks. Let Jesus and his Gospel do the heavy lifting. Fulfill your role and then get out of the way. And always remember that it is one’s relationship with Jesus that saves … all of the other things are not that important.
The subtitle of my friend’s book is “How to be an Everyday Missionary.” He starts with a few questions: “How is Jesus messing with you? What is he up to? What is he inviting you to notice, believe, or wrestle with?” (p. 25) And then he quotes the prologue in John’s Gospel, “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” (John 1.14 The Message) The neighborhoods into which he moved (and has yet to leave) is where we live, work, and play.
And then, as Jesus invites you and me to join him as “neighborhood missionaries”, Greg makes a few suggestions:
- Stop stalling. You will learn more about being a missionary by doing something missional than you will by reading something missional. It’s not what you know, but what you do with what you know that makes a difference in people’s lives. (p. 49)
- Jesus has made our participation in his redemptive mission simple. Let’s keep it that way. We make it hard when we try to do the work of Jesus rather than what he gives us to do. (p. 55)
- It really is this simple. Jesus’ secret weapon for accomplishing his redemptive mission was hanging out with sinners and enjoying them in his Father’s grace. It was inefficiently effective. We can question this strategy, but Jesus would have us imitate it. (p. 66)
- How do we see, recognize and respond to what Jesus is already doing in the lives of the people we are enjoying? We start by paying attention to what he is already showing us. He says, “Open your eyes and look” for a reason. (p. 72)
- If we see a need in a human being we can recognize that the kingdom of God is nearby and active. That is what Jesus invites us to look for, recognize and respond to. (p. 89)
- Jesus is already doing everything necessary to make our participation in his mission simple. All we have to do is reorient our minds to his good news and keep asking Jesus two questions: What are you up to? And how would you have me join you? (p. 96)
Are you ready to be an “everyday missionary”? I know that if you are a Jesus believer, then you are … and Greg offers you five simple mission practices to get you started and keep you going.
- Seeking the kingdom (watching for what God is showing you every day in the midst of your daily routines. Asking yourself how you have seen God at work in your life this week?)
- Hearing from Jesus (this would be from your personal reading of Scripture, time studying the word with others, and worship).
- Talking with people (Jesus can do more with two people who are talking with each other than he can with two people who are successfully ignoring each other. And it’s always more productive to ask questions than to give lectures).
- Doing good (asking yourself, “What good can I do around here? How can I help make the kingdom and grace of God a little more real to people nearby?”).
- Ministering through prayer (When it comes to ministering through prayer, what matters most is not getting your words right but inviting your King in. By God‘s design, you are the physical contact point between your friend and the invisible kingdom which is present and available. Praying with people may seem terrifying at first. But once we take courage and take Jesus at his word, we find out how missionally powerful this simple practice can be – p. 127).
It may seem odd, but all of this leads me to the same place I ended up one week ago. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”(2 Corinthians 5.18-19)
As a follow-up to recent training with Greg, I am involved in a monthly Zoom conversation with him. If you would like to listen in (and also chime in) let me know. I will include you on the email invite list.