"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some asevangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping ofthe saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body ofChrist…" - Eph. 4:11-12Prophets, pastors, teachers… are these like the vitals organs of abody? … for it is the organs which supply (equip) the rest of the bodywith blood, life and nutrients (teaching, watering and nurturing)….but if this is the case, what does the rest of the body do and what isits 'work of service'?
Could not one of its primary roles be to interact, engage and do workin the outside world? For it is the hands which pick things up and dowork, and it is the feet which move the body along and into differentenvironments across this world. But do not the working professional,the student and the family set in a neighbourhood do the same? Arethey not the ones engaging, interacting and reaching out into the'outside' world on a daily basis?
There is one type of 'missionary' (a church planter, maybe more of avital organ) who goes into an already existing community (even nation)and seeks to build a new community inviting people in, but anothertype of missionary (say a hand or a foot) goes into an alreadyexisting community and as much as he or she can becomes part of thatcommunity, interacting and working with it. Now both types ofmissionaries are needed, and maybe one can be a mix of the two… buteither way I would suggest the majority are missionaries (usually ofthe second type), seeking to make His name known in, through andamongst the world?
I once saw a picture of a city set in complete black, not being ableto see where the sky ended and the earth began, but knowing whereeverything was… and amongst it all there were floating lightsscattered all about, here and there… one in a supermarket, two on the4th floor of this building and three across the street in that park.Interacting and spreading out amongst the darkness the lights shined…dispersed, diffused and dissolved (as much as light can dissolve indarkness) into and across the city; each seeking to fashion glory onall it touched or came across.
We often commission (send off) our overseas 'missionaries' with honourand prestige, but when was the last time we sent the school teacher,the office worker, the architect or the plumber out into theirmissions field with prayer, support and praise?
As for me things are moving along, having talked to quite a fewpeople… yet I still do not know in what exact capacity I will beworking in Japan… as a hand, a foot or vital organ (or maybe a mix ofall three)… but nevertheless I would really appreciate your supportand help in this venture. Unfortunately, the hands have to feed thebody and even the vital organs so they may function and survivethemselves. And so if I am to be a vital organ and you would like to'feed' me, you can send any support to:
Thank you all for everything He has blessed me with through you, overthe years; in all sincerity and with much love. g-
