How Is Sanctuary on a Journey?
Church on mission is definitely a trendy title that is anywhere you look these days. the notion that we have to title church buildings, missional, has for eternity been somewhat odd to me. I ask you, shouldnt all bodies of Christ be missional in their very essence? it should be expected from a church, at its very base, desire to connect their culture and community with the good news as a missionary would in a overseas country? Isnt that what the bodies of Christ is challenged to do in the great commission in Matthew 28:19? Our own place of origin deserves this type of church. North Austin church is slowly transitioning to what Christ instructed in Holy Word.
Jesus gives the command in Acts 1:8 saying, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 justifies this topic as, right before Jesus Christ leaves to go to Heaven, He directs the disciples on a exploration that would start right in their personal community. He begins with their hometown of Jerusalem, and then expands the call to the far parts of the world.
As followers of Christ, we are not urged to isolation, but to be missional people who are aggressively going out and finding communities right where they are with the good news. We have gazed at this throughout history: God urges Abraham on a mission to leave his country and his people and go to the place that God would show him (Gen. 12:1), God moved Moses on a mission to rescue an enslaved people and lead them to freedom (Exodus 3:8-10), God motivated Jesus on a mission to world to restore all things to Himself through the crucifixion (Colossians 1:20). And now God is sending people on a story to engage neighborhoods, cities, tribes, and even nations with the message of Jesus (Matt. 28:19 Mark 6:7 Luke 10:1 John 20:21 Acts 1:8). If we dont respond to this motivation and continue to treat the church buildings like a invite only country club ” encouraging that people clean up their talents, pay their dues, and come to our sanctuary God will continue His exploration without us.
