Who is Called?

December 12th 2023

Who is Called?

In recent years there seems to be ongoing talk about whether we are in the end-times; during COVID and subsequent variations, waves and restrictions, fires and floods, the Russia / Ukraine conflict, and more recently with Israel and Gaza. End times speculation is not a new topic. Throughout the centuries many have pondered the same question. Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14). There is still work to do with many still to hear the gospel.

In March 2020 we visited a church where the youth had spent the better part of a year preparing for an exciting overseas missions’ trip. The pastor announced that due to global uncertainty with COVID spreading, the trip was to be cancelled. Given that the team were prepped for outreach, prayed up, and had leave organised, I suggested that maybe they could be redeployed to reach people in the local community facing fear and confusion. I was told this was not possible as the young people were distraught, their dreams and plans were in tatters. Instead, rather, they needed care and support to work through their disappointment. Are we truly willing to say, “Lord send me anywhere you want, when you want, however you want?”

On April 14th we heard that George Verwer was, as George liked to say about others, ‘promoted to glory’. We were deeply saddened. We considered George a friend and mentor. His passion for mission mobilisation deeply influenced our lives.

George became a Christian as a teenager through the prayers of a dear lady and a Billy Graham meeting. Eager to share his newfound faith, he and 2 friends spent college breaks distributing gospels and Christian literature in Mexico. After graduation, the focus shifted to Europe. Then India. Then anywhere where people had not heard of the hope in Christ.

This vision birthed Operation Mobilisation (OM), a mission organisation that has impacted the lives of thousands of people around the world, with teams serving in over 110 countries, land teams and ship ministries sharing the Good News over the decades.

2023 has seen several ‘fathers of the faith’ promoted to glory: Timothy Keller, George Verwer, and Lauren Cunningham to name a few. Their faithfulness has produced significant fruit and impacted the lives of many. It is critical that with the passing of inspiring leaders, their legacy continues.

God’s Plan

From the very beginning, mission is at the core of the Bible. Mission is not an ‘extra’, or an ‘add-on’, it is not optional. Mission is core, foundational, and is woven through the Biblical narrative from Genesis to Revelations.

Abraham was called in Genesis 12:1-3, ‘I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” This promise is repeated in Genesis 26:4: “… and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.”

God’s intention that His people would be a light to the nations punctuates the Scriptures, with a particular focus on God’s heart for the oppressed, the poor, and those on the margins. The Mosaic laws make provision for orphans, widows, foreigners and the needy. It addresses economic justice and a fair legal system amongst other social issues.

Psalms, Proverbs, and the prophets reiterate this priority. “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honours God.” (Proverbs 14:31). Any doubt of what God requires of us is clarified in Micah 6:8: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you? But to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Tozer points out that ‘In the inspired Scriptures justice and righteousness are scarcely to be distinguished from each other. The same word in the original becomes in English justice or righteousness, almost, one would suspect, at the whim of the translator.’ (The Knowledge of the Holy, Chapter 17). Our lives are not simply to be a demonstration of righteous morality, they are to be expressions of His justice to the world around us.

Following His death and resurrection, Jesus gave a clear instruction, 18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20). The command is clear.

In the ensuing 2000 years, progress has been made in reaching the nations but there are still thousands upon thousands waiting to hear the name of Jesus. The task is far from over. The mandate in Matthew 28 has not changed. God invites all believers to partake in His intention to spread the message of hope.

How do we know if we are called to mission?

Jesus not only taught this message, He embodied it, leaving heaven and embracing poverty to bring hope to those who would receive it. Jesus said, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also because that is why I was sent.’” (Luke 4:42-43). He personified this calling throughout His time on earth.

Jesus said, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18).

The verse is past tense. Christians don’t have to ask if God is calling us to mission, we can be sure He already has. Are we embracing this sent-ness?

We’re created in His image and as such, there’s something in us that longs for meaning. To have something to live for, to die for, something to give to, to be connected to. We’re created for a purpose, for a life of reconciliation and hope.

‘As’ means ‘in the same way’. What way is that? Jesus emptied himself, left His comfort zone, made himself vulnerable, embraced humanity, lived in a fallen world, and went to the cross, for you and me, for all. He doesn’t ask us to do something He has not done Himself. He calls us to go. To be His change agents in this broken world.

Joy: the fruit of mission.

While many might consider life in missions to be a sacrifice, that has not been our experience. Despite difficulties, low times, and discouragement, a commitment to reaching others has been a privilege. It has brought and continues to bring, great joy!

How did Jesus bear the cross, the shame, the pain, the separation from His Father? Hebrews 12:2 tells us he endured: “For the joy set before Him.” What was this joy? ‘This joy’ is the hope of reconciliation. The hope of you. The hope of me. The hope of relationship with each of us. There’s a link between being on mission, obeying His call, and being filled with joy, despite sacrifice and hardships.

The task has not changed, the needs of those yet to hear remains, but where is the passion to embrace this missional mandate?

Christianity was once at the epicentre of Western culture and missions, but this has shifted, and many aspects of Western culture no longer reflect Christian values or priorities. Where we spend our time, our energy and our finances reflect our passions and priorities. We have the money, the people, and the resources to share the gospel with every unreached people group, but the impact and effectiveness of most ministries is limited by lack of people, funds, and resources. Prayer meetings remain one of the most poorly attended church activities. The labourers remain as few today as in Jesus’ day. (Matthew 9:35-38). Sadly, many are missing out on the joy God invites them to experience, while many more still wait to hear.

Our personal call and what brings us great joy is involvement with holistic outreach in parts of South Asia amongst some of ‘the least of these’. With four core areas of focus: education, healthcare, economic empowerment, and anti-human trafficking, many ask why the gospel is not ‘a core value’. However the gospel is not separated from this holistic ministry, it permeates all we do. The schools, the clinics, and the training centres are avenues for people to hear that they are created in God’s image and that they have inherent value and worth. Every interaction is infused with this message of hope.

During a recent visit to a rural village, we saw children with shining eyes, confident as they received education, clean drinking water and exposure to sport and the arts. What a delight to spend time with a young woman recently rescued from horrific trafficking, receiving trauma counselling and skills training, thankful for the intervention as she shyly regains her dignity. How thrilling to see telehealth expand the impact of healthcare amongst impoverished families. Yet what a great joy to meet two of the older, illiterate, abused and redeemed women, who recently planted a church in their community, faces radiant as they talked of their love for their Saviour! Despite increased persecution, many are discovering hope and joy in Christ. God is drawing people to Himself as they discover the reality of Imago Dei.

In Revelation 7:9, John says, “After this, I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb…”

What a joy and honour to be a link in kingdom work!What a privilege to reach others with the love of God as we find our place in this calling.

Missions for each person looks different. A team is not victorious because one person scores a winning goal. It takes the whole team working together according to their position and skills that produce the hoped-for result. Similarly with missions. Some are called to pray for missionaries, missions, and a hurting world. How encouraging to see prayer meetings and initiatives around the country! Others give finances, resources, and skills to support kingdom outreach. Still others go, some short-term and some making life-long commitments, using careers and vocations to reach others. Still others resource various ministries in unique and unexpected ways.

God is a missionary God, and throughout the Bible, He shows us His mission, inviting us to find our particular place.

George Verwer had an incredible passion for the lost, for the Muslim world. He smuggled Bibles into Eastern Europe, he had a vision for the ship ministry. He cared deeply for those on the margins and transformational, holistic expressions of mission, but his greatest desire was to mobilise people into mission, helping them catch the vision to reach those yet to hear.

With many faithful servant leaders being ‘promoted to glory’, a new generation of ‘fathers and mothers’ of the faith is needed. In these uncertain, troubled, incredible times, missional champions will encourage and equip the next generations to seize ‘the joy set before them’, articulate the urgency, and encourage and empower others to embrace a life of mission; however that looks for each individual.

Undisclosed Author

The identity of the author remains undisclosed for security considerations.

← How we strive for a church more engaged in global missions