Missions and the Church

Jim is leaving Friday for Egypt. I confess...I am a little apprehensive. I'm not apprehensive for his safety. He is a big boy and I know God will be with them every step of the way. I'm not apprehensive for what he will be doing; he is a wonder at what he does. I am apprehensive how I will handle things at home and church without him plus get to work and be sane. But, I have to say I have wonderful parents and in-laws that will take care of me. Having said that, that's not really what this post is about.

For the last couple of years Jim's heart has been burdened because our church has not been sending. I have had a similar burden. This week as I was preparing my Sunday School lesson, I came across the following quote by Mendell Taylor, "The Church must send or the Church will end."

While I see that we are responding in a small way by sending Jim to Egypt, it simply cannot begin and end with him. The Great Commission was not a suggestion...it was a command. If we can't fulfill a fundamental command then how can we be effective in other areas of our ministry? How can we sustain our existence if we fail to be relevant in a culture where there are so many substitutes for God?

I am growing increasingly restless in church, in my prayer life, in many aspects of my "Christian walk" because I can't see where I am relevant to the hurting and hopeless that I come into contact with. I couldn't agree more with Trey Morgan. I am not content to simply study the life of Jesus. I want to live the life of Jesus. I am humbled, no shamed, by others I see that have "less commitment to the church" than I yet time and again are better at being His hands and feet than I am because they've made choices to make themselves available to God. I guess I've gotten to busy doing church that I've forgotten to BE the church.

God, Forgive me for looking past the needs of those around me as I get so busy doing church that I have forgotten to be the church. I'm willing to go...send me, Lord.