My View

Missiology comes before ecclesiology. Have heard it said, but it seems more and more to the point the more I think about it, and the more I experience it.

Jesus had a very practical take on building his church. He called workers for the harvest. He commissioned them, gave them authority to drive out demons, heal the sick, forgive sins. He sent them out before him, and sometimes after him. But he sent them.

He finished his work on earth with what we call “the Great Commission”. And then he left. With hardly a mention of the church (2 times in Matthew’s gospel, that’s all). He was concerned with the Kingdom of God. And to advance the Kingdom, he sent his people. The word ‘mission’ comes from the latin ‘missio’ which means ’sent’. And yet we find it so difficult being sent out into the world. We’d rather lock ourselves up. Of course people are welcome to join us in our churches if they want to. But they have to find us first…

But now something is happening. God is sounding the Mission Bell

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Been away on different conferences, trips and other stuff. Nice to be back in business, in the business.

But nice being away as well. I have a very strong sense of God moving in this country (Finland) right now. Everywhere I came God seemed to be calling people into action; stepping forward into service, stepping forward into mission. Our God is a missionary God. And he is on the move.

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“Well what did you expect?” Seems like that’s been God’s word to me lately. Jesus is pretty clear in the New Testament that our share in this world is not one of hurray cheers everywhere. A favourite passage I return to every so often is Jesus’ prayer in John 15-17. Usually I’ve dug into chapters 15 and 17, but tonight I found a reason to dig into chapter 16.

In all its grimness it gives me comfort.

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