Embodying The Mission: 5 Recommendations

In my recent article, Hard Lessons From the Dechurched, I shared several top reasons why we’ve seen the greatest religious shift in North America over the last 20 years. That religious shift has seen millions of people leaving the church even though many still maintain their faith in Christ. Over the next several weeks I intend to offer recommendations on how your church can improve in areas identified by the dechurched study as needing improvement. Don’t mistake this as an attempt to attract people with pragmatic tactics. In fact, that won’t accomplish anything if we are to believe the authors of The Great Dechurching. Instead, from my vantage point this is a shift towards greater alignment with the mission of the church and living as a faith community in accordance with the teachings of Jesus.

First, we will take a look at embodying the mission. This is one of the recommendations from the aforementioned article. What is the mission? Jesus says “17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:17-18, ESV) That mission is given to Jesus’ disciples in the Great Commission but is also found in the sending our of the 72: “8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.” (Lk. 10:8-9, ESV) The Kingdom of God has come near because the King is near. As ambassadors of Christ, Christians and the Church are to bring the Kingdom to those who are outside it and invite them into the family of God.

Here are 5 ways we can embody the mission:

1. Stop outsourcing the mission to others at the expense of carrying out the mission yourself

Maybe your church doesn't do this but many send money to missionaries and mission agencies while never investing much time, thought, or effort. If you aren’t actively viewing yourself as a missionary in your community by serving, sharing, and caring then skip that mission trip. Prioritize you sharing the Gospel in your local community. Clarify what the Gospel is in your own words. Serve.

2. View yourself as a missionary

A missionary doesn’t view the community as an adversary or opponent to be conquered or overcome. Missionaries see their community as people who need to be loved, care for, and supported. Your posture as a missionary is one of compassion, empathy, and adventure. Your community needs the Gospel just as much as those around the world. Don’t wait for churches in Mozambique to send missionaries to North America. We are already here!

3. See your church as a missionary outpost

The church is many things. The gathering is where we worship Christ, celebrate his resurrection, and support one another in our Christian journey. If we take the New Testament seriously then we will regularly be sending people out not trying to keep them. Each church should be able to recall members who’ve come to faith, been equipped, and sent out as missionaries. They could be foreign missionaries, local missionaries, vocational pastors, or something else.

Imagine someone taking a job on the other side of the country. Are you helping them find a local church in their new community? Are you sending them as equipped missionaries who can be a real asset to a local body of Christ in discipling others and sharing the Gospel?

4. Speak as one who is an ambassador of Christ

You should enter every conversation knowing that it could lead to Christ. I’m not an advocate for high pressure situations. However, I believe that Jesus comes up in the natural course of everyday conversations when you love Jesus, pray for opportunities, and gain credibility with people.

5. Find a real problem in your community that you are passionate about and solve it

Jesus cared for the spiritual and the physical. Oftentimes churches focus so much on the spiritual they neglect the physical needs of those around them. A few months ago I realized there was a lack of networking opportunities for Veterans of my age in the community. So a friend and I started Vet Connect. The third Tuesday of each month we meet at the American Legion to network with other Veterans. This assists Veterans who are looking to hire, be hired, find business, or support Veteran-owned businesses.

This builds credibility with those I’m sharing the Gospel with. They don’t view me as someone trying to sell them religion but as someone who cares for their well-being and I share Jesus because I believe in him.

If nothing else

If you don’t do anything else, spend time with people in your community. Care for them, love them, champion them, and learn about them. Find out what is important to people. What do they love and care about? What brings them joy and what are they afraid of? What do they believe? Can you articulate what they believe in a way they would affirm? Now you know what the Good News would mean to them. Share the Good News of Jesus Christ who was sent to reconcile them to God. He has made himself known so that they might believe.