4 Simple Ways to be on Mission this Fall
What does it mean to live on mission? Before I answer that, I want to speak to what I feel in my gut when I hear that phrase, living on mission. I feel dread. YUP! I just said that. It is a dread that makes me feel overwhelmed. How can I do that? How can I talk to someone about Jesus? How do I make disciples and then teach them to obey?
I think I can hear what you are thinking right now. "Wait a minute! You are the pastor! If that is what you feel, then how can I do it?" Am I close?
I have learned to be an outgoing introvert. Between the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gift of my wife Andrea, I have come to value relationships, connection, and conversation in a way I never thought possible.
And it is through this lens of connection, the concept of living on mission makes the most sense to me. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:22, "To the weak, I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means, I might save some.
"When I consider this verse, what I see is relationship. I see connection. How else would you know enough about the person to become what they need at that moment. Mission is not about reciting the Roman's Road, winning a theological debate, or even having all the answers. Mission is about one person connecting to another person, weeping together, rejoicing together, doing life together. In the context of living, God, who is already at work, creates opportunities for us to share the Gospel into any given situation through the power of his Holy Spirit.
The biggest problem with viewing mission in this way is MARGIN. I have to make room in my life to be in genuine, authentic relationships with others, both those who already follow Jesus and those who don't. This is why the enemy wants us to be busy, distracted, and divided. A great resource that helped me process this is the book, The Art of Neighboring.
I need time to truly be with people, to hear them, to share life with them. Paul puts it this way in 1 Thes. 2:8, "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.”
Living the mission of God, his calling for all of us is about giving ourselves to others and through that exemplifying and sharing the gospel - the good news of Jesus. Here is another excellent resource to consider as we engage this conversation - The Gospel Fluency.
As we approach the fall, what are some ways to live on mission - engage others in relationships. Here are a few ideas:
Halloween Warming Station - Set up a fire pit, share some hot chocolate, and hand out candy as people come by for trick-or-treating. LINK TO INFO ON WEBSITE
Serve - help a neighbor with fall clean up. ie. raking leaves, putting up christmas lights, cleaning out gutters, etc.
Bake - bake a fall treat or plate of cookies and share it with a neighbor.
Invite others to what you are already doing - instead of doing your normal fall activities alone, invite a neighbor, coworker, or friend to join you. Activities could include:
going to a pumpkin patch,
going trick or treating,
driving to see Christmas Lights,
Thanksgiving dinner or just a normal breakfast, lunch or dinner during the week
Jesus lived the incarnation - meaning he came to us, lived life with us, gained an understanding of who we are and what we struggle with, and met us in that pain with the solution of the Gospel. We are called to do the same thing! So, this fall, find someone to love and do life with. God will bless them through you and you through them.