February 2010   

Visions of Jesus

Mission of Man

I recently read a compelling story from North Africa. It is the story of Moussa who found Jesus - after Jesus first found him! Listen to his story:

Moussa goes on to relate how, with some searching, he discovered a church in his city, how believers introduced him to the Gospel of John, and how he became a follower of the Jesus who had “strangely” appeared to him.

This true story begs a three-pointed question for us in missions: “Are missionaries REALLY needed?” Or, “Are missionaries and mission effort needed ALL THE TIME to reach non-believers?” Or put another way, “Since God at times brings non-believers to himself through visions and dreams, is human instrumentality ALWAYS NECESSARY?”

These are good questions! However, there is a fundamental flaw with each of them and the reasoning behind them. The mistake is to suggest that at times God saves people through visions, dreams or other extraordinary means outside of a human witness. If that is true then it follows that, at least at times, the mission Jesus gave to man to win lost humanity is not always applicable. God can do that without your help or mine. 

It is true that God on occasion uses unusual circumstances to get an unbeliever’s attention. Accounts abound of spiritually sensitive Muslims unexpectedly seeing Jesus in dreams beckoning them to come to him, or of a pre-literate tribal person encountering an angel in a vision. Seekers after God are at times rewarded by God showing himself to them in unusual ways. This can happen extraordinarily through visions, dreams, or even visitations by angels.

However, in each of those instances, the out-of-the-ordinary encounter by God is inadequate to bring a person to saving faith in Christ. What it does do is point that person, like Moussa in the story above, to a Christ-follower who in turn can share the gospel of Christ, resulting in that person’s salvation.

In every instance, that initial unusual encounter is the first step of linking the person to a human witness who is positioned to share the gospel with him or her. Ultimately, it takes human instrumentality to relate the necessary details for belief in Christ. That human instrumentality may come by way of a person-to-person encounter, a broadcast, podcast, printed material (including the Scriptures), a recording, email, or any other innovative means crafted by believers as a channel of witness.

How do we know this? The book of Acts bears it out. Zealous Saul saw a blinding light and heard the very voice of Jesus on the Damascus road, which was subsequently coupled with a vision three days later. However, it took the person of Ananias to meet with him and inform him of what he needed to do to be saved (Acts 9: 1-19).  God-fearing Cornelius saw an angel in a vision that spoke directly to him, but it took the person of Peter to go to his house and proclaim how he was to become a follower of Jesus (Acts 10).

The Apostle Paul, who had experienced that extraordinary encounter as pre-converted Saul, states the importance and normality of human instrumentality when sharing the message of reconciliation. He states that “God makes his appeal though us” as “ambassadors for Christ” who “implore” on behalf of Christ (2 Cor. 5: 18-21). Paul never would have said that if he thought that visions or visitations by angels were enough. The upshot is that human witness, generated from obedience to the Great Commission, is necessary to win all men to Christ at all times. 

This being the case, the phenomena of unusual supernatural encounters should re-double our efforts in the sending of missionaries rather than curtail it. Unbelievers the world over, encountered by Jesus in unusual circumstances, are seeking the human link necessary to know what to do next. Their faith journey will be incomplete until the complete gospel message is presented to them by human witness. Thus the ongoing -  indeed the accelerated - need for ambassadors is apparent! Men and women carrying the gospel message to non-believers are as needful now as ever before. Visions of Jesus need to be followed by missions of men. (Adapted from the book, Commissioned.)

Maintaining Relevance

It’s one thing to recognize changes that are taking place around you but quite another thing to know how best to respond.  I have the privilege of serving the Latin American missions movement as a Consultant for Global Integration for COMIBAM International.*  In a recent meeting I asked COMIBAM leaders what they considered to be the biggest challenge to traditional mission organizations (TMOs) from the North.  Almost in unison they responded: “maintaining their relevance.” 

Over the last four months in dozens of interviews with North American TMO leaders on how the globalization of missions is impacting their organizations, almost every organization said that they recognize that the growth of the majority world missions’ movement is requiring fundamental changes in how they function as a mission organization.   

I have discovered that the major areas of change being discussed fall into four categories:  

1. Organizational Governance and Structure:  flexibility, capacity to manage partnerships
2. Institutional Ethos:  vision, core values
3. Personnel Policies:  granting membership in a partnership paradigm, orientation and training, official team language, MK education for non-English speakers, pastoral care, multi-cultural team training 
4. Finance Policies:  flexible salary levels, subsidy related issues, transfer of funds

Becoming Globally Friendly is a consultation for the leadership of international missions based in North America. The objective is to create a context where leaders from each organization can: 

• Hear others' perspectives on key issues
• Ask questions of those taking different approaches
• See examples of policies and material that others have developed
• Explore ways that CrossGlobal Link could facilitate ongoing discussion and cooperation in specific areas

If these are your organization’s concern then be sure to contact me about attending this consultation.

(*COMIBAM International, a sister organization of CrossGlobal Link, serves the Spanish and Portuguese missions’ movement in the Americas, Spain and Portugal.)

Bureau of Consultants

CrossGlobal Link has established a new Bureau of Consultants. This bureau has been established to help our members access knowledgeable reliable and affordable advice and assistance from those proven in their field of expertise. Eleven categories of mission administration, leadership and management are covered by these experts. All are strong believers who desire to be of assistance to those involved in Great Commission ministries. They are highly recommended by CrossGlobal Link. 

Rekindling the Fire

The life of a missions pastor can be lonely. I’ve always lived two places at the same time—one foot in my church and community and the other foot in India, China, Brazil, or Ethiopia. No one seemed to understand me in either world—except other mission pastors!

Three years ago something occurred which, on the surface, seemed to be a ministry tragedy - the demise of Initiative 360, a newly formed organization comprised of ACMC and Caleb Project. For 20 years the National Association of Missions Pastors (NAMP) was a ministry of ACMC and became a part of Initiative 360 in a merger. However, with its demise, NAMP was left homeless.

The good news is that NAMP has now re-emerged under its new identity and home within CrossGlobal Link. Once again there is stability, direction and building momentum for our group of mission pastors. Now, NAMP has the potential of expanding and operating with even greater efficiency than in the past.

It’s been 5 years since mission pastors have met together in their own venue to discuss their unique challenges and struggles, to not feel lonely but understood, and to get encouragement from fellow practitioners. But that wait is over! It is now time to rekindle the fire

Rekindling The Fire

Rekindling The Fire is a summit exclusively for mission pastors (however your church defines that position). The summit will create an environment in which each attendee will be given the opportunity to highlight before the entire group the unique ministry areas of his or her church’s missions thrust. There will also be participation in smaller groups to define and tackle at least one of the top ten challenges facing the North American Church today.

Connecting to Equip

An interactive training event for men and women in mission leadership who seek to understand, equip and support women missionaries.

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