A Missional Conversation

I had a very interesting conversation this summer.  This person was asking about our church, and specifically about what we were doing in mission.
Loaded word, that word mission.

I must confess that I was feeling a bit snarky.  So I simply said, “I don’t understand.  We are a mission.”
The person said, “But I want to know what your church is doing in missions and evangelism.”
I said, “Right, our church is doing missions and evangelism, that’s what churches do.”
There was a bit of pause.
Long, uncomfortable pause.

I said something like this...
“Here’s my story.  I resigned from my position as pastor of a wonderful, loving, serving, giving congregation in North Carolina.    I left my church, my denomination, my country, and I came to London to start a new church, because I think the church is the hope of the world.  The church is the mission of God to the world.  The church is the primary means to share the good news of Jesus.  I came to London because a small group of people cared enough about London to ask me to lead a new church plant for North London!"  
 I said, “Look, I am living my mission.  My whole life is my mission.”

Then I really got emphatic.
“I eat, sleep and breathe mission.  That is what I am.  This is what I do.  
This is who Connections Community Church is- we are the mission.  
When you get that- that we are living the mission- then you’ll get what Connections is about.  In fact, you’ll get what the church is all about.”

I do understand the search for a mission.  And I am sympathetic to those who are not in a position like mine.  It is a bit easier for me to say, "My life is mission,"  as I am a church planter.

But the point here is to realize that to really "do" mission, we must first "be" on mission.
Be missional right where you are, doing what you are doing.
Have faith that God will use your life.

Maybe God will call you to go somewhere else and do something like plant a church or create a ministry.  But chances are he already has you where he sent you to go.

Do you believe this?
You are on your mission site in you home, your neighborhood, your workplace.
You are where God wants you, right here, right now.
You just need to see the vision to see the mission that is right in front of you.