2. WHAT IS THE “MISSIONARY IMPULSE”?
The MISSIONARY IMPULSE refers to the way God’s Word
and God’s Spirit (when combined) quite naturally PUSH US
OUTWARD into God’s world -- towards the lives and needs
of others.
“ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit,20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the
very end of the age.”
3. BEYOND BOUNDARIES
The Missionary Impulse has a way of moving us beyond our
boundaries into places and towards people who need the Lord.
• Some of the boundaries are geographical – Paul going into Asia
Minor
• Some are cultural – Peter going to the Roman Centurion’s home
to preach
• Some are social – Jesus ministering to “sinners”, women, Tax-
Collectors, etc
• Some are personal – “I worked harder than them all – yet not
“I”, but the grace of God that was with me”
4. AM I “CALLED TO MISSIONS”?
That might not be the best way to frame the
question. The Missionary Impulse is universal
(to all believers). It moves all of us to cross
boundaries. It is only a question of what kind of
boundaries we are DRAWN or PUSHED to cross
by God’s Word and God’s Spirit.
5. THE “REACH” IS IN GOD
It is God who is reaching. The Gospel, in combination with the Power of the
Holy Spirit, quite naturally pulls us into joining with God as He actively
reaches to redeem lives.
If we are “reaching” others, it is only because we have been pulled into
participating with God’s reach.
“God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the
world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the
task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s
representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their
differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between
them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God;
he’s already a friend with you.” (2 Cor. 5)
