What is Missional?: Part 11

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Being a missional Christian is simply following the way of Jesus. Jesus Christ was the first and greatest missionary. The Bible tells us that He came from heaven to earth to die for a lost and dying world. The following scriptures reveal how the mission of God was fulfilled through Jesus Christ and how we are called to continue and complete the Missio Dei in our culture. 

  • Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to accomplish His work." John 4:34
  • "I can do nothing on my own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of Him who sent me." John 5:30
  • "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me." John 6:38
  • "I know Him; because I am from Him, and He sent me." John 7:29
  • "And He who sent me is with me; me has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him." John 8:29
  • "We must work the works of him who sent me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work." John 9:4
  • And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in me does not believe in me, but in Him who sent me. And he who beholds me beholds the One who sent me." John 12:44-45
  • "For I did not speak on my own initiative, but the Father himself who sent me has given me commandment, what to say, and what to speak." John 12:49
  • "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives me; and he who receives me receives Him who sent me." John 13:20
  • "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." John 17:3
  • "For the words which Thou gave me I have given to them; and they received them, and truly understood that I came forth from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst send me." John 17:8
  • "As Thou didst send me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." John 17:18
  • Jesus therefore said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent me, I also send you." John 20:21

Being missional is God’s way of showing the love of His Son Jesus through His church. Christians must strive to always be like Jesus, our perfect example. Jesus said, “the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) This scripture beautifully embodies the task of Christian ministry. To be a minister is to be a servant. We are to serve and give our lives for others. Serving is the example that Jesus gave. We should follow it.

As the church, we are called to care for a lost and dying world that is in desperate need of a savior. Too many times we compartmentalize the different ministries of the church. God is calling the church to rediscover the biblical model of holistic ministry that infuses both the evangelical and the social. Jesus met both the physical and spiritual needs of the people He ministered to. As the Body of Christ on earth we are his representatives to a lost world. Therefore what we do and say are of eternal importance.