Help! I Can't STOP!
Part 5 Semantics
Tera's blog made me think. I tried to look at different situations and then I broke out my Webster's dictionary.
Community- 1. all persons living in a particular locality 2. a group having interests or religion in common 3. joint sharing
Mission- 1. a sending; a charge to go and perform a specific service or duty 2. a delegation so sent 3. the service or duty for which one is sent 4. self imposed duty or function 5. an organized effort for the spread of religion in foreign lands.
Based on those definitions it seems that community involves things that happen with members who are already involved. Mission happens with those who aren't "members" (for lack of a better word, maybe I should look that one up).
Therefore, if we do a comedy night (September 11) , worship with music and listen to teaching (monthly Gatherings like August 14) , eat together etc...those things are community (ie definition number 3- SHARING and number 2- Religion in common).
But in order for something to be an ACTUAL MISSION it involves departing or leaving the community to reach outside of the base community. Notice the words in the Mission definitions: sending, service, duty, sent, spread, foreign (maybe even just people live in comminties foreign to us like homeless shelters, drug rehab centers, and old folk homes (August 13).
The way I understand it, the things we've been doing are community. I can say for myself that I always thought if the community part of things were good enough then outsiders would want to become a part. Therefore, I thought I was on a mission by being in genuine community with others including joint sharing and "religious activities" in common. So when I said that I thought we were an Object lesson for churches don't go from community to mission that's what I meant. People do see our friendships and think they are wonderful. They wish they had something like it, but they see them as already established and several people have said they think it is "hard to break in".
I think that we can "Mission" to our brothers and sisters in Christ but I'm not sure that is really the main mission we are called to. If we follow Jesus's example, he didn't spend very much of his time in the temple courts trying to show the members of the community their errors. He left and went to others who were outside, but desperately wanted to be loved.
I think we should be there to support each other, eat together, pray together and most likely mission together. GO and do yard sales for cancer victims (August 6). But I think we should also go to work, go to the park and share the love of God with those you meet. Everyday we go to Starbucks, Target, the grocery store, buy gas, take our kids bowling or to the park. There are people there who do not know who God is or how He loves them. That is a mission we are all on individually. We can also be on a joint mission to reach specific groups or individuals. (And as a side note, several opportunities have been set up for the members of Apex to explore different mission fields-see the website for more info). In my opinion we called to participate in ALL types of mission: to each other as needed when our friends are struggling, to the people God puts in front of us in our daily lives and people we KNOW are in need of God's love but wouldn't be accepted by the general population.
The Great Commission is Matthew 28:19-20 (Mission part of the verse)>"Therefore 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. (the community part of the verse) >And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
We could argue if the teaching to obey part is mission or communal because I don't believe it's just a list of rules. That is more complicated and probably relationships would be necessary for that kind of teaching.
I think it is interesting that verse 19 focuses on mission and verse 20 includes community. Maybe this verse is validating the quote on Kevin's blog.
If you've stuck with me through all of this then HATS OFF TO YOU! I do enjoy the quality converations and feedback. It has really helped me think through it all. I think I'm done, but I'm certainly not making ANY promises!
Part 5 Semantics
Tera's blog made me think. I tried to look at different situations and then I broke out my Webster's dictionary.
Community- 1. all persons living in a particular locality 2. a group having interests or religion in common 3. joint sharing
Mission- 1. a sending; a charge to go and perform a specific service or duty 2. a delegation so sent 3. the service or duty for which one is sent 4. self imposed duty or function 5. an organized effort for the spread of religion in foreign lands.
Based on those definitions it seems that community involves things that happen with members who are already involved. Mission happens with those who aren't "members" (for lack of a better word, maybe I should look that one up).
Therefore, if we do a comedy night (September 11) , worship with music and listen to teaching (monthly Gatherings like August 14) , eat together etc...those things are community (ie definition number 3- SHARING and number 2- Religion in common).
But in order for something to be an ACTUAL MISSION it involves departing or leaving the community to reach outside of the base community. Notice the words in the Mission definitions: sending, service, duty, sent, spread, foreign (maybe even just people live in comminties foreign to us like homeless shelters, drug rehab centers, and old folk homes (August 13).
The way I understand it, the things we've been doing are community. I can say for myself that I always thought if the community part of things were good enough then outsiders would want to become a part. Therefore, I thought I was on a mission by being in genuine community with others including joint sharing and "religious activities" in common. So when I said that I thought we were an Object lesson for churches don't go from community to mission that's what I meant. People do see our friendships and think they are wonderful. They wish they had something like it, but they see them as already established and several people have said they think it is "hard to break in".
I think that we can "Mission" to our brothers and sisters in Christ but I'm not sure that is really the main mission we are called to. If we follow Jesus's example, he didn't spend very much of his time in the temple courts trying to show the members of the community their errors. He left and went to others who were outside, but desperately wanted to be loved.
I think we should be there to support each other, eat together, pray together and most likely mission together. GO and do yard sales for cancer victims (August 6). But I think we should also go to work, go to the park and share the love of God with those you meet. Everyday we go to Starbucks, Target, the grocery store, buy gas, take our kids bowling or to the park. There are people there who do not know who God is or how He loves them. That is a mission we are all on individually. We can also be on a joint mission to reach specific groups or individuals. (And as a side note, several opportunities have been set up for the members of Apex to explore different mission fields-see the website for more info). In my opinion we called to participate in ALL types of mission: to each other as needed when our friends are struggling, to the people God puts in front of us in our daily lives and people we KNOW are in need of God's love but wouldn't be accepted by the general population.
The Great Commission is Matthew 28:19-20 (Mission part of the verse)>"Therefore 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. (the community part of the verse) >And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
We could argue if the teaching to obey part is mission or communal because I don't believe it's just a list of rules. That is more complicated and probably relationships would be necessary for that kind of teaching.
I think it is interesting that verse 19 focuses on mission and verse 20 includes community. Maybe this verse is validating the quote on Kevin's blog.
If you've stuck with me through all of this then HATS OFF TO YOU! I do enjoy the quality converations and feedback. It has really helped me think through it all. I think I'm done, but I'm certainly not making ANY promises!
2 Comments:
At 6:02 PM,
Amy said…
This is a repost from Greg's blog:
I'm not one to blindly agree with my wife, but Amy hits on an important facet of this discussion: simplicity. The two great laws - love God and love people are where we should begin. Loving God should beget loving people. Loving people should beget community. Community grows deep around a common mission. I think we become confused when we feel guilty that we can't identify some glorious, religious mission in our midst. I encourage every one to search for their individual mission and seek ways to share it with the community. I've seen examples of this in Apex.
Sometimes serving one another is missional. My friend Dan who is an elder at The Crossing (a Christian Church - inside joke that some of you get) went to Afghanistan for a few months. While he was gone, the church did a makeover on his house - new floors, paint, appliances, etc. Wow. How is that missional? Dan's neighbors know about it, even witnessed the work going on. The guys Dan works with heard about it too. The church, through serving this humble man, put out a witness to a good-sized group of unbelievers that will be hard for them to reconcile outside of the kingdom. People in the U.S. today are not accustomed to seeing selfless acts like those with which we serve each other.
A more traditional form of mission can also be found in our midst. Mo is a missionary. God has burdened her with a longing to love people on the other side of the world. She shares this burden with us. The degree to which we participate is up to us. Suzy knows this all too well. She shared her heart for India and other far reaches with her community and we responded. Lives were changed. Some of our members have a burden for the children and single mothers of Las Vegas.
Each of us should ask God for our purpose. If He wills, we will know the journey He sets before us. Sharing this with our community brings others along side of us in a common purpose. This is where communal mission takes shape.
All of that said, I caution us all not to seek fulfillment from works. If this discussion is borne of our personal lack of fulfillment, we're in danger. Let’s all pray that our fulfillment is in God only. Then we will be able to see where He would have us go. I agree with Phil that it’s best when the church acts as one. I believe that He has put us together for a purpose. If that’s true, then He will give us directions. The same burdens will mystically appear in our hearts and we will be primed for action. Please don’t try to force mission to happen, because even good works when they are ours, not his are rubbish.
Did I mention how much I miss you all?
Much love,
Dave
At 11:01 PM,
Susie Bageant said…
Cheryl I am signing on to all of these blogs for the first time and I want you to know that your writing, your thoughts and your heart are beautiful! Such tough issues of finding God's calling and that is truely what mission is- we are all called to be missional! I have been so excited by what you and Meaghan have set up for Apex and though my schedule hasn't allowed attendance thus far I am praying that as the community serves together God will speak loudly to individuals as to their mission. Having just taken Perspectives I am realizing the need to make the gospel accessible to others- it crosses all barriers-- the person in the Nursing Home needs to know that Jesus loves and can use an ailing person, the kid in my class who is a gang member needs to know that Jesus can protect and love and provide security, the Muslim person on the other side of the world needs to know that Jesus doesn't want to destroy their culture, He wants to redeem it. I look at my own hypocricy and see why others are not attracted to Jesus- they equate Him with religion. May God shine through us enough in the tedium of life to show those around us a Jesus that they can relate to!
Bless you and thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Susie Bageant
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