We Are Called to Mission
When selflessly serving others for Christ…everyone benefits.
Listening to God’s call is a good thing…and that’s just one of the important lessons the staff of The LOGOS Ministry learned last week on a mission trip to Youngstown, Ohio. We did some painting and clean-up in an inner-city church that is seeking a new life serving a new constituency in a changing metropolitan area. Amidst the washing & scraping and priming & painting, we climbed up and down ladders and scaffolding (so who’s afraid of heights now?), stepped in paint buckets (yes…full ones), talked a lot, laughed a lot, prayed a lot, and shared meals with some great people. And we encountered God.
While our labors served the needs of others, we were being changed. On the trip we learned or were reminded that:
• Mission is a God thing.
• Servanthood and service to others must guide our attitudes.
• Building relationships with those we serve is key.
• It is good to connect with passionate people; you can build excitement around them to affect others.
• Getting outside of our normal environment and engaging the world around us reminds us that it is not about us at all.
• We can learn more about ministry by serving than through reading books or training people.
• Teamwork is essential to great mission outcomes.
• The full value of mission goes well beyond the work project itself.
• Mission planning and preparation are vitally important steps to allowing us to concentrate on relationships and to be fully present for God.
At LOGOS, we are committed to making mission an integral part of ministry with children…nurturing kids in Christ and then sending them out to be his disciples in a practical and tangible way.
What about your ministry? Are you and the children in your congregation responding to God’s call to serve others?
Visit myspace.com/logosmission to see video blogs, pictures, and comments from the LOGOS staff during our mission trip to Youngstown.
June 22, 2007 at 7:17 pm
The mission trip was amazing. We did God’s work, built up a church, and had a blast. I’m ready for the next one.
June 26, 2007 at 6:25 pm
I think that the LOGOS Staff should be commended for putting into prcatice what they are teaching abut the importance of MISSION! Way to go, LOGOS Staff!
August 5, 2007 at 6:35 am
Yes we are called to missions. God’s desire is that each individual would be radically commited to him. A disciple is one who receives instruction and makes it a part of their lifestyle. True disciples are made by God through individuals, not institutions. By people not programs, by persons and not products. A disciple is a world visionary, world impacting reproducer of others who will reproduce. 2 Tim 2:2 There must be life transference between the trainer and the one being trained. Luke 6:40 Spiritually, disciples must be fruitful and multiply!
August 28, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Just this weekend we started a “His Hands” Program and completed our 1st project at our local Food Bank - Soup Kitchen. Each time I go out and do mission work I am in awe of God’s present and love. The youth want to serve, they want to help and do something worth while in their eyes. They want to be together and be praised. They want to praise God for all He gives and doesn’t give them. I feel that I am the blessed one for someone allowing me to come and share my talents and God’s youth.
To anyone thinking they can’t find time, I say find the peace that comes with mission work is ever lasting.
August 28, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Donna,
Wow! Are your words of encouragement timely for me! I was just praying for the families in our church and community since we will be meeting this Wednesday night to register the kids for our LOGOS ministry. I was praying that God would nudge them to FIND the time and MAKE the time because we hear too much about how difficult it is to fit church into their schedules. If we always come to the Kingdom with a “full plate” how are we going to enjoy the banquet??
I wish more people saw service to God as you do…being blessed to be allowed to come and share your talents!
August 28, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Donna and Lynn,
Thank you for your comments. I couldn’t agree more. It is so easy for all of us to get caught up in business and miss the big picture all around us. The old cliché tells us to take time to smell the roses, however what I think both of you are pointing out is that we need to take time and make space to experience the Kingdom through the body of Christ. I know for me that is so awesome that I would never want to lose it now.