Missions Misconception #3: "I'm Not Called..."

“But I don’t know if I’m called to get involved with global work…go overseas…get involved in anything cross-cultural…” is a common objection I hear about crossing cultures with the good news of Jesus.

After all, God called the apostle Paul to the Gentiles with a light from heaven on his way to Damascus, striking him blind in his path.

Are you waiting for something as significant as a lightning bolt before you say yes to reaching the nations with the good news of the Kingdom of God?

When I read Matthew 28, I imagine Jesus gathering his eager and wondering disciples just before he disappeared into the clouds and returned to heaven.

In today’s vernacular it might sound something like this:

“Let’s be very clear about what I’d like you to do. No parables this time. Go! Go into the whole world! You’ve experienced and seen good news these past three years, so pass that on to everyone.

You know how I’ve taught you, so go figure out how to teach everyone else to obey all of it.

By the way, make sure that the people whom you are teaching to obey me (and thus obey God) are covered with knowledge of God Father, and of me, and of the Spirit I’m sending you for power. Baptize them to symbolize their surrender.”

Then the disciples nodded and said, “Of course. Thanks for the clear instructions.”

“But where should be go? To whom should we go?” one might have asked Jesus.

Jesus answered, while the clouds started to part, “To the suburbs of your hometown of Jerusalem, of course. But also Samaria, your next-door neighbors whom you despise and certainly don’t know very well. And just in case you feel like you only have your own people, the Jews in Jerusalem and the Samaritans in Samaria, then let me spell it out: you’ve GOT to get to the ends of the earth, to everyone, to all the people groups, to all the nations!”

I can imagine them, this meager number of eleven disciples, their faces clouded with the impossibility of such a task.

Jesus says knowingly, “Yes, this is too hard and too impossible, but go, because I’ll be with you, even to the very end of the age!” (adaptation of Matthew 28:18-20).

Consider acting on Jesus’ suggestion—oh, I mean his command—for you to go make disciples of all the nations of the world.

With the desperate lack of believers willing to go despite the clear command to go, if you’re willing, start down the path!

You know that most of the three billion people in the nations still left to reach are mostly Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist background.

Because we are ALL called to make disciples of all the nations, what if we committed to make ONE Hindu, Muslim, or Buddhist friend this year, because some of them live near you?

If you haven’t downloaded the Ten Ways to Make Ten Friends From Unreached People Groups, that will help you.

Also! I’ve got something special is coming NEXT WEEK for a summer launch of The Neighbors and Nations Course. Stay tuned!