THERE is much to learn from Paul's
mission practice on his second missionary journey in Acts 15-16.
Although Paul planned to re-visit the churches that he and Barnabas
established on their first journey, he changed his plans when
he was divinely prevented from preaching in these regions and
received a vision of a man from Macedonia calling for help.
Paul shared his vision with the rest of his companions. In their
desire to be used and led by God, Paul and his companions reflected
on their experiences and on Paul's vision; they listened to each
other and finally concluded that God had called them to Macedonia,
a place they did not plan to go to. It was out of this openness
to God's direction that a significant event took place in the
history of mission: the first mission of the Church into the region
of Europe.
In Macedonia Paul followed his usual practice of going to the
cities and sought out the synagogue so that on the Sabbath day
he could proclaim to the Jews and others who worshipped the God
of the Jews that Jesus the Messiah had come.
Although they found no synagogue in Philippi, they heard of a
place where some women gathered for Jewish worship. Paul went
there and shared the Good News with Lydia, a businesswoman from
Thyatira in Asia Minor. Lydia and her household believed, were
baptised and formed the nucleus of the first church in Philippi.
When Paul and Silas were seized, stripped, beaten and thrown into
prison, they prayed and sang hymns as they expressed their faith
and trust in God in the midst of pain and suffering. When the
prison warden appeared, utterly confused by the miracle of the
unlocking of the prison doors, Paul shared the Good News with
the warden. Paul's mission was to be God's instrument of hope
to all he met. For him, mission was part and parcel of how he
lived each day and how he responded to each situation he encountered.
There are four observations to make from Paul's mission practice.
Firstly, while Paul had a plan and a programme for his missionary
journey, he was also open to revisions of his plans and programmes,
as he understood God's direction.
It is important to have plans and to set directions for our mission
activities but we need to be open to possible changes to those
plans because we are open to the leading of the Spirit. As we
reflect on our experiences and the opportunities before us, we
can be open to review and rethink our present tasks in the light
of our conviction of God's direction.
Secondly, Paul models for us the need to work with others. Paul
and his companions met, discussed and reflected together as they
tried to determine what action and direction to take. They could
do this because they were united in their vision and mission.
We too need to agree on our mission and see it not as the pastor's
or the mission committee's mission but the joint mission that
we work at together. Then with our different gifts and insights
we can make our unique contribution as we seek to discern God's
direction.
Thirdly, Paul went first to those whom he felt would be more open
to the Gospel: the Jews, the proselytes and the God fearers who
believed in the Jewish scriptures and were waiting for the coming
of the Messiah. Later when the Jews were not receptive to the
Good News, Paul preached to the gentiles who were willing to hear
him and were also looking for stability and hope in the midst
of the many changes taking place in the Roman Empire.
The history of Christian missions
tells us that the Gospel often found more receptiveness and acceptance
amongst those who were excluded or marginalised in society. They
were more open to the Good News of a God who cares, a God who
has room for them in His Kingdom. We read of this among the scheduled
castes and hill tribes of India or the tribal minorities in Thailand
and Myanmar.
Mission surveys have also shown that migrant workers and some
groups of foreign workers are often more open to the Good News
of the Gospel as they seek stability and an anchor in a foreign
land. We have a task to identify those within our society who
are seeking help, love and acceptance because in Jesus they too
can find hope and meaning.
Finally, Paul saw his mission as integrally related to how he
lived. Much as we may have planned activities to preach the Good
News and organise mission programmes, in practice, our mission
begins within ourselves as we make a decision to be open to God's
ways in our lives, as we approach all that we do in life with
the understanding that we serve a living God who calls us to live
our lives as His children, as His instruments of hope and love
in all that He gives us to do.
Sometimes we equate mission with evangelism and exclude discipleship.
Yet, Christian discipleship is part of mission. As we seek to
be disciples of Christ, we seek to share the Good News so that
others may also become disciples and followers of Jesus. - This
article is based on a sermon preached at Short Street Tamil Methodist
Church.
The Rev Ajit Hazra is the Field
Director of the Methodist Missions Society.
QUOTE:
DISCIPLESHIP IS VITAL
'Sometimes we equate mission with evangelism and exclude discipleship. Yet, Christian discipleship is part of mission. As we seek to be disciples of Christ, we seek to share the Good News so that others may also become disciples and followers of Jesus.'