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Sep 19, 2011

We send because he first sent us

Anyone who’s been involved in the realm of missions is aware of the concept that God is a missionary God. That reality, evidenced ultimately in God the Father sending God the Son to be our sin bearer, is the primary rationale for the church to send workers into the harvest. We send because it is in our blood, so to speak. It is part of our new DNA as reborn children of God. We send because he first sent us.

The Father sent the Son, the Son sent the church, and the church sends missionaries. We seem to understand the sending part. But do we ponder the implications?

How does a sent one think of him/herself in terms of the sender?
How did Jesus think of himself in relation to his Father?
What obligation do sent ones have toward the sender?
Is there, or should there be, something more than simple obedience that motivates sent ones? What ultimately motivated Jesus?
How do sent ones reflect upon their senders?
What obligation do senders have?
Do or should senders provide anything for sent ones other than marching orders?
How did the Father provide for the Son?

I’m sure you could think of more questions of a similar nature. I’d love to hear them if you wouldn’t mind sending them my way. My point is this: I believe that the relationship between churches as senders and missionaries as sent ones can be enhanced by a more thorough understanding of the relationship between our missionary God and his ultimate sent one--Jesus Christ. I would like to launch from there into a discussion about the role of a sending church in missionary care. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

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