Every believer has a contribution to make in this greatest of all God's creative masterpieces. But how can you and I find our way into that role? We expect your path will include the major mile markers of having your passion awakened, vision focused, wisdom applied, mission launched, and destiny fulfilled.
A. Ignite Your Missions Conviction
1. Prayer Through Missions Passages
a. Day of Prayer and Meditation
2. Embrace Your Passiona. List Preferences/Dreams for ideal target, task, term
3. Write Your Personal Missions Statement
a. "Lord willing, by the grace of God, I will.."
B. Diagram Your Missions Configuration
1. List Top 2-3 Pros and Cons Toward Your Missions Involvement
a. Narrow and realistic focus on where you are currently
2. Assess Your Talents, Temperament, Training
a. Overlay of gifting, strengths/weaknesses, resume
3. "Complete "
a. Talk to mentors/agencies for feedback/refinement
C. Launch Your Missions Contribution
1. Ongoing Research
a. Identify openings with clusters of convergence for you (i.e., where many of your preferences meet)
2. Negotiate a Fit (Take initiative to start a dialogue)
a. Two ways of Connection
i. Responding to published openings
ii. Requesting a proposal based on your preferences and configuration
3. Establish Your Long-term Plan of Action
a. Formulate and commit to a flexible do list
b. Transfer do list to calendar for implementation
c. Keep consulting with old and new mentors
Scripture leads us to the difference between mission in the OT and the NT, namely that mission in the OT was to function more as an attractive force, whereas it is an expansive force in the NT. Jerusalem in Solomon's time became the richest city, a world centre, to which the kings of the earth came to hear the wisdom of Solomon and to see the grandeur of the temple and the prosperity of the kingdom (1 Kgs 11:23-25). The book of Isaiah depicts a similar eschatological picture, in which "all nations stream" to the temple in Zion and kings bring "the wealth of the nations" to Jerusalem (Is 2:2; 60:11). The four gospels provide enough evidence that the apostles of Jesus were dominated by this
centripetal pattern of the Kingdom of God. Even after Jesus' resurrection they still understood their
mission as a centripetal force (Ac 1:6). It is exactly at this point that Jesus underscored the change of
the pattern, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Ac 1:7-8). The pattern is no longer "come to the blessing" but "go to the nations" instead.
The force of the mission in the NT becomes essentially centrifugal.
It has to be mentioned that a centrifugal pattern of mission was at work to some degree in the OT as well, as in the example of Jonah, or in that of a nameless Jewish girl who proclaimed to Naaman, the leprous captain of the Syrian army, the healing power of Israel's God. In the same way the centripetal force is not fully abolished in the NT, and because of it some are attracted to the church. However, Christians cannot rely on it, and must make up their minds to bring the gospel "to the ends of the earth."
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