Welcome to Mission Focus!
As the pastor for missions at Calvary, it's my heart's desire to see a whole new generation of believers in our church so incredibly captivated by joy in Jesus Christ that they will gladly leave American comforts behind to pursue even more joy in introducing others to the hope of the Gospel.
Jesus said lots of things that are recorded in the four Gospels. But one of the most gripping things He said was in John 14:21: "If you love me you will do what I command." He also said, "Go and make disciples of all nations..." Hmmm... that sounds like a command. It's interesting that the word "go" literally means "as you are going" - like to the grocery store or to a college class or to Taiwan on a business trip. How do you measure up to that command? I ask myself the same thing.
What's terrible is the implication - if I'm not carrying out Jesus' command to "go and make disciples" then I don't love Him. That's a really big problem. In fact, lack of love for Jesus is precisely what keeps us from carrying out His commands. None of us loves Christ like we should. Could anything motivate us to "go and make disciples"? Guilt tactics don't work. And more well-organized programs aren't even enough to overcome laziness and apathy and the overpowering drug of American comfort and entertainment. Jesus' last instructions remain largely neglected by Western Evangelicals or, at best, reduced to a list of chores right alongside feeding the dog and taking out the trash.
The only thing that will move us to leave familiar safety and security behind to engage all kinds of people everywhere is more love for Christ. David said in Psalm 34:8, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Witnessing is sharing with others what you have tasted for yourself. None of us praises what we don't enjoy. On the other hand, not one of us can keep quiet about what we find most deeply satisfying. So, have you tasted the goodness of the Lord? Have you had your toes on the edge of that wild expanse of God's glory and been absolutely captured by His beauty and excellence? This is the only remedy; the only catapult that will launch us out into the world with the Gospel.
I really want this to be my experience all the time. And I want it for everyone else as well.