Bearing Fruit: Risk Taking Mission and Service

   One of two things usually comes up in congregations when we start to talk about mission and service:

1.) People want to know the outcomes before they even get started. They want to make sure that their energy and commitment will be worth it. Its easy to understand this human need - but that is also the rub of where the "risk taking" part of mission and service comes in. When we engage in mission and service we risk not knowing the outcome. We risk not getting it right. We risk failing by the worlds standards. But in the midst of all of that we trust that God is going to use us, even if we can't fully understand how before we start. Some of the most beautiful moments I have had being involved in mission and service were unscripted and unforeseen - yet they were also the moments when I knew that God was fully present and in charge.

2.) People have a list of reasons they cannot go somewhere in mission or service - be it health, age, family, finances, etc. Here is the thing - we cannot all go. But we can all be a part of the mission and the service. Some of the best gifts I was given while serving in mission were cards and letters containing prayers of those who financially supported me and were now lifting up the trip in prayer while I was away. We all have different gifts in the body of gifts and different abilities. We need to examine how we can live into who we are while still being involved in mission and service.

How is God calling you to risk taking mission and service? What do you need to set aside in order to follow?