Dear Friends and Members of IBC,

We are over halfway through looking at some important building blocks for new and renewed followers of Jesus. So far, we have considered the importance of learning to pray, studying the Bible, attending church services, understanding the gospel, and getting baptized. I hope this has been helpful for us. If you missed any of the steps, they are all available on our IBC website. For the next two weeks, we will talk about being on a mission, and then finally conclude with the last three steps.

On Sunday, we heard from Pastor Stephen Campbell from IBC Bonn about how we are all fellow workers in Christ, on a God-given mission to make disciples. I want us to briefly consider the first reflection question that he gave us at the end of his sermon: ‘do you acknowledge that you have a mission?’

It is easy to lose sight of what church life is all about, what our Christian lives are all about. Our heads are very often down in the valley, constantly reacting to what life throws at us, concentrating so intently on the small, daily worries of our jobs, studies, relationships, or living situations that we tend to forget the big, God-sized mission that every Christian has been called to. The mission of the Church, both local and global, the mission of every believer, both yourself and the Christian across the world, is to obey Jesus’ great commission to go and make disciples. God has unique tasks, good works for you to do, that only you can accomplish, that all fall within His general mission for every believer, which Jesus gave to us in Matthew 28:19-20. 

So, let’s first acknowledge that we have this mission. That we have been called for it. It is no accident that we find ourselves front and centre in Jesus’ masterplan to share the good news to everyone. God has chosen you. You have been deliberately welcomed into this world, at this exact time, in this exact place, to fulfil this calling.

Acknowledging this calling, embracing it, should fill us with a sense of purpose. Yes, we might still have those daily concerns. Yes, we still need to turn up for work every day. Yes, we might be unsure of the next steps forward. But God does a lot with just a bit of willingness on our part. So, let’s first accept this mission and prayerfully ask Him how He wants to use us to realise it.  

God bless you

James