What does it mean to be the Church of God? What contributions does this group make toward broader Christianity? These and other questions have been on our minds since we began this series on the strands that comprise “the fabric of what it means to be God’s church.” Now, as this series draws to close, we have one last perspective to consider. For God’s church to truly be God’s church, it must be a missionary church.
In recent decades, Christians have written tremendous amounts of material on the meaning of “missions” and “missionary work.” These terms have been interpreted and acted upon differently by various groups over the years. Denominations of all varieties have sent people to foreign countries in order to spread the gospel of Christ. Some groups have practiced door-to-door evangelism in local communities. Short-term missions trips are an implicit prerequisite for understanding the world and, perhaps, for being a “good” Christian. In our own movement, Church of God women have historically raised money and provided tangible goods for missionaries all around the world.
Sounds Great, But Why?
Why do we do all this work in the world? The biblical mandate is clear, of course. After his death and resurrection, Jesus instructs his followers to carry on his message of the kingdom:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV)
Referring only to this passage is an oversimplification of the scriptural call to missions. From the earliest of times, God’s people have been marked by a call to reach outward to others with the blessing of God:
I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:2-3 NIV)
I believe this focus on missionary work is crucial for the life of God’s church for one specific reason: without this component of our identity, the people of God could very well become an isolated community, withdrawn and insulated from the surrounding culture. As we have seen throughout this series, God’s church is to be a gospel church, a Bible church, a born-again church, a holiness church, a unity church, and a kingdom of God church. These six characteristics are tremendously meaningful, but I can imagine a local congregation or denomination looking at this list of six and saying, “We do a good job of being these things while staying over here by ourselves.”
A missionary church is dissatisfied with staying over here by itself. A missionary church realizes, like Abraham of old, that its existence is intimately connected with the well-being and blessing of others who are not part of the group. A missionary church takes seriously the truth that if the kingdom of God is to grow in this world, then God’s church must be actively involved in reaching beyond itself, ministering to the needs of others, and drawing others into the family of faith.
But Surely It’s Someone Else’s Job!
So church groups send missionaries into far-off nations of the world. Congregations send money to support these missionaries and other global efforts to bring about justice, peace, wholeness, and salvation. The work being done by these ministries is exciting and meaningful, to be sure. However, if we are committed to being a missionary church, then we will not limit our missionary activities to these experiences alone.
To be a missionary church means to accept God’s call to participate wholeheartedly in God’s mission. This is a call for all members of God’s church, no matter our age, location, or station in life. Jesus gave his Great Commission to all of his disciples, not just Peter, James, and John. God called Abraham of old to be a blessing to all nations, even though Abraham did not always get along with his neighbors or his family.
Serving the kingdom of God as the missionaries of God is the job of the people of God. We make disciples because of the good news of Jesus Christ. We make disciples because the Bible instructs us to do so. We make disciples because we are born anew in Christ. We make disciples because we are set apart for God’s work. We make disciples because that work enhances our unity in Christ. We make disciples for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Together We Go to Make Disciples.
It is not the job of other people to be God’s missionaries. It is our job, because we are God’s people!