On Missions and Being Missional

The mission team from First Baptist Church of Marion returned from its annual mission trip to Belize last week.  Like all mission trips this one was both fulfilling and challenging.  Fulfilling in that we met or exceeded our mission goals and expectations and we deepened relationships with our friends there and built new relationships.  Challenging in that we attempted more and varied projects.  You can read about the facets of our trip on the Belize Mission blog at http://fbc-belize.blogspot.com/.



Upon returning home I began to reflect and process the previous week-and-a-half I spent in Belize. I also began to think of missions and being "missional." My Facebook status the day I returned was:

Home from Belize. Our week there was probably the best ever. The transition back to "normal" will take a few days. Maybe doing missions should be the norm.

That got a few responses from friends about missions being the norm.  If we look at missions as a week here and a day there, we can say we are doing missions.  But if missions becomes the norm; if we daily seek ways to minister to and help others, then we become missional.  The missional person or the missional church is when doing missions is what is routinely done.  Seeking out opportunities or just responding to needs as they arise is being missional.  We don't need to do big things all the time.  Missional behavior is also in the small things we do.  A phone call to a friend, a note to someone we know has a particular need, visiting with loved ones, caring for an elderly family member, sharing a laugh with a friend.  We don't need to look far for a mission field; it can be next door, in our church, or anywhere there is a need.

We are all called to use our gifts to help others and to build the Kingdom of God.  We build the Kingdom with each act of compassion we show, with each nail we hammer, with each meal we share, and with the words we say.  A caring hug suffices when words fail.

Going on mission trips opens one's eyes to the needs of people everywhere.  We can't fix all the problems alone.  But as a wise person told me, "Focus on doing one thing for one person."  A good mantra for being missional.