Christian Missionaries and Missionary Christians... what’s the difference?

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PART I

THE ELDER, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. (3 John 1:1-8).

The Apostle John wrote 3rd John to a man named Gaius in part to commend him for his expressions of love toward fellow ministers of the gospel. Evidently some itinerant missionaries had been sent out by John's church and had returned with a report about how well Gaius had treated them.

There are two different categories of Christians that John mentions in verses 1-8 of 3rd John. First are those whom he identifies as "brethren and strangers." These are Christian Missionaries, people who have left home to carry the gospel of Christ to others, usually in far away places. Then there is Gaius himself, who stands as a wonderful example of a Missionary Christian.

These two different categories of believers highlight an important missiological axiom: Not every believer can be a Christian Missionary, but every believer must be a Missionary Christian. We can learn some important lessons about both types from John's letter.

Christian Missionaries Go - In Close Relationship with the Church
Christian Missionaries leave the confines of familiar surroundings, home and family, in order to take the gospel to others in far off places. But they do not go on their own. They go in close relationship with the "sending" church. John learned of Gaius's wonderful work through the testimony of the missionaries who were reporting to "the church" (v. 6).

The significance of this relationship is made very clear in the first official missionary enterprise which is recorded in the book of Acts. In the first 5 verses of chapter 13, we are told how Paul and Barnabas became missionaries. As men who were already faithful in the local congregation of believers at Antioch, they were set apart for their work by the Holy Spirit through the church. Paul and Baranabas were sent not only by the Holy Spirit (v. 4) but also by the church (v. 3).

It's not enough for a man to sense the inward call of the Spirit to go preach the gospel at home or abroad. Such a call is essential but inadequate to justify entering missionary work. The church must bear witness to that call and be willing to send the missionary out. Self-appointed, self-sent missionaries have a hard time biblically justifying their independence from a local church. In the New Testament, Christian missionaries were sent by a body of believers... a local church.

Their work is also defined in terms of the church. What did Paul and Baranabas do as missionaries? Equipped with the Word and empowered by the Spirit, they went out to make disciples and establish local churches. Theirs was a church planting effort (as Acts 13 and 14 make clear). Humanitarian aid has its place and works of mercy are never to be slighted, but Christian Missionaries are to aim at planting churches of new believers among the unreached people groups of the world. This is Biblical, first priority and command... preaching the gospel, baptizing converts and discipleship. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Furthermore, not only are missionaries sent by the church with the goal of starting churches, but also we discover in the New Testament... Christian Missionaries are accountable to the church. Luke records the conclusion of Paul's and Baranabas's first missionary journey with these words:

From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles (Acts 14:26-27).

The missionaries were accountable to the church which set them apart and sent them to their work.

Just as there are no lone ranger Christians in the New Testament, so there can be no lone ranger missionaries, self-sent, self-ordained without authorization and accountability to the church. Jesus said "I will build my church." Christian missionaries go out from one church in order to plant new churches in places where the gospel needs to be preached. They are a part of Christ's church by maintaining a close relationship with the local churches--both the one from which they have been sent, and the ones which they help to plant.

THE MINISTRY OF CHRISTIANS IN THE WORLD TODAY

Christians are to be servants in their relationships with God and others
Jesus defined his own ministry in words from the prophet Isaiah, "to preach good news to the poor … to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19 NIV). This is also our mission.

Jesus set the example for us to imitate. He chose the image of a humble obedient servant and demonstrated that lifestyle for his followers. He reminded his disciples that "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28 NIV). In the upper room Christ washed his disciples' feet and told them "the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him" (John 13:16 KJV).

In the early church, persons were set apart for special ministries, including teachers, preachers, apostles, and deacons. Every person had his "ministry" according to his spiritual gifts. No ministry was insignificant. Christ teaches that even ministry to the least of his brothers is ministry to him (Matthew 25:34-40). That service is to the destitute and those in physical, social, and spiritual need. James warned that without the works of a servant, faith is dead (James 2:14 -18).

One special ministry given to all Christians is the ministry of reconciliation. Reconciliation of the world to God and of persons to each other is the purpose for which Christ came. We are charged with carrying on the work of Christ as agents of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18 -19).

Jesus affirmed the importance of the Old Testament teaching to "love your neighbor as yourself", and the apostle John records it as a “command” for us, not an option, but a requirement of our faith. (John 13:34-35). Paul also saw this as the summary of commandments dealing with human relationships (Romans 13:8-10).

Servanthood includes responsibility for others. Paul said it is some- times necessary to modify our actions for the sake of those who are weaker (1 Corinthians 10:23 -33). Peter cautioned us to use Christian freedom wisely (1 Peter 2:13 -17).

Christians have a responsibility to Society to be witnesses for the Gospel
All Christians enjoy the benefits of the priesthood of believers. They can and should make intercession to God through Christ, their High Priest, on behalf of themselves and others. Christ has made us "priests to serve his God and Father" (Revelation 1:6 NIV). All people in God’s family of believers have the right and responsibility to minister for God, remembering that "we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20).

As God's special envoys, we are representatives of the Kingdom of God and messengers of the Good News that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16 KJV). Jesus' compassion offered people an opportunity to discover a new life. We must "declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9 RSV).

We are to witness for Christ by the words of our mouth and every action of our lives as we show the indwelling Christ living and working through us (Philippians 2:15 ; Colossians 3:17 ). All that we do is to be done to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

Each individual is created in the image of God. Because "we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and wrong. … slaves to passions" (Titus 3:3), we do not condemn those who still are. All persons should be viewed as potential believers (John 4:3-26). Our attitude should be that of hating the sin but loving the sinners, as we seek to affirm their worth and value to God, and to persuade them to abandon their sin and turn to a new life in Christ.

Jesus said his followers were to be the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world" (Matthew 5:13 -16). In order to reflect the light of Christ in the world, Christians must be aware of what is taking place in society. Each individual Christian, each local congregation, and all outreach and misison initiatives within the church must, after much prayer, decide how best to meet the challenges of a diverse culture. Remember, the way in which God can use us is limited only by our lack of imagination, or our refusal to serve the intersest of the Kingdom.

Christians have dual citizenship
When we are immersed into Christ, we are taken “out of the world” in the sense that we are no longer part of this world’s motives, desires, or actions. We are made citizens of heaven. But then God puts us right back into the world because the unsaved of this world become our primary mission. (John 17:14 ). We are directed not to conform to this world, but to lead transformed lives in honor of Christ (Romans 12:1-2). "The Spirit who is in you is more powerful than the spirit in those who belong to the world" (1 John 4:4 TEV).

As Christians we are called to be good citizens. Paul advised, "Every-one must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. "The authorities that exist have been established by God" (Romans 13:1 NIV).

When the will of society and the will of God come into direct, unresolvable conflict, we should do all within legal limits to change man's laws. If this is not possible, like the apostles before us, we have no choice but to “obey God rather than man" (Acts 5:29 ). This is in accord with the teaching of Jesus to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:17 NIV) and to "fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28 KJV). To obey God's laws may require us to accept persecution for the cause of Christ. Jesus said, "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matthew 5:39 NIV). Meekness is not weakness. Jesus calls us to reflect his extraordinary courage: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44 NIV). As we seek to serve God, our guiding principle must be to let God's love flow through us to our society and all people. The world is waiting.... lets first "renovate" our minds and hearts and then reach out to all those seeking to find the true meaning and purpose for life.