Missions--Don't Settle for Less

Carsten Laudert

We remember: After a spectacular rescue operation a generous donor was found to build a much more sophisticated new station for the small group of lifeguards. The point of the story is that the costly replacement was not serving its purpose at all. And indeed, new facilities do not necessarily imply a better and more efficient way of doing the daily routine, do they? We all agree that modern medical equipment makes things possible, things that have not been dreamt about thirty years ago. But it is not the technical equipment, the machines that make a hospital a really good one. It is the human touch that lets us trust, feel secure and in fact get high quality treatment. Of course, we cannot turn this statement by 180 degrees: A hospital without modern equipment but much “human touch”, dedicated people is likely to be a bad hospital after all, however “nice” the personnel seems.

So, what’s in it for us? Bible Seminaries get new academic buildings, churches build new places for worship and church activities and individuals gear up into this century of information technology. Much effort and high costs, is it worth it?

Yes. What is redemption? Redemption is to bring Jesus Christ into a world that needs Him. What is missions? To bring Jesus Christ into a world that needs Him through you. God wants you to be on his lifeguard-team. But let us be honest: Much effort and high costs also characterize also God’s way of bringing Jesus Christ into this world, for our good. Missions, though costly, can never be a small segment of our lives or our church activities, because missions is the very core of God’s own heart. He is Light, how would he not radiate into this world? He is Love, how could He stay far away from His loved ones? He is Spirit, how could he not always be near and close, concerned and caring? He is Father of those who became His children, how could he not long to expand His family, His Kingdom, His Lordship? No, if we, if you do not live for missions, we will loose not only something important, we will loose everything. We would be a well-equipped but non-operational hospital, a useless rescue station, a lighthouse without flash, a lifeguard that does not risk his life.

Early Christian mission was also highly costly, risky and implied much willingness to give up what hindered God’s plan. How tremendous was the step for a Jew to go into Gentile missions? Did he not lose his Jewish identity, his tradition that was drawing him into the orbit of Jewish customs, Jewish festivals, and Jewish community life? Did he not risk getting “impure”, “unclean”, and an outcast? Was not table-fellowship with non-Jews something that could never please God? Was not the scripture all about circumcision, Sabbath-observance, the Jewish calendar, the temple, in short, all about the Jewish identity? Christians indeed were always in the first line regarding their willingness for necessary change in the way life was performed, thinking was challenged and risks were taken for the Lord’s sake. Missions and our Lord’s focus on it were the driving motivation for such a God-centered life-style.

This is the only thing that will keep our churches and us on track. May God bless our emerging training center for lifeguards who plant and maintain rescue stations, big and small, wherever God directs us to. That is what counts. Let us not settle for less.