Concerning Missions: ‘We must not see ourselves as individuals.’
This quote is from Dave Black’s blog this morning (Sunday, December 20, 9:38 a.m.):
Perhaps our churches need to reconsider why we do mission trips. Yes, as individuals we must be responsive to the needs around us. But the primary locus of God’s activity in the world today is the local church, not the denomination or the association or the seminary or the missionary organization. Here is a point I would like to make crystal clear: We must not see ourselves as individuals. Jesus came to build His church. As His Body we are to “have the same attitude and the same love, live in harmony, and keep one purpose in mind” (Phil. 2:2). We are to “live as good citizens of heaven who reflect the value of the Good News about Christ” (1:27). We are to “work hard together to spread the Good News,” just as Paul and Timothy had done (2:22).
‘We must not see ourselves as individuals.’ This is true in missions (the context of Dave Black’s quote), but it’s also so true for so many (all?) aspects of life as a follower of Jesus Christ. There is a huge difference between a church as a community or family and a church as a group of individuals.