leading a missional life

Like every year, there are a number of people in Rubicon who are going on short term mission trips with theMILL this summer. The destinations range from India to Peru, and expectedly, they're all very excited, and they should be. Taking the opportunity to travel to another part of the world to share your time and energy with another people is a cornerstone of developing as a mature believer. And, since we here in America have so much, why should we not sacrifice to take those trips?

As we prepare for these various trips, we inevitably psych ourselves up for a fortnight of spectacular spiritual experiences, miraculous revelation, and total devotion to God and His children. There are team meetings, fundraisers, prayer, studying, and eventually, the culmination of it all, the trip itself. You will be challenged spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically while you're gone, but the energy of being around a tight-knit group of friends and fellow missionaries carries you through the experience until you return home.

And then, everything changes. Your perspective is different. The mocha you loved last month leaves a bitter taste in your mouth this week. You skip the drive-up window and pack yourself a sandwich and an apple for lunch. Somehow, even church feels a little stale, because you can longer find that same surge of God-time that you felt at worship while you were overseas. Eventually, though, you settle back into your old rhythms, but this time armed with stories of how God worked wonders for two weeks in Uzlinistania.

But you know, deep inside, something is wrong.

Missions is about a great deal more than a wild, two-week experience in a far-off place. It's about an attitude, a mindset, a lifestyle. The reason something feels off balance when we return from these amazing trips is that it is. We spend a short period of time in ultra-christian mode and then come back to the same worries and concerns that we've let consume our everyday lives for so long. But what if it didn't have to be that way?

Let's take a look at how mission trips are different from everyday life:

1) Devotion to God

- Short term mission trips are often packed with nightly crusades, team prayer meetings, spontaneous worship and intentional alone time with God. None of that is an accident. Team leaders and organizers know that for missions to succeed, God must be present, so they create opportunities for mission team members to seek Him, all day, every day while they're in the field.

2) Unity in Purpose

- One of the great things about mission trips is that you develop friendships that will last a very long time. You are forced, in most cases, to rely on a small group of your peers for support, encouragement, and prayer. But, just as importantly, everyone has the same purpose, the same goals. Your personal life ambitions are set aside for awhile and you all come together to do God's work, rather than your own.

3) Attention to People

- Mission trips are first and primarily about God, like our whole lives should be, but their intent is to share that God with real people. Mission trips are organized to meet needs. Whether that need is a new roof, a warm meal, or eternal salvation, it is a need felt by a person. The second most important commandment, right from Jesus's mouth is 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' and while you're out in the mission field, you really can't help but fall in love with the people you're with.

The reason we feel such a disconnect, coming back from missions, is that we are truly experiencing a disconnect from the way of life we walked for a short time. After all, we have responsibilities and concerns here that interfere with those things, but we'll still give God our Friday nights, and Sunday mornings. (Don't forget Rubicon on Tuesdays!)

Imagine if we lived with those same three attitudes above, even after coming back from mission trips, or before. What ways can we be more intentional about our relationship with God? How can we be more connected as a community of believers? What can we sacrifice to meet the spiritual and material needs of others?

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hears, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the LORD added to their number day by day those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47 (ESV)