From Everywhere to Everywhere

Certain concepts fall into your mind somehow and get stuck there. You think them for a long time without questioning them until a great class, scripture or a sermon pushes you to be more thoughtful or more nuanced.

For me, the idea that missions is not just from "us" to "them" is one of these ideas. It is the idea that missions is not just a "first world" to a "two-thirds world" project or only in poor places. To paraphrase John Piper in Let the Nations Be Glad, missions isn't about being right or wrong, it is about worship. Missions happens because worship does not. Because there are and continue to be places on the planet where the worship of God does not happen, where people have yet to hear of the wonderful love of Christ that cleanses sin and removes shame.

Because of this, the older mindset of "from the West to the rest" is not valid. There are mission fields all around us the require stepping out cross-culturally or across community borders. Missions is truly a "from everywhere to everywhere" endeavor. It is about reciprocity and learning from one another. It is the humility to say, "my cultural expressions of the christian faith can be enriched as I interact with those that see things differently."

One quick example of this.

Our church here in Austria has been around for a little while. They have had a great deal of influence from missionaries over the years, many from our own team and organization. This Sunday, they were preparing to send out a short term team to eastern Europe. This is one of many short term trips they send out as well as supporting many long term missionaries.

I don't mean to just brag about our church here, but I think it illustrates the point. Even as they are receiving missionaries, they are also sending people out. It isn't about one-way relationships. No matter how small or large a church is, there is a benefit from not just engaging in missions from a "sender" perspective, but also from the "receiver" perspective. There is a humility that is connected with saying, "I have something to learn from you as much as you can learn from me."

So if you think of it this week, pray for the students from our church that are on this trip.

Our Final Commissioning

Nate talks about European mayonaise during our commissioning!

Last Sunday, we were commissioned at Parkview Community Church, our home. It's been really special for us to be commissioned at 3 churches these last few months - at my home church in CT, Nate's home church in MN and now our sending church. We really feel blessed and supported and loved as we go out.

Nate and I found Parkview back in early 2008, at the suggestion of our WorldVenture recruiter, Phil. He had attended Parkview when he lived in the Wheaton area and knew the church had a welcoming community, solid biblical teaching, an outreach focus and a heart for missions. All of that turned out to be true. Since coming to Parkview 4 years ago, we had the opportunity to perform in Children's ministry skits, sing on the worship team, join a small group, help facilitate bible discussions for new believers, and lead a men's morning bible study (that was Nate, of course). I was baptized at Parkview as a believer in early 2009, having previously been baptized as an infant. We were married at Parkview, we are members there, and now we are being sent out from there. It has a really special place in our hearts.

Chuck prays for us

This past Sunday, we sang on the worship team for the last time - very bittersweet! Then Pastor Chuck Howard, who oversees Parkview's missions efforts, invited us back up on stage. He allowed us to share a bit about the needs in Austria and then he encouraged us with the Great Commission, reminding us that we go out with Christ's authority and that Christ will be with us. He then prayed for us. It was really wonderful to get to share a bit of who we are with the church and to know that they will faithfully pray for us and support us on this journey.

Thank you, Parkview, for welcoming us in 4 years ago and walking with us through this journey!

Commissioning at Friendship Church

Yesterday, we had the privilege of being commissioned at Friendship Church in Prior Lake, MN. Nate grew up in this church, and it is very special for us to be sent to Austria with their support and prayers going with us. God used many individuals at the church to help shepherd Nate and lead him towards cross-cultural, international ministry.

Here is a brief video from the commissioning, where we share our vision for ministry and Nate talks about how the community at Friendship nurtured and discipled him. Enjoy!

Our First Commissioning

Sorry for the blogging hiatus! We've been traveling a lot this month and it's been tough to keep up with the blog. But we are trying to get back into a rhythm!

This week, we are back in Connecticut with my family and yesterday, we had the special opportunity of being commissioned by my home church in Easton. My youth pastor from growing up, Rev. Cary Slater, still works at the church and it was really great that he was there to commission us. (By the way, in the photo to the left you see a wilderness backdrop...this is not normal for the church :)  Their VBS program is this week.)

We started with sharing with the congregation a little bit about our ministry and how they can specifically be praying for us in the coming months. Then Cary invited anyone from the congregation who was a part of my discipleship growing up, like Sunday school teachers and youth group leaders, to come to the front to lay hands on us and pray over us. It was very powerful for me to see the great group of people surrounding us who were lifting us up and who have shepherded me in so many ways. God has used many people along our journey to help prepare us for the mission field!

At the end, Nate and I lit a candle and carried it out of the sanctuary, symbolizing being a shining light and sharing Christ's light in Austria. The commissioning ended with singing "Send Me" with the congregation. I'm so thankful we were able to be sent out by Covenant, and we feel very supported by them. After church, we hosted an open house and lunch at my parents' house to celebrate. It was a great day, and we'll miss all of these wonderful people here!