The following is a few excerpts from Gospel Meditations for Missions, churchworksmedia.com. I enjoyed the article, so thought I would share.
The book of Romans is Paul's masterpiece. Swiss commentator Godet calls it"the cathedral of the Christian faith." I love that, but from the vantage point of a "pioneer" missionary, I view it more as a cathedral on wheels - the Land Rover of the Christian faith, if you will. The Romans Rover is stuffed with soteriological treasure, but it is designed for travel - preferably off road. The front bumper says "Not Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ!" (Romans 1:21); the back bumper says, "Unreached Territory or Bust!" (Romans 15:20).
When Jesus became famous in one place, He didn't build a cathedral and wait for the nations to notice. He moved out. He moved on to preach in Nexttown or Yonder Village. Paul embraced this pattern. After he established a church, he pulled up his stakes and moved on. Why? Because the churches were fully mature? No! Corinth alone could have used him indefinitely. He left to meet a greater need: the vast swaths of people who had no church at all - in "the regions beyond." It was like Paul had voices perpetually resounding in his head - echoes of the Macedonian Call. He had already preached from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum, over 1000 miles away. But you should see what's next on Paul's "bucket list"! He's bound for Rome, the imperial capital. And even that wasn't his ultimate destination. It was merely a layover en route to the furthest reaches of the empire - Spain - "the ends of the earth" as he knew it.
Paul taught us that the essence of missions is going places where Christ is not already named. I don't understand why church planters so frequently ignore the little word not. The mission is not to plant the coolest church in town, but the only church in town.
We're cloistered in climate-controlled cathedrals, feasting while billions can't even find a drop of Water. Our main problem isn't fear. Certainly we prefer our crosses gilded, not bloody - but there's a bigger issue. Christ is not our life. We're self-absorbed. Distracted. Apathetic. Unimpressed at the stunning honor of fulfilling biblical prophecies. Passionate about anything other than harvest fields of unreached souls - unreached not because they're unreachable, but because we've chosen not to reach them.
The Romans Rover is warmed up and ready to roll. Jesus is driving. The ride won't be smooth. But there's a seat with your name all over it. You in?
