missions

In April I had the privilege of hearing veteran missionary, Dr. Helen Roseveare, speak at a staff conference for field missionaries of Entrust, International, in Hungary. Today I finished her book, He Gave Us a Valley.  In it, Helen describes her twenty years of ministry in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

The catchword these days at church is "missional." Missional living, missional vision, missional mindset... the focus increasingly rests on getting out of the church building to "go and be" the church. One large church in my area has over 40 mission opportunities planned for this year alone, some local and cross-country, but most of them overseas. Members have responded with great enthusiasm, filling the ranks of these planned trips without a great deal of persuasion.

Imagine with me if you will the new earth.

Picture lush gardens amid the most beautiful architecture. Ivy and morning glories wrap around chiseled, stone walls. Silver and glass walls glisten in the light and reflect the surrounding trees. Rose bushes, sans thorns of course, border a bamboo hut.

Picture flowing streams of water and juicy mangoes ripening on the trees.