Following the Way of Christ

Read Isaiah 6:1-8.

Who will God send?  As I've heard numbers of preachers say over the years, "You are the who!"

Dr. Philip Potter wrote, “The God of the Bible is a missionary God, a God who sends.  God sent Abraham and Sarah.  God sent Moses and Miriam.  God sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  God sent the Apostles through the power of the Son and the Spirit.  God so loved the world he sent his only Son…  It is always someone who is sent, someone who goes!”  Faithful Witnesses, p. 37-38. 

In recent years many of us have continued to sing a favorite church hymn, but change one crucial word in it.  If you listen closely you’ll see that some Sundays as we conclude worship with the old favorite as some have picked up on the adjustment while others have not noticed the change.  The song “Here I Am Lord” is a wonderful tune with powerful words, yet one small word was theologically incorrect.  The conditional “if” is all wrong.  We are the ones who make mission, and outreach, and evangelism a conditional—if we feel like it, if it fits our plans, if it isn’t too uncomfortable, if we can maintain the lifestyle that is our preference, if God makes it so that we don’t have any other options.  Substitute “when” and “where” and you get a much stronger song that is consistent with Scripture and with the Christian faith.

“Here I am, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?  I have heard you calling in the night.  I will go, Lord, where you lead me.  I will hold your people in my heart.”

God is still sending people to work in the Kingdom today.  Who will go?

"Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God" — William Carey, (17 August 1761 – 9 June 1834) English Baptist missionary often called the father of modern missions.

Ask yourself:  Have I heard God’s call to our city and world?  Where is God sending me today?  Who is God calling me to this year? 

Pray for the missionaries we can’t name who are serving in difficult circumstances, in hostile countries or regions, with obstacles and lacking resources which we often take for granted.  Pray for the missionaries- short term and long term, lay people and career- who will come out of our congregation in response to God’s call.  Who are the adults, children, and youth we are nurturing in faith that will respond to God to serve locally, nationally, or internationally as workers in God’s Kingdom?

If you want to know more contact me to discuss how you might best respond to God and be in mission. 

Meet the presenters:  Rev. Mike Selleck.  Mike will help us see the potential in partnership with other Methodist conferences around the world found in the Bridges Initiative.