To live missionally is to live above that which is expected. Every place that I have visited and missionary I have encountered, there has been drive to carry out the will of God. Over and over again they have positioned themselves around people with the same goal of sharing Jesus with the people of their lives. For them, it isn’t on location to a degree of obedience, but one of conviction. They have chosen the life that they live because of God grace over their lives to live it. If anything, I have seen the recurring theme that long term missions are based on the intimacy of God and His people.
We are not told to survive, but to be presented on that day of matrimony as worthy servants to a deserving king. For those on the mission field, this has worked itself into how they live their lives daily. It is not a decision of how to fit mission into their life, but how to live it out. During my time in Guatemala, we had the opportunity of hearing from those who worked at the Adventures in Missions base. Two answers from that time have followed me here on the race.
How were they able to keep intimacy?
How did they make decisions?
To answer the first, one of the workers accredited consistency. How they kept intimacy was constantly being with the Lord and wanting to sit with Him. Wanting to receive more of His character and wisdom in their life. To answer the second, one of the workers said through asking God if it fit in with the vision He had for their lives. This worker in particular knew what God had called her life to do and measured everything to it. Every event or opportunity that presented itself to her was then measured to the goal and purpose of her life. I think in many ways these to answers show what long term missions really look like.
It is a lifestyle that constantly relies on God and measures everything to Him. It asks what is worth it and what is not. It positions itself for the purpose of spreading the Gospel, period. What I have learned is that long term missions care only successful when question and proved true by the will of God and the spread of the Gosel.
