Worship begets the mission



For some reason God sees fit to start some churches with unlimited funding and  a full contingent of leaders. They have a comprehensive system of evangelism, discipleship, and missions, programs for all ages, and blueprints for their first building project. We are not one of those churches. 

On the other hand, God sees fit to call some churches into being to wait on Him for instructions. In essence He says those churches: gather, behold my glory, and I will tell you what to do. We are one of those churches.

Perhaps you’ve been coming Sunday mornings and the thought enters your mind: It’s great to worship together, but when are actually going to do something? There’s a dying world outside our door in desperate need of the gospel of Jesus.

Here’s what we say: wait. Let’s wait on God together. 

To someone with the pangs of urgency that the gospel naturally creates it seems like sin to wait. But consider this:

Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord and fell down in worship proclaiming, “I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). God hears Isaiah’s confession and atones for his sin. Then God says, in essence, ” I have a message to proclaim. Who will go?” How could Isaiah respond any differently? “Here am I. Send me.”

So the pattern is worship then mission.

We see this pattern in the life of Christ as well. Jesus gathered his disciples to a mountain after his resurrection, and while some of them doubted, others worshiped (Matt. 28:17). In the midst of their worship Jesus gives them a mission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (v.19).

Worship then mission.

This is not the only way God commissions people, but it seems it is the way he is commissioning us. He has given us a vision (to become an ever-expanding community for whom Christ is all); he has articulated a broad mission (to proclaim the gospel, create cruciform community, and to be involved in the redemption of everything). But as we wait on Him, as we seek his face in worship, the specifics of those statements will emerge. Leaders among us will hear the call of God to put their hand to the plow in our community and never look back. 

So that’s why we’re gathering on Sundays. We love the Father and we’re waiting on Him…



One Response to “Worship begets the mission”

1. Kylie Batt1 says:

   June 12, 2010 at 6:00 pm

   Где я могу это найти?…

   http://rel” rel=”nofollow”> Директор по подбору персонала We are not one of those churches. 
   On the other hand, God sees fit to call […….