Good news travels fast. That’s why there are missionaries. The love of Christ compels us... In our globalized, interconnected world the good news of Christ coming to redeem us and reconcile all things to God must be shared. The interconnected nature of our world changes the way we do missions.
Boundaries are breaking down and the challenges to making Christ known multiply. With these new challenges the church is adapting. Countries that were just a few years ago hearing about the good news of Jesus Christ are now at the leading edge of those taking the message around the world. And countries that were once sending out missionaries are receiving them.
One of the new opportunities of our times lies in the very nature of the church. We are the body of Christ and there is a solidarity that extends beyond national and cultural boundaries. The principle of equality taught by Paul in 2 Corinthians 8 calls for flow of resources from those who have much to those who are in need. And that in turn those who received from the surplus of others will in turn give out of their surplus.
To illustrate this exchange goes way beyond a financial transaction Paul points us to Christ gave to us out of his riches. He became poor so that we could be rich. Our riches are primarily of a spiritual nature. It can be financial giving or the sending of missionaries. Thus helping those in need. But it is so much more. Also the flow can be from everywhere to everywhere. Each part of the worldwide Church has a unique strength, a gift, to offer the rest of the world. We are unified by our common love for Christ. We are strengthened by our dependence on each other.
We are convinced that a new way of doing missions must be explored. While part of the equation will remain finances there is so much more that needs to be shared.
There are riches in the church in France that the church in the States needs. Just as there are riches within the Romani church that needs to be shared with the church in France and the States...
I am excited about the opportunity to share what we are doing with you. Yet I’m even more excited to talk about how we can create a true partnership between churches in different cultures. This will in turn lead to a great flow of blessing from one part of the Body to another. And God will use this to expand his kingdom.
We consider it a privilege to be able to connect different parts of the Body of Chris across nationalities.
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