One of my favorite people is Juliette Steele. She is currently on the World Race serving in Southern Africa. Juliette has been on the field approx 7 months and has some great perspectives.
Thanks for letting me share her words with you!
If you ask me what I think about missions, I will tell you three
things:
1.
1. Every Christian is a missionary
1. Every Christian is a missionary
2.
2. I am uncomfortable with the definition of
‘missionary’
2. I am uncomfortable with the definition of
‘missionary’
3.
3. It’s time for the Church to take a serious look
at the way we do missions
3. It’s time for the Church to take a serious look
at the way we do missions
Every Christian is a
missionary
missionary
Young, old, rich, or poor…if you love Jesus then you are
called to love the nations. Period. And it starts with your own family and
community. If you cannot show the love of Christ to those closest to you, then
how can you genuinely love those whom you do not know? A couple years ago, the
Lord allowed me to experience this firsthand. I thought I was in a place,
spiritually, where I was ready to travel the world doing missions work. But you
know where He positioned me? Right at home. My assignment was my family,
friends, co-workers, and people in the community. Over the course of a year I experienced
firsthand what it means to be the Church, I started learning what it looks and
feels like to walk in an attitude of grace and forgiveness, my dependency on
Him grew more and more, and I started cultivating an attitude of
surrender. I was being poured into
just as much as I was pouring out. There was a wellspring of giving and
receiving. I was learning to love and be loved by those closest to me.
Sometimes it was raw, uncomfortable and frustrating. But mostly it was
beautiful, organic, and propelling. So, if you are desiring to be ‘sent out,’ take a look at your
family and community and ask whether or not you are meant to ‘settle in’ first.
It’s a dangerous question…because you may not like the answer.
called to love the nations. Period. And it starts with your own family and
community. If you cannot show the love of Christ to those closest to you, then
how can you genuinely love those whom you do not know? A couple years ago, the
Lord allowed me to experience this firsthand. I thought I was in a place,
spiritually, where I was ready to travel the world doing missions work. But you
know where He positioned me? Right at home. My assignment was my family,
friends, co-workers, and people in the community. Over the course of a year I experienced
firsthand what it means to be the Church, I started learning what it looks and
feels like to walk in an attitude of grace and forgiveness, my dependency on
Him grew more and more, and I started cultivating an attitude of
surrender. I was being poured into
just as much as I was pouring out. There was a wellspring of giving and
receiving. I was learning to love and be loved by those closest to me.
Sometimes it was raw, uncomfortable and frustrating. But mostly it was
beautiful, organic, and propelling. So, if you are desiring to be ‘sent out,’ take a look at your
family and community and ask whether or not you are meant to ‘settle in’ first.
It’s a dangerous question…because you may not like the answer.
I am uncomfortable
with the definition of ‘missionary’
with the definition of ‘missionary’
I was in Ncheu, Malawi walking down a dirt road. My hair was
in a ponytail, I was wearing a skirt and I had my Bible in my hand. I basically
SCREAMED missionary. I remember telling my teammate walking next to me, “ugh. I
look like such a missionary right now.” Not only did I
fit the part by my
physical appearance, but I was also about to live up to the expectation
of Western
missions by evangelizing in a nearby village. A local Christian
organization was in the process of
planting churches in the area and they were depending on the ‘white man’
to
preach the Gospel. What I didn’t understand was that, I was surrounded
by five
or six local pastors who knew the Gospel, so, why weren’t THEY sharing
it with
their own people? Ultimately, it’s not their fault…they are just
operating out of an old missions mindset that Westerners put into place.
Hear me on this. I am comfortable sharing my faith, giving a
testimony, or even preaching. But I am uncomfortable being put on a
pedestal
because I’m white and from America. If this is what the word
‘missionary’ has come to mean, then I
refuse to be called one until we redefine it.
in a ponytail, I was wearing a skirt and I had my Bible in my hand. I basically
SCREAMED missionary. I remember telling my teammate walking next to me, “ugh. I
look like such a missionary right now.” Not only did I
fit the part by my
physical appearance, but I was also about to live up to the expectation
of Western
missions by evangelizing in a nearby village. A local Christian
organization was in the process of
planting churches in the area and they were depending on the ‘white man’
to
preach the Gospel. What I didn’t understand was that, I was surrounded
by five
or six local pastors who knew the Gospel, so, why weren’t THEY sharing
it with
their own people? Ultimately, it’s not their fault…they are just
operating out of an old missions mindset that Westerners put into place.
Hear me on this. I am comfortable sharing my faith, giving a
testimony, or even preaching. But I am uncomfortable being put on a
pedestal
because I’m white and from America. If this is what the word
‘missionary’ has come to mean, then I
refuse to be called one until we redefine it.
Also, the way a large portion of the Western Church views
missions is skewed. Since when does ‘missionary’ mean: a person who leaves their home and travels abroad to preach the Gospel?
Could we be any more narrow-minded?
You are a Christian and work at Starbucks? First of all…God bless
you…second of all, guess where your mission field is? You are a full-time college
student; guess where your mission field is? Flight attendant? Teacher? High
school student? Stay at home mom? I know I’m not alone in this. There is a lot
of talk about the true definition of missions. My generation will be THE ONE
to actually put it into practice.
missions is skewed. Since when does ‘missionary’ mean: a person who leaves their home and travels abroad to preach the Gospel?
Could we be any more narrow-minded?
You are a Christian and work at Starbucks? First of all…God bless
you…second of all, guess where your mission field is? You are a full-time college
student; guess where your mission field is? Flight attendant? Teacher? High
school student? Stay at home mom? I know I’m not alone in this. There is a lot
of talk about the true definition of missions. My generation will be THE ONE
to actually put it into practice.
It’s time for the
Church to take a serious look at the way we do missions
I remember as a young child looking at the ‘missionary
board’ on the wall at my church. There was a map and pictures of missionaries placed
according to where they were living. Once in a blue moon, one of them would be
“in town” and would come to church and give an update on what the Lord is doing
and how we can support them. And then they would go back to whatever country
they came from and our church would go back to whatever it was “doing.” I remember thinking how
compartmentalized missions felt. Like it was one more thing the church could
check off it’s “to do” list. And it wasn’t just one church; it was several
churches that I attended over the years. There was such a disconnect, and the
older I got, the more I recognized the injustice of it all. There is NO WAY
this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Go,
and make disciples of all nations.”
board’ on the wall at my church. There was a map and pictures of missionaries placed
according to where they were living. Once in a blue moon, one of them would be
“in town” and would come to church and give an update on what the Lord is doing
and how we can support them. And then they would go back to whatever country
they came from and our church would go back to whatever it was “doing.” I remember thinking how
compartmentalized missions felt. Like it was one more thing the church could
check off it’s “to do” list. And it wasn’t just one church; it was several
churches that I attended over the years. There was such a disconnect, and the
older I got, the more I recognized the injustice of it all. There is NO WAY
this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Go,
and make disciples of all nations.”
Missions is crying out for a new vision. A fresh
perspective. A dangerous re-defining. I believe my generation is capable of
cultivating the necessary change. But it’s going to require dangerous
surrender, unwavering conviction, deeply rooted passion, and a lovesick heart
for His people. We will no longer carry with us the expectation that “we have
all the answers.” Instead, we will take our rightful place as the aroma of
Christ. We will no longer rely on programs, tracts and a four-point salvation
Gospel. Instead, we will simply “do life” with you. We will live in a place of availability. We won’t wait for
the Lord’s presence to manifest itself; we BRING the manifest presence wherever
we go. This is what Jesus did. And if we say that we are
Christ-followers, then lets start acting like it.
some people i LOVE just doing life…
