Missionary. Someone who takes the power of the gospel to all nations, making disciples of believers. I wrote recently about how I don’t want to be labeled as a missionary, because every Christian is called to follow the Great Commission and make disciples. Unfortunately, that is the best way to describe myself when people ask what I’m doing traveling the world for 9 months. When asked what we are doing, I explain that we are sharing God’s love with people and building relationships, to which people respond, “oh, so you’re missionaries.” Yep, I’m a missionary.
There is something else I am doing as I travel, and it is talked about less. As we experience different cultures and ways to worship, we are seeing the fullness of the gospel. In the American church, there is a pretty routine way to worship God. Breaking out of that routine has allowed me to see how people who have been freed from demons, miraculously healed, and those who met God in visceral ways, experience the gospel. Romans 1:17 says “For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written. The righteous will live by faith.” From faith to faith, we will see God and his glory. To simply say this has changed my faith would be an understatement.
Romans 1:20
For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.
By seeing the world, I am seeing God. I am meeting him face to face through the testimonies of people I meet, the landscapes I live in, and the many ways he speaks to me each day. There is no way I will come home the same. My faith has been tested, I have seen God provide. Normal is different now. Walking around Maseru eating guava from street vendors and having impromptu bible studies with strangers is normal. Evangelism is normal. Also, having my feet smell like garbage is normal. Shea was sure we had rotting food in our bedroom, but we figured out it was just my Birkenstocks.
The more I see of the world, the more I realize how similar we are as people, people all created in God’s image, people he calls his children. Don’t be afraid to step out in faith, and experience the fullness of the gospel.
We are in Johannesburg now! On Monday we left Lesotho and on Thursday morning we leave for India. The mall here is so overwhelming, there were tears over beautiful muffins, reverse culture shock is weird and real. Seeing Starbucks made me so uncomfortable, it’s a weird piece of home that I’m not ready for. I’m very sad to leave Africa, but India is exciting and new, pray for safe travels!
