World Missions Sunday
Hey Church, I'm praying that it's been a good week and that all those who have been sick are on the mend.
I spent the first couple days of this week in Miami for a gathering with an organization I work for called, City to City. I have the privilege of leading a Faith, Work, Justice, and Mercy Initiative for them. This week was the first time my team, minus a couple of members, was together in person. We gathered with other church and ministry leaders from around the US and the world for a time of fellowship, worship, and learning from one another. It was a rich time, and while I was immensely blessed by so much of it, two of the things that continue to linger for me are the incredible diversity in the room and hearing stories of the amazing missional work my colleagues are doing, from programs that support teens in completing their high school education, to training and equipping Latino pastors and laypeople to plant churches, to using church buildings as hubs in their neighborhoods, to working with multiple entities in a city to decrease gun violence, and all in the name of Jesus. I am both humbled and encouraged when I hear stories like these. These stories remind me that the Spirit is on the move and that God’s people are on mission with Him, doing amazing work for the Kingdom in many beautiful ways.
One of my favorite things about faith and work (and the addition of justice and mercy), is how it provides a framework for everyone to think about whatever it is they do in the world, as a way of being on mission. One of the things the faith and work movement helps dispel is the myth that only pastors or missionaries by vocation can do missional work. We all have the potential to think about the things we do Monday through Saturday as missional. This may require creativity, getting out of our way, and listening to the Spirit. The thought that we are all missionaries in some way is exciting, especially when we consider what this means when those who call COTC home leave church on Sunday and head out into the world. One of the terms my faith and work team uses in talking about this, missional disciples; we all have the ability to be missional disciples in this world.
This Sunday at COTC, we’ll celebrate World Missions Sunday. World Missions Sunday is one of those occasions where, together, we have the opportunity to be reminded of the movement of the Spirit and how God is using a diverse group of missionaries both here in the US and around the world to further his Kingdom and to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Not only is World Missions Sunday a day that calls us to focus on the work of missionaries, it is also a day that beckons us to remember our own call to share the good news of Jesus with others through our words and actions.
In preparation for Sunday, I invite you into prayer. Pray for the Lord to prepare your heart and mind for this special Sunday. Pray that the Lord might stir something up in you as it relates to missions in Austin, the US, or globally. Pray that we aren't only thinking about missions one Sunday a year but that our call to be on mission informs our day-to-day lives. Lastly, pray for our mission partners. They are listed below and on our website.
COTC Mission Partners
FCA Greater Austin Area (John Rector)
UT InterVarsity (Tim Wang)
Pioneers (Paul Van Allen)
C4SO Diaspora Network (Jonathan Kindberg)
Olivia H (Afghan refugee support)
Dave and Julie H (Navigators)
Guru and Veronica Brahmam (Global Teams India)
The peace of Christ,
Kimberly+
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
PS- related to faith and work, it's not too late to register for "Faithful Leadership in a Polarized Age," a conference being put on by The Austin Center for Faith & Work. See below for more info.