Jim Wright is a church sower, public but unassuming, thinker, mentor, teacher, local church elder, motivated by redemption, foe of tyrants, friend of the dispossessed, retired international attorney, entrepreneur, former private pilot, and so-so bass fisherman.
Marianne is a retired public school teacher, private but strong, heart, skilled counselor, knows deep intimacy with God, a comfort to others in the Lord, wise, motivated by mercy but has strong resolve, gardener, and a bridge to healing for many.
Together, we have been part of a community of simple, participatory fellowships for many years in our own home county - some of which we helped start.
Our blogs and devotionals spring from firm roots in those local fellowships.
Crossroad Junction 
Yes. The definition of commission implies a “going out” rather than a “staying in.” Would love to read other thoughts.
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Hmm…I’ve never heard anyone say the Great Commission means “come and find Christ in my new church”. That’s a new one to me but though I have never heard such a thing I can see how most Christians operate in the spirit of that sentence. Where instead of being willing to go to the ends of the Earth themselves they see the fulfillment of the Great Commission as bringing the Earth into their respective church buildings.
Carlos
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Lets just remember that mission begins in my home, then my immediate neighbors, then my local and business community and then maybe somewhere outside of that, for those that are called further. Am I loving (as per 1 Cor 13 definition) in my home, towards my neighbor, my workplace, my community. This is impacting me so much of late – how easy to look loving for 1 or 2 hours once a week in church, what about the 24×7 expression of love we are called to?? Smitten I am.
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I’ve always found the concept of a calling to go a bit odd in the sense that those who don’t feel called feel justified in staying while others (usually those we call missionaries) are “called” to go.
I mean the verses in question start out with “Go…” meaning that unless one specifically receives a calling to stay that they are commanded to go in so far as the Lord makes available the means to do so.
I guess what I am saying is that there is no such thing as a calling to stay mentioned in these verses. Nor is the “calling” to go for the relative few (i.e. missionaries) whereas it does not apply to the rest of us. The “calling” (if you will) is to ALL. And that calling is to GO.
Carlos
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Absolutely right, we are ALLl commanded to go, as opposed to stay in our comfortable houses. The mission field is right outside the door – just as much as some other place on the planet.
We are ALL called to go, we need to be expressing in tangible ways (read James on faith without works) the love of Jesus in community, our neighbors, those not quite like us, those who are hurting and broken, those in our places of employment, in our families, in our church body.
The fields are white unto harvest, the workers few – why? Particularly as we are ALL called…..
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Why are the workers so few?
Because few are surrendered to God completely. I don’t mean as in living perfectly. We all stumble and sin in many ways even as Christians – though God’s grace is not a license to sin it up.
I am of the opinion that many church goers will end up in hell and that they will be among those whom Jesus said He never knew when the Day of Judgement arrives.
I mean Jesus’s statement (in Matthew 7:23 and other places) to not knowing people, despite their apparent good works in feeding the poor, clothing the naked, and otherwise have to apply to someone right?
The call of the Lord to be His disciples and all that entails (i.e. deny ourselves, take up our cross, relinquish the hold possessions have on us, etc.) is a call to be a Christian! It is not an after thought that one can decide to either do or not do subsequent to accepting Him as Saviour in our heads but not having a willingness to respect who He is in the totality of His person or to trust Him with our lives.
In the Kingdom of God there is no such thing as sitting comfortably in our nice little homes and going to a nice comfortable building on Sundays for “church” and pursuing the American dream while thinking ourselves to be Christians because we engage in some religious activity once a week.
In the New Testament it was an all or nothing proposition to become a follower of Christ and a believer. As it should be for us today (but isn’t).
THAT is why there are so many claiming to be Christians but so very, very few willing to lay their lives on the line to get the Gospel out to their neighbor, friends, fellow workers, and others in our circle of relationships.
Carlos
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