Australia November 2018
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pastors. Several of them spoke of their<br />
very deliberate focus on cross cultural<br />
mission and how they are encouraging<br />
their congregations to be participants.<br />
This was music to the ears of agencies who<br />
often struggle to access churches.<br />
One highlight for me was attending an<br />
elective called “A Matter of Calling”. The<br />
presenter was a vastly experienced mission<br />
leader, who had been National Director of<br />
a major international mission. He has also<br />
had a distinguished academic career as a<br />
Bible College Principal as well as being a<br />
pastor and author!<br />
His premise was that waiting for God’s<br />
call to mission is not Biblically sustainable.<br />
“Call” is almost always used in the<br />
chapter titles – not as part of the text. His<br />
contention is that waiting for a call can<br />
often be an unintended diversion to ignore<br />
what we have already been directed to do!<br />
When the Israelites were fleeing<br />
from Egypt – water in<br />
front, army behind,<br />
they cried<br />
out to<br />
God. His reply is telling. “Why are you<br />
crying out to me?’ He says, in paraphrase<br />
- tell them to get on with it. I have<br />
ALREADY given them everything they<br />
need!<br />
Whilst churches often wait for people to<br />
be “called” to mission, our presenter noted<br />
that the Biblical model is being “sent”. In<br />
Matthew 3:12 Jesus says “Ask the Lord of<br />
the harvest, therefore, to send workers into<br />
His harvest field.” He did not wait for His<br />
disciples to be “called”. He tapped them<br />
on the shoulder and sent them!<br />
In John 20 Jesus says “As the Father has<br />
sent me, so I am sending you?”<br />
The key component of mission is not<br />
agencies like CCSM but the churches.<br />
They are the ones who have the mandate<br />
to identify, tap on the shoulder and send.<br />
Our important role is local knowledge and<br />
support.<br />
Could you pray that our churches will<br />
have a revelation about their mission<br />
responsibility. “Therefore go and make<br />
disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19)<br />
is unequivocal. Waiting for the “call” is<br />
ignoring the fact that we already have that<br />
call! We just need to be sent.<br />
12<br />
CCSM <strong>Australia</strong><br />
PO Box 7445<br />
Fisher, ACT 2611<br />
T: +61 (8) 6225 2529<br />
National Director: Murray Cameron<br />
australia@amccsm.org<br />
www.amccsm.org