Mission Society Helps Christians Find their Calling
“Finding your place,” whether as an individual or a church, is a basic human longing, a necessary step toward fulfilling the calling of Christ, and the focus of The Mission Society’s latest issue of its magazine, “Unfinished.” Multiple articles in the Winter 2015 installment demonstrate how a clear understanding of purpose can help individuals and churches work more effectively and with greater joy in God’s kingdom.
Max Wilkins, president and CEO of The Mission Society, sets the tone when he writes that “finding your place” involves much more than geography. “Before we even consider the question of where, I think believers should consider the question of who we are and whose we are.”
In recounting the stories of several individuals and churches, the publication displays the various dynamics that can affect a search for purpose. “Finding Your Place When Your Place Seems Unclear” is a first-person account about the “sometimes-hazy call” that would take a Midwestern couple to South Asia. “Just Say Yes” is a story of a dentist who found her place in full-time missions ministry with her local church.
Another article describes how a partnership with The Mission Society helped the Central United Protestant Church in Richland, Washington, become outwardly focused. Through the process, the church and its members found where they fit in God’s plan, said Julie McDonald of Central United. “We find that God has a place for all of us in how He calls us. It helps people find their talents and skills, be inspired in their own journey, and step out of their comfort zone.”
The partnership that transformed the Central United church is part of The Mission Society’s coaching and mentoring programs offered to help churches find their unique mission. That approach is outlined in “The Kingdom Approach” by Stan Self, who explains how three simple questions can help struggling churches find their way in an ever-changing world.
The Mission Society in this issue also describes its new mission service options that offer a variety of term lengths and service opportunities that may be especially attractive to millennials interested in missions experiences that are shorter and include mentoring, and to career professionals who are eager to use their training in cross-cultural ministry.
In addition, this issue of “Unfinished” provides news on global mission efforts and offers information about helping Syrian refugees in Europe.
Founded in 1984 in the Wesleyan tradition, The Mission Society (www.themissionsociety.org) exists to mobilize and deploy the body of Christ globally to join Jesus in His mission, especially among the least-reached peoples.
(Source: Christian Newswire)
