discovering missions - Southern Nazarene University

245187 Disc Missions ins 9/6/07 1:04 PM Page 29
of Jeremiah and Lamentations in the biblical canon has meant that long after his
death, Jeremiah’s ministry has indeed had wide global influence.
An Obstinate Missionary
God sent a Hebrew prophet to Nineveh, the capital of the violent
and brutal Assyrian empire, to call that city to repentance. By sending
Jonah to Nineveh, God confirms His desire for a relationship
with all peoples, including Israel’s enemies.
Jonah’s reluctance to go to Nineveh mirrored Israel’s reluctance to
be used by God to draw the Gentiles to himself. Jonah eventually went
to Nineveh and preached his message. At that point, instead of rejoicing
at the Ninevites’ marvelous turning to God, Jonah complained because
destruction was not raining down on Nineveh. God responded
by chastising Jonah for not sharing His compassionate heart.
Sadly, this brief story epitomizes what has often happened to
mission theology and practice:
1. God’s will and heart are clearly committed to mission to all
peoples through a priestly ministry by His people.
2. His people resist engaging in the mission to which they have
been called in the Abrahamic covenant.
In “Coming Around,” Thomas Carlisle expresses that thought in
a more poetic way:
And Jonah stalked
to his shaded seat and waited for God
to come around
to his way of thinking.
And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs
in their comfortable houses
to come around
to his way of loving. 9
The Heart of God 29
Jonah is an example of a point of view often prevalent among God’s people
(see sidebar “An Obstinate Missionary”). Most likely Jonah did not want to
preach in Nineveh because it was not a Jewish city and he did not want God to
deal graciously with non-Jews. Outraged at that prejudicial attitude, God asks
a haunting question that is left unanswered: “Should I not have concern for
the great city Nineveh?” (Jonah 4:11). It is clear that God cared for the people
of Nineveh even if Jonah did not. Behind Jonah’s story is the idea that permeates
the entire Bible—that Yahweh is a missionary God who desires that His
people share His missionary heart.