Mission-minded people are different. That’s it. Somehow they manage to see the world from another perspective. The things they do and the decisions they make are just different than what other people would usually do.
You can find them in your church, place of work or coaching Little League. They are aware of the power of the Gospel to change lives. They know that even the smallest actions can demonstrate the grace and mercy of God. But honestly, every Christian “knows” this. So, what do mission-minded people actually do that’s different?
I asked IMB missionaries from around the world to help answer this question. Maybe you will see yourself in their responses … or maybe, like me, you will see an area in which God is challenging you.
So, here we go, 13 things mission-minded people do differently:
1. They WANT to meet someone who does not follow Jesus Christ.
Mission-minded people follow Jesus’ plan in Luke 10 to go work “His harvest.” They actively seek out non-believers for conversations and friendship.
2. They constantly look for creative ways to share the Gospel.
Mission-minded people find intentional ways to share so that people understand. It is not a “canned presentation” but relative to that person/group. They do the abnormal … irrational … counter-intuitive … take risks … all in an effort to share Christ.
3. They have different worldviews.
They think more about the world, culture and languages than they do about the tiny place where they live. They understand that the Gospel is not just for them but for all people. They are committed to getting it to the rest of the world.
4. They hear the voice of God and are obedient.
Mission-minded people hear the voice of God and obey. God will tell you if He wants you to go across the street, to another town, state or country to share about His redeeming love.
5. They pray… a lot! Praying is a direct link to God.
They believe that God will do greater things than we can ever imagine and pray for it to happen.
6. They make disciples.
They constantly ask themselves if what they are doing will result in disciples. If the strategy is only for people to hear, then the Gospel will not spread. Mission-minded people know the importance of discipleship.
7. They meet human needs while sharing the Gospel.
Mission-minded people realize that it doesn’t matter how many wells you dig or how many orphans you feed, if you aren’t following Christ’s mandate to take the Gospel to those who have not heard, you are just wasting time and money. They know that it’s possible to help people and talk about Christ at the same time … after all, that’s what Jesus did.
8. They know that being mission-minded is not a “task” … it’s a lifestyle.
They live out missions in their everyday life. From the moment they wake up until they go to bed, they impact the world around them.
9. They are relational.
They are willing to leave their own “bubble” to make relationships with those considered the “least of these.” They have an awareness of the people around them and look for ways to build a relationship that will lead to sharing Christ and discipleship.
10. They go!
It doesn’t matter where God tells them to go — Timbuktu or Kalamazoo — they grow where God plants them. And, they are willing to move on when He says, “GO!”
11. They see people with a future.
When they look at an unreached people group, they see potential “brothers and sisters” in Christ. They see that eternity and joy are available for everyone and are excited to share it.
12. They send!
They know that we are responsible for ALL people groups hearing the Gospel. They follow the example from the book of Acts to “send” out other missions-minded people. They support them in anyway possible.
13. They understand “the task” is not done.
Mission-minded people know that once they have reached their family and friends with Christ, they are not done. There are still billions in the world that have not proclaimed Jesus’ name.
