We are called to be missionaries. I know that this is a loaded statement with many cultural and historical context. Perhaps there are other words that may not carry as much baggage; however, instead of creating a new phrase or using some ambiguous term, allow me to take you on a walk through what it means to me to be a missionary.
One of the best places to begin is with the Great Commission where Jesus tells us in just a couple sentences what our job as the body of Christ is —“…be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV) It is interesting how this list of locations is a progression from the known to the unknown, from the comfortable to the uncomfortable, from the appreciated to the despised.
The first location that Jesus starts with is Jerusalem. Jerusalem can be seen as a metaphor for the people who we can connect easiest with such as our families, friends, coworkers or others we socialize with. They understand us. They know our story and perhaps they have been exposed to Christianity in a positive way so that you have a common ground.
Judea is a step away from the familiar. Perhaps in Judea you do not have as much in common. Maybe the same language, the same sports team, or the types of food you eat. But it is going to be harder to connect because you do not see things the same way and their values may be different than yours. Perhaps what they think is important, you do not and it may be that what you see as important they see as irrelevant.
It is with Judea that our work as a missionary begins. Being a missionary or being missional is about communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ across boundaries. It is about presenting the Gospel in a way that is understood by others. It is so easy to say and so hard to do.
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