“Go 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 I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age” Jesus in Matthew 28:19,20.
This past Sunday we received an update on our four chosen fields of missions focus: the Alliance church in Rimouski Quebec; One Life One Chance in San Quintin Mexico; the work of AIDIA in Abancay Peru; and the work of Alliance missionaries Don and Betty Orr in the middle east. In addition, many of us give to the Global Advance fund of the Alliance to support the many missionaries we have around the world. It has been good for us to struggle when they do and to rejoice with them when great things happen. I believe that if we don’t entrench a world mindset in our church and individual lives, our Christianity becomes very small and provincial and does disservice to Jesus’ command outlined above.
I understand that ‘missions’ is not popular in the West at this time. Trying to persuade people that they need to change the focus of their lives – that people without Christ are lost.
Who has been more missionary than special interest groups – pro Palestine/anti Jew; BLM; LGBT causes; anti-development crusaders; worldwide Muslim interests, to name a few. They are not afraid of recrimination, public ridicule or hatred. They interject their persuasion through protest, shouting and bully tactics. At the same time the Christian way is belittled, hated and frozen out of the conversation. It seems the Church of Christ loses every battle.
So what about the missions mandate from Jesus? How did it take hold in the hostile Roman empire? How do we personally apply this mandate to our own lives both locally and globally? Just a few thoughts to ponder:
-If we think there will never be a price to pay for representing the gospel, we are fooling ourselves. Just make sure that the offense is the gospel and not our pushy or thoughtless style!
-We have a great enemy who would love to keep the whole world in the dark spiritually. He will dull minds at the least and counter our efforts at the worst.
-We have powerful allies. The Holy Spirit works to see all men come to Christ (I Timothy 2:4) – He is the one who convicts of sin and convinces of Christ. The myriad of angels are sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.
-We go to the world, but the world also comes to us. Tim Crouch, the US Alliance vice president for overseas ministries reminds us that today there are 300 million international migrants. One in every 26 people live in a country they weren’t born in. There are opportunities to become involved with international people on every side – even here in Chilliwack!
-Prayer actually does something. In prayer we cooperate with God’s will for the world – he waits for us to become involved.
Our founder, AB Simpson said: “The supreme aim of Christians should not be to have the finest church in the city, nor the most brilliant minister, nor the most delightful social gatherings, but from the pastor down to the youngest child to be missionaries. Without the missionary spirit, the church will grow cold and its efforts become stale.”
Give – pray – go. What’s it to be?
Pastor Leon Throness
Don’t forget the info evening on Sunday September 21st, at the church at 7 pm as we focus on the upcoming pilgrimage in May 2026 to the locations of the New Testament churches. Maybe you can come with us?
