If everything is Mission then nothing is mission.
– this empties the word mission of all meaning.
A bird with only one wing won’t fly
A pair of scissors needs two blades not one.
Mission is discerning what God is doing in the world and trying to do it with Him.
– John Taylor.
Colin Chapman – SDMTS Summer School 1995
We think a missionary is someone who crosses the sea. Rather, a missionary is someone who sees the cross!
J John – New Wine 1995
C.S. Lewis said: “God will insist in saving people by means of which I do not aprove.”
UK Focus – Holy Trinity Brompton Mag, Aug 97, J. John
The story was told about two men walking down a Mexican beach, talking with one another. They could see a man in the distance throwing something into the ocean. As they got closer, they saw that he was bending over, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean. The closer they got they noticed that he was one of the natives.
There were starfish on the beach which were left by the outgoing tide. The native was throwing them out where they could swim away. One of the two men asked, “What are you doing?” The man replied, “I am throwing the starfish back out to sea. If they don’t get back into the deeper water, they will die.” The other man replied, “I understand that part, but look at this beach. It is covered with starfish. There must be thousands stranded out here. How do you feel that this will make a difference?”
The native bent over, picked up another starfish, hurled him out to sea, and with a smile on his face said, “Made a difference to that one!”
There are thousands who need the Lord and need the care of Christians. Each one of us can “make a difference” to someone.
Chicken Soup for the Soul
“The Church is the only institution that exists for those who are not yet its members.”
William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1942-1944
“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”
Charles Spurgeon – Quoted from the Sermon Fodder email list
The Rev. Billy Graham tells of at time early in his career when he arrived in a small town to preach a sermon.
Wanting to mail a letter, he asked a young boy where the post office was. When the boy told him, Rev. Graham thanked him and said, “If you’ll come to the Baptist church this evening, you can hear me telling everyone how to get to Heaven.”
“I don’t think I’ll be there,” the boy said.
“You don’t even know your way to the post office.”
Quoted from funny(at)net153.com email list
A 2-minute explanation by Jeff Maguire (and friends) of what a “missional church” is. Thanks to common craft for the inspiration, Brian Hurst for the art, and blimp pilot Cole Beshore for special effects.
The church exists by mission as fire exists by burning.
Emil Brunner
‘The Church of God does not have a mission in the world’ . . . it is more accurate to say that ‘The God of mission has a church in the world’.
Tim Dearborn