When you think of the Great Commission in Matthew 28, what do you think? For years I thought reaching the nations was for other people – the “elites” of the faith. I thought it was an ideal that could never be lived up to, at least not in my life. Over the years, however, God has slowly transformed my heart into understanding His heart for missions and for the church to be at the center of missions.
Missions is not for the “elite” but for every Christian. Missions can be international or local, and even as local as reaching those you already interact with on a daily basis. Most importantly, it is a lifestyle.
We have been commissioned out by Christ. I felt this initially in my heart in high school – to go to places where the Gospel is not well-received. I didn’t know how that would happen or what it would look like, but I felt God working in my heart. Fast forward 10 years later, and I finally have an opportunity for that desire to come to fruition. I am going overseas for 11 months through the World Race. I will go to 11 countries in 11 months, preaching the Gospel while working with local churches and church plants. I’ll be going to Australia, Indonesia, India, Nepal, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Spain, and Morocco. You can find more information about the route here. I would also love to talk to you about this experience and my heart behind it.
I am excited about this for several reasons. Having been on many international mission trips, I have developed a passion for missions and for the lost. I am excited to step outside of my comfort zone to learn more about myself and my own ministry in my own life as well as in the church. I am excited to gain new perspectives of Christianity and church outside of my own cultural context. I am also looking forward to simply growing as a person through each experience. Of course there are many more that I will share over the next several months.
As I begin preparing for this trip, I ask that you would join me in this preparation and experience. I appreciate all prayers and encouragement from you, regardless of our relationship. My prayer for myself throughout this experience is that I would learn to trust Christ in a deeper way, much like the man who cries out “I believe; help my unbelief” in Mark 9:24. I can’t do this alone, and I was never created to. I am scared, yet excited; fearful, yet expectant. Thank you in advance for your support, and I can’t wait to share this experience with each of you.
