Thinking Like A Missionary

A number of years ago I helped organize a young adult event at our Church. It was an outreach event with a simple strategy: the young adults that were in the Church group invited their friends and classmates that were not. “Let’s help them see that people who are into their faith are not a bunch of weirdos.” Many of our members invited their friends and a great number came out. It was a fruitful outreach.

One of the young ladies that came with her friend was wearing something that may have been inappropriate for a parish function. A young man approached me and suggested that I need to tell her that what she was wearing was inappropriate for Church. Now that I think if it, he may have been on the hospitality team that night.

I calmly replied, “This is the first time that young lady has been in a Church for years. The last thing I want her to hear from us is that she is dressed inappropriately.”

The young man’s heart was in the right place, but it reveals a commonly held mindset in the Church: Behave – Believe – Belong. If you behave the right way and believe the right things, you will belong here. That mindset was held by the Pharisees of Jesus’ day and why He was so forthright in calling them out for their lack of evangelical charity.

Right doctrine and behaviour matter a lot but we can’t lead with that message when taking the Gospel to the peripheries. The first thing we extend isn’t a message of correction but an invitation to relationship. This is what intentional accompaniment is all about.

Right doctrine and behaviour matter a lot but we can't lead with that when taking the Gospel to the peripheries. The first thing we extend isn't a message of correction but an invitation to relationship. Share on X

If we are committed to the missionary mandate of the Church, we need to get comfortable extending friendship and community to people that do not believe or behave in a manner consistent with the Gospel. This is the “messiness” Pope Francis has invited us to embrace. It’s messy to embrace a life of proximity and nearness to those who are far from “proper” behaving and believing.

We need to get comfortable extending friendship and community to people that do not believe or behave in a manner consistent with the Gospel. This is the messiness Pope Francis has invited us to embrace. Share on X

Our duty (and privilege) is to help people feel like they belong. Genuine friendship serves as a crutch to support the Holy Spirit initiated process of conversion and discipleship. People sincerely seeking discipleship learn what to believe and how to behave but belonging comes first.

Saint John Paul II often said, “The evangelical witness which the world finds most appealing is that of genuine interest and concern for people.”

This was Jesus’ utter magnetism with sinners. People that were nothing like Jesus, liked to be with Jesus. They ran way from the religious leaders of the day and they ran to Jesus.

He allowed Himself to be captivated by their story, their yearnings, their interests, their needs. He put belonging first, above believing and behaving.

He welcomed others into His life unconditionally and allowed them to feel like they belong in relationship with Him. He affirmed progress rather than waiting for perfection. Yes, Jesus saw their weaknesses, shortcomings and sin. And, yes, He desired people to come to repentance and a radical re-orientation of life, but He never made that a requirement for starting a friendship.

Jesus desired people to come to repentance and a radical re-orientation of life, but He never made that a requirement for starting a friendship. Share on X

Consider the interaction between Jesus and Zacchaeus, the tax collector. Jesus was walking through town when he saw Zacchaeus up in a sycamore tree, “Zacchaeus, come down from there. I will stay with you tonight.”

Notice he didn’t say, “Zacchaeus, I’d like to dine with you tonight but there’s just a few things. Before you and I hang out, you need to go to the synagogue and present yourself to the Rabbi. You need to repent of all that you have done against the Law. Then you need to serve the Rabbi and live in the synagogue for 3 years. This will help you make restitution for all the wrong you have done and the good you have failed to do. You should fast twice a week, say your prayers five times a day and make an annual pilgrimage to the temple. At the completion of all this, come find me and I will dine with you.”

Jesus was the express image of the father’s love here on earth. Loving acceptance of the individual is not the same thing as condoning sin or agreeing with a theological perspective that is contrary to divine revelation.

The prodigals will return to the Father’s house when the Father’s house is filled with the Father’s love. Extending the love of the Father begins by extending a hand in friendship.

Our duty (and privilege) is to help people feel like they belong. Genuine friendship serves as a crutch to support the Holy Spirit initiated process of conversion and discipleship. Share on X Behave - Believe - Belong. If you behave the right way and believe the right things, you will belong here. That mindset was held by the Pharisees of Jesus' day and why He was so forthright in calling them out. Share on X