An Open Letter (to your congregation)
Jan/11/2010 08:27
Dear congregation,
This weekend I had a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with around 40 people at the first ever KontaktMission Workers Retreat in Knoxville, Tennessee. This wasn’t a mega conference with thousands of people, vendors, key-note speakers, or publicity. It was a simple gathering of like-minded, missional people concerned about the Great Commission and willing to do whatever or go wherever because of God’s command. You should be proud because the things you are doing in your congregation and teaching from your pulpit God has used to stir up your members to risk everything to save some.
However, as I sat around the table and listened to your members stories, I was saddened to hear that too many of these people were not receiving any support from you, their home congregation. This is exactly the opposite of what we find in scripture. In Acts 11 Paul and Barnabas were teaching and ministering for a full year with success and growth in Antioch but in Acts 13 they were set apart by the Holy Spirit to be sent out from the Antioch congregation for their first missionary journey. How can it be that scripture shows one thing but you’re doing another? In fact, let me ask another question: Why would you rather support someone you’ve never met, haven’t trained, with unknown work habits, unknown theology, and unknown family life versus someone you’ve trained, taught, discipled, cared for, counseled, and watched their family, life, and ministry? Why support strangers when you can send from your own flock?
Another disappointment from my discussions with your members was the level of frustration they felt because you were not open to the Lord’s leading in establishing where your congregation should work. Many, many people I spoke with said that you had denied them support because their location choice was different than the mission committee’s choice. I don’t think it is wrong to choose a mission location but perhaps God desires a different location if he’s setting apart your people for a place or a people? Consider how Acts 15 would have turned out if the Jerusalem council had decided that the church was only going to work with the Jews and cut off Paul and Barnabas’s ministry? Some of your choices-by-committee are killing the missionary vision in places where the gospel is needed. Compelling cases based on need are everywhere because the need is great everywhere. Open your mind and expand your vision so that you don’t miss God’s choice.
John Piper wrote that “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” I believe that God wants to do an amazing work through your congregation but I also believe that you’re missing tremendous opportunities by overlooking your own people and never considering where God might be sending them. Is the exaltation of Christ and the unceasing worship of his name by all peoples the basis for your mission or has your missions committee decided on something else? If it's the latter, let me suggest you rethink and readjust. You might be surprised by the opportunities that arise.
In Him,
Kevin@outpoured
This weekend I had a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with around 40 people at the first ever KontaktMission Workers Retreat in Knoxville, Tennessee. This wasn’t a mega conference with thousands of people, vendors, key-note speakers, or publicity. It was a simple gathering of like-minded, missional people concerned about the Great Commission and willing to do whatever or go wherever because of God’s command. You should be proud because the things you are doing in your congregation and teaching from your pulpit God has used to stir up your members to risk everything to save some.
However, as I sat around the table and listened to your members stories, I was saddened to hear that too many of these people were not receiving any support from you, their home congregation. This is exactly the opposite of what we find in scripture. In Acts 11 Paul and Barnabas were teaching and ministering for a full year with success and growth in Antioch but in Acts 13 they were set apart by the Holy Spirit to be sent out from the Antioch congregation for their first missionary journey. How can it be that scripture shows one thing but you’re doing another? In fact, let me ask another question: Why would you rather support someone you’ve never met, haven’t trained, with unknown work habits, unknown theology, and unknown family life versus someone you’ve trained, taught, discipled, cared for, counseled, and watched their family, life, and ministry? Why support strangers when you can send from your own flock?
Another disappointment from my discussions with your members was the level of frustration they felt because you were not open to the Lord’s leading in establishing where your congregation should work. Many, many people I spoke with said that you had denied them support because their location choice was different than the mission committee’s choice. I don’t think it is wrong to choose a mission location but perhaps God desires a different location if he’s setting apart your people for a place or a people? Consider how Acts 15 would have turned out if the Jerusalem council had decided that the church was only going to work with the Jews and cut off Paul and Barnabas’s ministry? Some of your choices-by-committee are killing the missionary vision in places where the gospel is needed. Compelling cases based on need are everywhere because the need is great everywhere. Open your mind and expand your vision so that you don’t miss God’s choice.
John Piper wrote that “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” I believe that God wants to do an amazing work through your congregation but I also believe that you’re missing tremendous opportunities by overlooking your own people and never considering where God might be sending them. Is the exaltation of Christ and the unceasing worship of his name by all peoples the basis for your mission or has your missions committee decided on something else? If it's the latter, let me suggest you rethink and readjust. You might be surprised by the opportunities that arise.
In Him,
Kevin@outpoured
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