Participating in God's Mission: The Relationship between Being and Doing

Many people want to make a difference in the world.  

In order to do that, we must follow God’s mission for our life.

We explored the idea of God's missional team and the importance of our participation in what God is doing in this previous blog post. We explored 2 very important questions that will help you live on mission and today, we would like to add 3 more questions into the mix.

Building on that idea, the importance of our participation in God’s mission, we want to delve deeper into three important questions: 

(1)How do we participate in what God is doing? 

(2) Is our being in Christ leading to our doing for Christ, and not the other way around?  

(3)Has God given us the grace to be doing what we are currently doing? If not, what has God given us the grace to do?   

These questions will help you live on God’s missional team and in the center of His mission. 

1. How do we participate in what God is doing?

Participating in what God is doing requires us to be attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We must be intentional about listening to God and seeking his guidance. This can involve spending time in prayer, reading the Bible, and seeking wise counsel from other believers. 

It also requires a willingness to step out of our comfort zones and take risks for the sake of the gospel.

An example of this could be following God’s prompting to pay for someone’s lunch when they seem like they are having a bad day. As a young teen growing in Christ, my youth pastor modeled this before me and urged me to look for those moments to be a blessing to others.

We can participate in God's mission in a variety of ways. For some, this may involve serving in ministry positions within the church. For others, it may involve engaging in evangelism and sharing the gospel with those around us. 

We can also participate in God's mission by serving our communities and working for justice and mercy. Ultimately, our participation in God's mission should be grounded in love for God and love for our neighbors.

2. Is our being in Christ leading to our doing for Christ, and not the other way around?

Our being in Christ should always lead to our doing for Christ, rather than the other way around. In other words, our actions should flow out of our identity in Christ, rather than our identity being defined by what we do. 

Our salvation is a free gift of grace, and our good works are a response to that grace, rather than a means of earning it. As it says in Ephesians 2:10 (ESV), 

"“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Our good works flow out of our identity in Christ Jesus."

As followers of Christ, we are called to bear fruit that reflects our identity in him. This fruit can take many forms, including acts of love, kindness, and service. 

However, our motivation for doing these things should always be rooted in our love for God and our desire to honor him.

3. Has God given us the grace to be doing what we are currently doing? If not, what has God given us the grace to do?

It's important to recognize that God has given each of us unique gifts and callings. Sometimes, we may find ourselves in situations where we are not fully utilizing the gifts that God has given us. 

In these cases, it's important to ask whether we are truly serving where God has called us, or whether we are simply doing what is comfortable or familiar.

If we feel that God has not given us the grace to be doing what we are currently doing, it may be a sign that we need to seek out a new direction or ministry opportunity. This can be a difficult and uncomfortable process, but it's important to remember that God's grace is always sufficient for us, no matter where he calls us.

Participating in God's mission requires us to be attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, to let our being in Christ lead to our doing for Christ, and to be open to the unique gifts and callings that God has given us. 

As we seek to participate in God's mission, let us do so with a heart of love for God and for our neighbors, trusting in his grace to sustain us along the way.

Here are some practical steps that we can take to apply the ideas we discussed in this blog post:

1. Seek God's guidance: Spend time in prayer, reading the Bible, and seeking wise counsel from other believers to discern God's leading in your life.

2. Be intentional about your actions: Let your identity in Christ lead to your actions, rather than the other way around. Be intentional about using your unique gifts and callings to serve others and participate in God's mission.

3. Step out of your comfort zone: Take risks and be willing to try new things for the sake of the gospel. This might involve engaging in evangelism, serving in ministry positions within the church, or working for justice and mercy in your community.

4. Be open to new opportunities: If you feel that God is calling you in a new direction, be open to exploring new ministry opportunities or ways of serving others.

5. Trust in God's grace: Remember that God's grace is sufficient for us, no matter where he calls us. Trust in his provision and guidance as you seek to participate in his mission.

By taking these practical steps, we can more fully participate in God's mission and use our unique gifts and callings to serve others and bring glory to God. If you’d like to chat more about joining God’s missional team, reach out.