Iwas just reading about a guy in Philippians 2:25 named Epaphroditus. He was a servant leader, an ordinary guy who sat in a pew on Sunday, but he was asked to go and minister to the Apostle Paul while he was under house arrest in Rome for preaching the good news of Jesus Christ.
Epaphroditus almost died while on this mission trip, he got sick. Maybe he ate some bad hummus or a bad falafel but Paul wrote, “He nearly died for the work of Christ,” risked his life to serve others.
Why don’t we see this in the church today? Maybe because we only attend weekly services on average two times per month. With that kind of commitment, who would ask us to go on a mission trip?
I attend a lot of committee meetings. I’m a Baptist minister, what else would I do all day. Yesterday in the three meetings I was a part of we discussed drainage issues at the parsonage, problems with the new copier, sump pumps, personnel issues, choir leaders (who cannot lead the choir because they will be at state athletic events), children’s choir and deacon scheduling, children’s parties, blah, blah, blah. I thought Sunday morning was about worship. Guess I was wrong.
There was nothing about making disciples, which was the mandate given to the church by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20, nothing about mission trips, nothing about risking our lives, making sacrifices, getting sick and almost dying for Jesus. Am I not getting invited to those meetings? Are they secret?
We have twin boys who attend our church every time the doors are open, they are in junior high, a couple of real nice young men. Their mother just lost her job as the manager of the local sandwich shop.
We are about to launch a food pantry ministry, which is great. I love it. I’m glad to be a part of it. As I left the church council meeting, I heard someone say how this single mom could come and get some groceries while she is unemployed.
Yes, she can. The only problem is that a person can only get groceries from the food pantry once a month. We only give away a grocery sack at a time. That’s going to last about a day. Good luck with that single mom.
I’m shaking my head as I write this – when is the church going to get it? Our job is to help this mother and her boys. I mean really help! Help until it hurts and costs us something, maybe until we nearly die.
If you are going to Rome on a mission trip, hit me up, I’m ready to go. I’ve had all my shots. I have a passport and I don’t like pita bread, so I think I will be safe.
Go and risk it today. Push all the spiritual chips to the middle of the table, bet it all on Jesus, you can’t lose. He told me to tell you that.
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