Family on Mission

Have you ever found yourself lost in a sea of hopelessness? Perhaps you've experienced moments where everything seems to be falling apart – your health, job, family, or the world around you. In these times, it's easy to lose sight of who we are and why we're here. We may find ourselves simply going through the motions, putting one foot in front of the other, dealing with a serious lack of motivation and living in a pattern of discouragement.

This feeling of hopelessness isn't new. In fact, it's a struggle that has persisted throughout human history. One poignant example comes from the end of World War II. As the conflict dragged on, morale among U.S. troops hit an all-time low. A breakdown in communication led to a staggering 17 million pieces of mail sitting backlogged in warehouses for up to two years. Soldiers on the front lines hadn't heard from their loved ones back home, and families stateside were left wondering about the fate of their deployed relatives.

Enter the 6888th – the only all-female, all-black battalion deployed overseas during World War II. Their mission? To sort and deliver the backlogged mail to troops, effectively providing hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. As their leader, Major Charity Adams, proclaimed: "Soldiers, we have been ordered to provide hope. The soldiers have not heard from their loved ones, and their loved ones have not heard from them. And where there is no mail, there is low morale. I realize the magnitude of the situation, but this is our mission and we will not fail."

This powerful story illustrates a profound truth: hope is restored when we understand the message and fulfill our mission. As Christians, we too have been given a clear mission – one that has the power to restore hope not just to ourselves, but to the world around us.

In Matthew 28:16-20, we find Jesus giving what has come to be known as the Great Commission:

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"

This passage outlines our mission as followers of Christ: to make disciples. But how do we accomplish this? Jesus provides us with three key strategies:

• Pursue people where they are with the gospel ("Go")
• Invite people into a relationship with God and His church ("Baptizing")
• Teach people how to live by faith in Jesus ("Teaching")

Let's break these down further:

Pursuing people where they are means actively seeking out opportunities to share the good news of Christ. It's about bringing hope to people in their everyday lives, not waiting for them to come to us. Jesus himself modeled this by going to where people were, rather than setting up a megachurch in Nazareth. We see examples of this throughout the book of Acts, as the early church took the gospel to various parts of the known world.

Inviting people into a relationship with God and His church is represented by baptism. This isn't just about a religious ritual; it's about welcoming people into the family of God. It's a reminder that there are no lone ranger Christians – we're called to be in fellowship with one another, living out our faith in community.

Teaching people how to live by faith in Jesus goes beyond mere academic understanding. It's about shaping our entire lives according to Christ's teachings. As Deuteronomy 6:6-7 reminds us, we should be talking about God's commandments when we sit at home, walk along the road, lie down, and get up. In other words, our faith should permeate every aspect of our lives.

To effectively live out this mission, it's helpful to have three types of people in our spiritual lives:

1. A "father" (or mother) - someone who is leading and guiding us in our faith
2. A "fellow" - someone who is walking alongside us, encouraging us in our discipleship
3. A "follower" - someone we are actively teaching and guiding as disciples

It's important to recognize that this mission isn't always easy. Even among Jesus' original disciples, we see that "some doubted" (Matthew 28:17). We may feel the weight of what we're not doing or struggle with feelings of inadequacy. But here's the good news: Jesus promises, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

Our hope and strength for this mission come not from our own abilities, but from Christ's presence with us. As the Apostle Paul said, "To live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21). We fulfill our mission in and through Christ, empowered by His Holy Spirit.

So, as we go about our daily lives, let's remember the words of Major Charity Adams, adapted for our spiritual mission:

"Christians, we have been ordered to provide hope. The people of the world have not heard from their God, and their God is not heard from them. When there is no gospel message, there is low morale. I realize the magnitude of the situation, but this is our mission. And by God's grace, we will not fail."

Let's embrace our identity as a family on mission, pursuing people with the gospel, inviting them into relationship with God and His church, and teaching them to live by faith in Jesus. As we do so, we not only find hope for ourselves but become bearers of hope to a world desperately in need of it.

May we go forth with confidence, knowing that the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth goes with us, empowering us to make disciples who will transform the world with the love and truth of Christ.