“I’m not asking you to go to the mission field; I’m bringing the mission field to you.” These are the words I distinctly heard from the Lord. Mind you, it is rare for me to suggest that God has spoken to me, but on this occasion, there was no doubt.
It all began when I was contacted by a local agency working to secure host homes for foreign exchange students. My wife and I had never considered such an idea. We were busy raising our three children, ranging in ages from five to ten, and pastoring a thriving church. The thought of disrupting our schedule and family routines to bring a young person from another country—another culture, another language—into our home for a semester of school seemed ludicrous. But those words kept echoing in my mind: God was bringing the mission field to me.
Fast forward a few weeks. The day arrived when my family welcomed a high school student from Italy into our home. To my knowledge, this was not a Christian agency nor was our new guest a Christian. Yet, we were to integrate her into our normal family routines. Did I mention that I was a pastor at the time? God must have a great sense of humor. No; He has a great sense of mission!
Just a few weeks into her stay, we had returned home from midweek service when she said, “We need to talk.” My wife and I sat with her and listened as she said, “You, your family, and your church have something I don’t have. What is it?” Reconciling her to Christ could not have been easier. Without hesitation, she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior and fully embraced the Christian faith. I would come home in the evenings to find her sitting at the table, writing page after page of Scripture. She loved everything about church life and continued to deepen her walk with God. Soon, she was gloriously baptized in the Spirit while praying at the altar.
Her parents, curious about her newfound faith, made the long journey from their homeland to our home during the Easter season. They did not speak our language, nor could we speak theirs, but we enjoyed their visit immensely. Before leaving, her father told her to learn everything she could about Christianity so she might help them when she returned home. No, God did not ask us to go to the mission field—at least not in that particular season. He brought the mission field to us.
Today, the church can literally reach the nations—at least many of them—without ever leaving our own cities. Does this mean an end to carrying the gospel across the oceans? God forbid! In fact, it is my prayer that a fresh fire will be rekindled in us to engage in the Great Commission of going into all the world. But as we go, let us not overlook the nations that are in our own backyards. I suspect that many of us could have a “mini parade-of-nations” just by reaching the various nationalities that live within ten miles of our local churches. Yes, God has literally brought the mission field to us.
If you are intrigued by this idea but don’t know where to begin, consider these simple suggestions for mobilizing your church to reach the nations locally:
- Teach and preach the “big story” of Scripture. God’s mission has always been to gather people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
- Pray that your local church will see your community as a mission field.
- Engage with international students from nearby universities. Your church can “adopt” students—inviting them for meals and holiday celebrations, or by simply helping them acclimate to their new surroundings.
- Partner with established organizations like World Relief to support new refugee and immigrant families. Opportunities include offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, assisting with practical needs, and building friendships.Celebrate missions regularly. The phrase “what you celebrate, you replicate” is a widely recognized principle.
- Don’t fall into the “paralysis of analysis.” You cannot do everything, but you can do something. So, begin by taking the first step.
We remain on mission . . . reconciling the world to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
