The Art of Missional Living//be willing to get off the plan for your day

So, the journey of a missional leader and follower of Jesus leads one down many paths. In fact, on Monday night I was faced with one yet again. After being in class from 11am-645pm and working from 7pm-11pm, I was tired and ready to go home and do homework and sleep. Unfortunately though, due to horrible parking on campus and my refusal to get to campus early to find a good spot, I was parked at the back of Lot G (which for those who don't know CSUF, is on the corner of Yorba Linda Blvd, near the arboretum and Goodwin field) - it's quite a hike, even for a scooter.

Well, on my scoot back to my truck - Jesus decided to remind me that in order to live missionally it means holding all of my life loosely (thanks for that phrase RockHarbor) - even when I'm tired, been on campus all day, have homework to do, and get to be back at campus by 830am for my 9am class on Tuesday - which means that I don't control when or what I'm doing, I just go by the moment, by the seat of my pants so to speak, hold my life and plans loose and see what Jesus has in store for me each day. Like I said, on the ride to my truck there was a random, middle aged woman walking the middle of the street that runs in the middle of the parking lot. As I go by her she flags me down and asks me what street she's near, so I tell her. Then I keep scooting, because I have things to do. And I hear a voice saying to me "Give her a ride. Do it." But, I ignore it because I have things to do.

Then, I get to my truck, I take it slow wrapping up my scooter and she's near me and my truck. I look her in the eyes and ask her (knowing that I can't ignore that voice in my head) "Can I give you a ride?" With which she looks at me with big eyes, just floored that a college student would offer to give her a ride. She gladly says "Yes, do you know where Garnett Ave is?"

Now let me pause right there. Before you starting thinking I'm the perfect missional person. I'm far from it. There are more times then not where I hear these voices and ignore it simply because I am "too busy". But, that night, thankfully, I did not let my own will happen and get in the way. I hate it when I do things like that - because I know that I'm called to love and serve those in need, but at times it just feels like such an inconvenience. But,this I know, I have the rest of my life on earth to continue learning how to die to myself and rely on the sanctification of Jesus in order to help me fully live out the mission of Jesus and the Gospel.

Now with that interlude having happened, I'll continue my story. I'd love to say that in this short ride she decided to follow Jesus as that would be a lie. But, I can guarantee you that she encountered Jesus. Driving with her for that short ride, I got to know her and her story, asking tons of questions. Her name was Francis. She was a beautiful woman that God created uniquely and placed his finger print on. And her story was quite sad (too much to type about). But inside this process, I was praying for her, just simple things.

Then we pull onto Garnett Ave. Our time is over, she thanks me and gets out. I tell her it was my pleasure glad I could serve her in this and I go to turn around my truck down the rest of the street. As I come back around she waves me down in the middle of the street. She then tells me more of her story: how she lost all her money at the Pomona track and how during her time down here her boyfriend and her have gotten into fights and she broke up with him, but you see, the problem is here motorcycle is right out here and its out of gas and it happens that this is her boyfriends house. She apologizes in advance saying that she feels bad having to ask me for this and asks me for $5 for a tank of gas, sayin she'll write me a check. I look her in the eyes and call her by her name and say "Francis, I love you. Let me serve you in this way. No money is needed. Just let me do this for you. I've been blessed with so much, let me bless you tonight. It's been a pleasure to get to know you tonight. If I have cash in my wallet it's yours." (coulda said more, but remember I was tired - shoulda talked about Jesus more) Sure enough but what is the only bill in my wallet - a $5 bill... So I drive off and pray for this child of God, Francis.

Now here's some quick things I learned from this about Mission and Jesus. Firstly, living out the gospel means so much - be the hands and feet of Jesus at all tims. Second, be open. The best missional moments are the times you don't plan. Third, missional living means inconvenience - but remember we are called to live as Jesus and carry our crosses - wasn't Jesus placed at the ultimate inconvenience for having to carry our sins on the cross? Fourth, we have been blessed to be a blessing - even if it is only a rid and a five. Fifth, in our cashless society it is tough to be generous and a blessing to other if we don't carry cash and just carry plastic. Carry cash - small bills because even a five can allow someone to encounter Jesus. Be counter cultural and carry cash so you can freely give it way. Sixth, never stop praying. Don't be afraid to share. Ask questions about her. Seventh, one thing I missed, I should have asked to pray for her - but I forgot...

Gospel and Community - an example of Missional Living

Over the past several months, there have been two things becoming more and more crystallized in my mind as the Holy Spirit leads me and Jesus prepares me for ministry. Heck, these two things that I'm learning are actually one thing, or two sides of the same coin. This is all a part of what it means to live missionally - one must have the gospel and community. They are essential.

Here is the first one: All of life must be living out the Gospel.
That is a big statement, I know. What does that mean? It means that Jesus came to establish a people that were to be about the business of the Father (just like Jesus was), aka, establish His Kingdom on earth. It means that in all we do in our lives, we must be embodying the gospel - not just to those who do not know Jesus - but to those who do know Jesus. Our lives must be gospel led, gospel business, kingdom lives.

Point two which ties directly into this, is that we must live these gospel lives in community. Why? Because God lives in community as the Trinity present in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Not only that, God has always been about creating a people. First through Adam, then Noah, then Abraham, then the Isrealites and now the Church (with the capital C, not the lower case c). He's always about blessing a people to be a blessing to the world. In our world today that is the Church.

But in this gospel life lived in community it is an enormus task with lots of variables from scenario to scenario - the common linkage is that we are supposed to live life in such a way that as individuals participating in community we live such lives that the world demands an explanation, and the only explanation is the Gospel.

Jesus has been teaching me a lot about that recently. The Holy Spirit is growing that passion in me continually. Today, tonight, God gave me an oppurtunity to put this into practice. Before I share my story, I must preface it by saying that I'm not perfect at this. By no means. I fail, and fail a lot. This is one of the times I feel I have gotten it right.

Today, a brother of mine gave me a phone call. We help each other do life together and are developing a stronger bond all the time. He called, while I was in RH Student Ministries @ South County. Sent him a text and found out it was important. Snuck out and gave him a call. Where he shared with me the news that his girl friends dad had died on Thursday.

I'll admit, not the phone call I expected. Don't know what I was expecting, just not that. So we talk and find out the details, I'm heart broken, say goodbye and go back to the students. For the rest of the day it was hanging over me, I was broken and sad for two people I love. All I wanted to do was be with them, and grieve with them, and pray over them.

Then, the 9pm @ RockHarbor Central Campus begins. We sit through it and I realize that the response time is the ideal time to pray for him and her. So, after the message when response time hits - I pull him aside and ask him to come with me to the prayer room. Again, a note, I'm by no means perfect. But it is here, where I get to pray with him, pray over him, and lift him up. It is here, where community happened. Where life was done together, where it was all laid bare and made sure that for the sake of the Gospel whatever was needed from me he had as I'm there to keep him upright.

After that I asked if I could pray over them both. So he brought her in. It was sad, she's a beautiful, energetic woman who loves Jesus and I could feel and see the heaviness in her soul. I hug her and spend time grieving. It is after this that I look at them both, and do life, and live community of the Gospel out with them and share my heart, how I'm here for her, for him, for them. And then, prayed for these two amazing people who love Jesus and each other, that model a Godly relationship to the world, through the Gospel in their community.

The Gospel embodied in community. It hurts. Its tough. Its worth it. We just model ourselves after our perfect example, Jesus, till he returns and takes away things such as death. Remember, after all, even "Jesus wept".