Collard Wanderings

What's Driving Us?

As promised, there have been multiple passages in this book that I could post. I've tried to refrain somewhat. But here's one that I especially liked:

"There has been a long tradition which sees the mission of the Church primarily as obedience to a command. It has been customary to speak of 'the missionary mandate'. This way of putting the matter is certainly not without justification, and yet it seems to me that it misses the point. It tends to make mission a burden rather than a joy, to make it part of the law rather than a part of the gospel.

If one looks at the New Testament evidence one gets another impression. Mission begins with a kind of explosion of joy. The news that the rejected and crucified Jesus is alive is something that cannot possibly be suppressed. It must be told. Who could be silent about such a fact? The mission of the Church in the pages of the New Testament is more like the fallout from a vast explosion, a radioactive fallout which is not lethal but life-giving..."

I love that line - missions is an explosion of joy. I read this passage last weekend, and at the same time we visited a friend's church for the first time. The pastor there basically preached an Eastern sermon - all the evidence of Christ's resurrection. This is the central fact of our faith - as he pointed out, if it's not true we're all completely wasting our time. But if it is true, it should evoke a response like an explosion of joy - we can't help but be involved in mission!

Pray that we all remain motivated by this amazing fact!

posted by Greg @ 12:21 PM