Characteristics of Mission Minded People – RIOT Podcast – Christian Podcast

About this Episode

CHARACTERISTICS OF A MISSION MINDED PERSON is what we will be talking about today on the RIOT Podcast, a Christian podcast.. Today’s discussion is all about being and living a mission minded life along as stepping out and sharing your faith with those you come in contact with.

Theologian Christopher Wright wrote that, “It is not so much that God has a mission for his church in the world, but that God has a church for his mission in the world…mission was not made for the church; the church was made for mission—God’s mission. Today, “missional” is a popular church word. It’s a good phrase, but it carries a little baggage. Being mission-minded is an effort to balance the realities that the church was made for God’s mission and that the church is itself a mission (in that God is consistently working in His people, transforming us to reflect the character of Christ.)

• Characteristic 1: You desire to meet someone who does not follow Jesus Christ. Mission-minded people follow Jesus’ plan in Luke 10:2 to go work “His harvest.” They actively seek out non-believers for conversations and friendship.

Mission-minded people are committed to learning and speaking the language of the culture they are surrounded by. They avoid speaking ‘Christianese’, using pious prayer language, in-house ‘jargon’, and ‘super-spiritual' talk around non-believers

• Characteristic 2: You continually 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, and take risks all in an effort to share Christ.

Avoiding ‘we-them’ language, or language that belittles people of different political, spiritual, social positions, or is disrespectful of people with who we disagree. Instead, they engage people by humbly admitting our weaknesses and failures, while demonstrating the joyful difference the Gospel makes.

• Characteristic 3: You live with a different worldview. You think more about the world, culture, and languages than you do about the tiny place where you live. You understand that the gospel is not just for yourself but for all people. You are committed to getting it out to the rest of the world.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

We are not to put our trust in worldly things however we do need to know what’s going on in the world. We must have a knowledge and appreciation of the culture’s movies, books, music, etc., in order to understand the culture’s hopes, dreams, stories, and fears. So, we can show people that only Jesus can fulfill their greatest desires.

• Characteristic 4: You hear the voice of God and are obedient. Mission-minded people hear the voice of God and obey Him when He tells them to go across the street, to another town, state or country to share about His redeeming love.

Isaiah 6:8 Lord here I am send me.

Or the heart of Ruth to Naomi Ruth 1:16 Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

• Characteristic 5: You pray a lot! Praying is a direct link to God. You believe that God will do greater things than we can ever imagine, and you pray for it to happen.

1 Thess 5:16-18 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Romans 12:9-21 (please look it up)