Comments on: Mission Short Sale http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2010/03/17/mission-short-sale/ Let's give the Commission back to the church. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:47:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Missions Misunderstood » Blog Archive » The Commission According to Us http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2010/03/17/mission-short-sale/comment-page-1/#comment-14580 Missions Misunderstood » Blog Archive » The Commission According to Us Wed, 18 Aug 2010 05:43:57 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=452#comment-14580 [...] all, “God’s word will not return void,” right? Incarnation isn’t necessary, information is the [...] [...] all, “God’s word will not return void,” right? Incarnation isn’t necessary, information is the [...]

]]> By: C. Holland http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2010/03/17/mission-short-sale/comment-page-1/#comment-11424 C. Holland Sat, 27 Mar 2010 21:24:08 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=452#comment-11424 Missions is sold short today because it is easier to put a number to how many were fed food today (meeting physical needs) or how many decisions were made for Jesus (informing the nations). It is much more difficult to define or inform on discipling a person/people, and the numbers will be much, much lower and slower growing. Missions is sold short today because it is easier to put a number to how many were fed food today (meeting physical needs) or how many decisions were made for Jesus (informing the nations). It is much more difficult to define or inform on discipling a person/people, and the numbers will be much, much lower and slower growing.

]]> By: Ernest http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2010/03/17/mission-short-sale/comment-page-1/#comment-11355 Ernest Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:51:27 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=452#comment-11355 Wes, I see your point– of course mature believers must be part of a local expression of the Church. But the commission- our mission- is not to plant churches, it's to make disciples. There is a difference. As my friend Alan Hirsch likes to say, our mission is disciple-making. Church is what happens as a result. To do it the other way around (that is, to plant churches in effort to make disciples), we miss something. We get caught up in models, structures, systems, brands, and the like. I admit that my "definition" of missions is different from that of people far wiser than I. I think that all mission (even that which is done at "home" with people of the "same" culture) is cross-cultural. All believers must do the work of translating the gospel ("incarnating" it) into the cultures in which we find ourselves. There is no "home" anymore. Maybe I should do a post on the definition of mission. Thanks for the idea. Wes,
I see your point– of course mature believers must be part of a local expression of the Church. But the commission- our mission- is not to plant churches, it’s to make disciples. There is a difference. As my friend Alan Hirsch likes to say, our mission is disciple-making. Church is what happens as a result. To do it the other way around (that is, to plant churches in effort to make disciples), we miss something. We get caught up in models, structures, systems, brands, and the like.

I admit that my “definition” of missions is different from that of people far wiser than I. I think that all mission (even that which is done at “home” with people of the “same” culture) is cross-cultural. All believers must do the work of translating the gospel (“incarnating” it) into the cultures in which we find ourselves. There is no “home” anymore.

Maybe I should do a post on the definition of mission. Thanks for the idea.

]]> By: wlh http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2010/03/17/mission-short-sale/comment-page-1/#comment-11316 wlh Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:26:24 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=452#comment-11316 Ernest, Some may say that you are stopping short. Is it enough to just disciple individuals without also planting churches? Can you have mature Christians who are not also participating in the life of the church? Why am I asking? I'm thinking through these issues myself. What is mission? What is missions? Is missions limited to cross-cultural church planting? Where does Christian presence play a role? Please don't take any of these as challenges from me, I am working through these and I appreciate your post! Wes Ernest,

Some may say that you are stopping short. Is it enough to just disciple individuals without also planting churches? Can you have mature Christians who are not also participating in the life of the church?

Why am I asking? I’m thinking through these issues myself. What is mission? What is missions? Is missions limited to cross-cultural church planting? Where does Christian presence play a role?

Please don’t take any of these as challenges from me, I am working through these and I appreciate your post!

Wes

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