A journey into missions....

Tonight was a rough night.  I had to drop off groceries to three people.  One of the drop offs were missing a bag and there was an incident with someone receiving the wrong bag.  So I spent the night driving around Mississauga back and fourth  to make sure everyone got the right groceries.  I wasn't in the mood for this.  I often wonder why I do what I do.  Why is there such an emphasis on missions?  Why should I spend my Thurs evening driving around Mississauga when I can perfectly go and do some exercise.  Side note: I exercise now, I no longer train.  I am debating whether I still qualify myself as a triathlete....maybe Soul of a Christian sounds more appropriate.

I was irritated when I got the call from the food bank that so and so missed a bag.

Recently, I listened to Michael Frost on being missional.   Michael Frost is an Australian missiologist. I still remember the first time I read his book during an audit course at MacMaster Divinity.  It was very an eye opener.  Back then, the idea of missions was never high on my radar.  I was going to church. I was leading my fellowship.  I was doing the usual business.

I am always amaze at how a few years...three years, my heart is changed.  Right now, I never stop thinking about missions.  Never stop thinking to share the gospel in relevant and ways that non Church goers can understand.  The pursuit of missions has taken me to street in downtown Toronto. Where I come and get to know R, who is in a wheel chair and live in downtown.  The idea of missional just excite me and get my juice pumping. I can spend hours discuss about this and how we can go about being missional.

The past few years were my own experiments on being missional.   Going to downtown and hanging out with the homeless, going to Open Doors, driving around dropping off food, speaking at running clubs, trying to connect with a guy I got into a car accident....all these are just venues for me to connect with others from all different levels.  It's fun!

I remembered one night  I sat down next to another homeless person yapping about life.  He was causing quite a scene as he would try and struck a conversation at every pedestrian who walked by.  "Really cheap estate here!" as he pointed on the cardboard he was sitting on.  That was crazy....and fun!

I looked back and see those are moment where I desired to pursuit God.   In the Bible, Jesus spent a large part of the time with the lowly and outcast.  I asked myself, if Jesus is in Toronto, where would He be?  Surely He won't be just in a church, in a fellowship or in Christian events (conference, bands etc.) only.  He would be out proclaiming and bringing fourth the Kingdom. He would be out there. Wait, I should go too then.

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As I drive around Mississauga, I often wonder how come this journey I am often by myself.   Yes, there is a sense of loneliness.  At the same time, those times when I was out on the street on my own...as I discovered (more like recover) missions and the aspect that God is a missional God (missio dei)....I started to see those are moments where I fully relied on the Holy Spirit.  I wasn't dependent on a program or someone to help me out.  This is my training program to rely purely on Him.

I know I ain't the only one relying on Him.  Countless missionaries are alone.  I am sure there are many Christians, nameless, no recognition, just going out there following Him as well.

Tonight was a chilly one.  The wind is picking up again. As I dropped off the last bag and apologized to the lady that this might  not be what she wanted,  I found myself once again in joy.  I told A (the highschool student who come with me to visit R) that a while back my goal was to go out every night to serve.  A asked me if I am doing it now...I can say, I am.  And I try to push it more and more everyday.

Mission is fun, is exhilarating and it is exciting. I hope I never stop.

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More side note...sometimes I hear people say you don't need to go to seminary because it is a waste of time.  You can read all the books that you need to read.  That's true. I can just sit home and read books.
Then again,  I am not much of an academic person or a thinker.  I am not the school type.  I never get high grades.  But I love being in seminary.  I love the fact that in a course I can really think about my faith.  I can go and dig and dig and dig.  I love how the professors encourage us to think and grow.   I still remember Lee Beach.  He was the prof which I took an audit course from. He encouraged me to take a program at Mac Div and I can benefit from more theology.

So good!