As Jesus’ disciples we are clearly called into the world to proclaim the news of who God is. What if our wealthy church attempted to follow Jesus’ instructions to “take nothing with us”? To do so, we would have to leave behind our possessions, our power, our prestige, and the innate assurance many of us carry that we are self-sufficient and in control. This would be mission that forces us to live lives fully dependent on the very people Christ has sent us into the world to save. This kind of relationship would change everything!
What if we followed Christ’s command to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations? Our churches would be transformed, re-energized, and renewed by the Holy Spirit as we take on this challenge.
What if we went with the conviction that Jesus truly gives us power over the unclean spirits in our world today? Disease, hopelessness, substance abuse, the grinding poverty of the global economy, the violence of terrorism that touches the lives of innocent victims around the world: there is plenty of work to do in taking on the evil spirits of our time.
Might we be transformed as we discover the liberation behind Christ’s instructions to leave everything behind? As first-world Christians, beholden to our possessions and notions of financial security, Jesus’ instructions to let go of what we have and to enter into relationships of dependence are terrifying. What if Jesus meant it? What if we found the courage to live it?
As we depend upon those who live on the margins, could we discover that this kind of mission is the moment of embrace where proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and accompanying our brothers and sisters in their Christ-inspired struggle for justice are joined together? Much of our arguing about evangelism versus social justice will disappear as we agree to follow Jesus into that kind of mission.
Many Presbyterians are deeply concerned about the future of our denomination. Again and again I’m asked, “How will we reverse the membership decline?” The answer is complex, but one thing is clear to me: our future depends on the commitment to live God’s holy conundrum—that we are called to lives of dependence on God and on God’s people even as we carry God’s bold news into the world.
This is what we Presbyterians have said that we believe about mission for a long time. We call it mission in partnership. The question is, how many of us are ready to do that kind of work in the world? Do we really believe that Christ equips us to overcome unclean spirits? Are we ready to leave behind our belongings, our security, and our power and to go into the world dependent upon others? Is it possible that as we do so, we may find our faith renewed?
I hope so. As leaders in Christ’s church, let’s make it our consuming goal to get our members actively involved in this kind of mission.
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