What does missions mean to the local church?
To most, it looks like boarding a plane and traveling around the world. We rarely stop to think that the local school is a mission field. Public schools are full of students who are in desperate need of hearing the Gospel and receiving the Hope of Christ.
Take the words of Jesus in Mark 16:15: “And he said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” This “Go” has a big meaning. It’s more than sitting at a lunch table looking cool for the students as a youth pastor. It is more than us standing in front of students having the rock star treatment. It’s more than just showing up at a football game to stand on the sideline for free.
We are on a mission to promote the Kingdom of God.
We are to be what Jesus called us to in Acts 13:47 – For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Light is on a mission to reach the dark places. Missions on the school campus is just that. We carry this hope as a torch – The Hope Of Christ. We share, we show and we tell it. So in turn the more that 90% of students who may never cross the threshold of our church have an opportunity to hear Gospel.
We are literally penetrating the enemies playground.
I know you may be thinking well I am at the school. My church feeds the football team. I pray with students at see you at the pole. We offer events for them. I show up for school assemblies. But, is the story being told? Are students being empowered to share their faith? Is Jesus and his love being shared with all or a select few?
The mission is clear, its a “GO” Gospel not a come to us and be like us Gospel.
The mission is having a passion to do what Jesus did. Jesus went to the least of these and we must do the same.
John the Baptist sums it up so well. “He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30.
Missions is less about us being seen and heard and more about Jesus being glorified.