Monday, December 8, 2014

Missions and Music

The tradition of our church is to have a mission emphasis on the 1st Sunday of December. We've done all sorts of programs including having a mission banquet for several years. This year we combined our mission day with our music ministry and, in my very biased opinion, had an awesome worship experience last night with the adult choir, children's choirs and band leading us all to contemplate the true meaning of Christmas and, really, the reason we have a mission emphasis to being with. It's all about Jesus and the desire of seeing the nations worship Him.

Yesterday morning we had a couple of IMB missionaries sharing in our morning worship. As Tom pointed to a manger he remarked that there are millions and millions of people on the planet that would see that and have no idea what it represents. To the follower of Jesus, it represents the birth of hope for an abundant and everlasting life, the birth of our Savior. I don't even know if Tom would remember this (I should've asked him) but the first time I met him was in London. He asked what role I had in missions. I obviously am not on our church staff but am a pastor's wife who, remarkably, has the privilege of facilitating global missions. Tom said that I was a "mission enthusiast." I liked that and it stuck.

I was reminded last night why Johnny and I so want our church to go overseas on mission. Joe said it and Johnny said it. So many people are called to full-time, vocational missions after going on a short-term mission trip. In addition, Scott said it in his video, even if God is not calling you to vocational missions, it can change how you live. We are all called to be the light in a dark world. Johnny read Isaiah 49:6 last night. Service is not enough, God has called us to be a light to the nations so that His salvation may reach to the end of the earth. 

I woke up this morning to find a newsletter from a missionary family in my email inbox. A couple that Johnny and I know from so many years ago. They packed up their kids and moved to Asia just a few months ago. They wrote of seeing the monks in the morning in the streets gathering alms and giving blessings. The wrote about the burden of knowing most of the people they see having only enough knowledge of God to damn them. The people they see mostly know nothing of His provision of redemption, the covering of sin and shame offered them through the cross of Christ. They long to be able to tell all the people they come in contact with about the truth in a way they will understand.

Yesterday was most definitely a beautiful night and an amazing day. I am so appreciative of each person who contributed to our mission fair - to share what God has called them to do so that others might also join in the effort. I am super thankful for the ladies who work in our office and their hard work. Behind the scenes, faithfully making us look good always.

The true test of whether our day accomplished its purpose won't be the amount of social media posts or counting the hours of work that went in to making such a day happen. The true test will be if those that participated and those who attended let their personal worship and realization of the weight of what Jesus has done cause them and compel them to live missionally in 2015. Not for the glory of our church or any person other than Jesus Himself. To Him alone belongs the honor and glory. Service is not enough. Attending is not enough. My prayer is that we will be a light to the nations and a light in our community. Starting right here with me.

Serving the King,

Jeanette