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Living the Mission – Daily Life

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22).

In my last article, we considered our call to make disciples by spreading the Good News, and what that Good News consists of. This time, we’ll examine how to live the mission in our daily lives.

If you’re like me, you’re not too keen on standing on a soapbox downtown, yelling “Repent!” at folks who walk by. Yes, repentance is a critical ingredient of the Good News, but it needs to be part of a larger narrative. How do we get that narrative across? There are a couple of different approaches.

The first approach is one that we’re probably most familiar with. It consists of those intentional activities designed to specifically spread the Good News. Some churches call this “outreach” or “missions,” and it usually involves two or more Christians reaching non-Christians in an organized manner. There are literally hundreds of activities we can use to spread the Good News (and I hope your church is engaged in at least a handful of them!). Remember, though, the idea is to spread the Good News not just through actions, but with words as well. If we don’t tell them the Good News at these events, we are leading them to think we are just good people, and that is not what we want to convey.

The second approach—the one I’d like to focus on in this article—is the incorporation of the Good News in our daily lives. Here, we live out the gospel in whatever we are doing. A biblical example would be Tabitha, who through her work as a seamstress inspired others (Acts 9:36-42).

No matter what our jobs might be, we can spread the Good News through them. This doesn’t mean we have to engage every single co-worker in a conversation about their salvation. Instead, we look at our jobs as a calling from God. Yes, your job is a calling! God has placed you where you are because—for at least this moment in time—he wants you where you are. We should do our jobs as best as we can (Col 3:23-24), glorifying God and trying not to offend others (1 Cor 10:31-33). We must treat our co-workers (and everyone else, too!) with humility, gentleness, and patience (Eph 4:1-2). Use this time wisely: your time on the job, your time to and from your job, your time with family and friends outside your job.

Let others see your life of joy, and when they ask why you have such a bright hope, be prepared to answer them gently and respectfully (1 Pet 3:15). The Puritans modeled this type of life for us, as they tried to glorify God in even the most menial of tasks. Whether it’s with friends, family, co-workers, or just someone you meet at the gas station, be sure to embody the Good News with your life and your lips.

Get involved in church outreach events. But just as importantly, embody the Good News in your daily routine. Constantly be on the lookout for chances to let your light shine.

Before ending, I need to add a couple of caveats:

  • First, spreading the Good News is not about inviting people to church; it is about introducing them to Christ. Don’t slough off the hard work of your commission onto your pastor.

  • Second, while we may be bold in our outreach, we need to be balanced in our approach. We should not browbeat people; we aren’t going to save them—that’s God’s prerogative. On the other hand, our goal is to lead people to Christ rather than just tell people about Jesus; for example, a simple “Jesus loves you” doesn’t convey the fact that the lost are in need of repentance and dependence on Christ.

If you are unfamiliar with how to reach out to others, get someone with experience to disciple you. If you have questions about how to engage someone in a conversation about Christ or would like some ideas on outreach activities, feel free to contact me and I’ll try to get you the resources you need. You can spread the Good News!


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