What is your mission field? If you were a missionary to, say, Bangladesh, you’d likely point to a specific village you are planted in, or a section of a city. You might point to a specific subculture of people. For those of us living normal lives, born and raised in America, we don’t tend to think like this. But we should!
As Christians, our simple mission is to help people to be reconciled and close with God. How to accomplish the mission isn’t so simple. Each geographic region and each people group require different approaches. The message is the same for everyone, everywhere, but because people are so different, we must figure out the best ways to share Christ.
Thinking like a missionary
Back to Bangladesh, if I was in a particular village, as a missionary, I would start by learning the language, culture and customs. What do the people believe? What do they hold dear? Do they have any knowledge of Jesus Christ? What do they know about Him? What is their history? What do they love; what do they hate? I would, essentially, study the people with this question in mind: How can I best communicate the message of Jesus to them? As I prayerfully study the people, the Lord would give me His ideas. This is what all good missionaries do. But we forget to do this in America. It’s good for us to think like missionaries.
Be specific
So I ask you again, what is your mission field? In one sense we might say, “the whole world!” and that’s good and true. But it’s important to have a specific field (or fields) of mission. If you are a schoolteacher, it might be your students and the other teachers. If you are in a neighborhood, it might be your neighbors. If you have a large number of family members who aren’t Christian, it might be your family. If you are part of a sports team or a bowling club or part of a book club at the library, then these might be your mission field. If you are a college student in an architecture program, your mission might be your fellow “archies.” You get the idea. We might have 2-3 mission fields.
Everyone
If your mission field is the other soccer players on your team, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t care for anyone else. We should love everyone, everywhere, and we should be ready to share Christ. I’ve shared Christ with the homeless, Japanese businessmen in NYC, single moms in South Providence, artists, yuppies, owners of puppies, strangers in the market, angry cult leaders, Muslims, Mormons, Moonies, Hippies, professors, students, kids, elderly in nursing homes, people sick in hospitals, the mentally ill, men in prison, sex offenders, prostitutes, scammers, thieves, addicts, waitresses, and refugees. I’m sure if you started listing them out you’d realize you’ve shared Jesus with all kinds of people. This is good and we should do this.
But it’s good to have a specific mission field. Here’s why.
Deep versus wide
When we focus on a specific people group, we begin to understand the best ways to communicate the message of Jesus. When I lived in NYC I made my mission field the many homeless on the streets. Do you want to know how to become wise in reaching specific people groups? By doing it. By trying. By spending time with people. Every conversation I had with a homeless person was an education. Every interaction with them I learned what to do—and what not to do, a little more. I was learning how to bring Christ to them.
When you have a specific field of mission it also enables you to devote yourself to understanding them. For example, let’s say it is in your heart to reach the many Muslims who live in your neighborhood. You could read books to help you understand Islam. You could research ministries that have been successful in reaching Muslims. You could search for testimonies of Muslims who converted to Christianity and see if there are patterns.
If I owned 20 acres of land I wouldn’t just wake up each day and scatter seeds around randomly. I would focus on a particular section and work the field. I would tend it, water it, and care for it. It’s the same with our field of mission. Once we decide what field we are going to focus on, we can pour everything into caring for it.
Intentional
Knowing your field also helps you to be intentional. For example, if your field is the neighborhood around your church building, then you intentionally frequent the restaurants there. You have meetings in the park. You take walks in the neighborhood. You take an interest in new businesses. You join the neighborhood association. You show up at a community event. Knowing your field of mission affects where and how you spend your time and money.
What I’m suggesting isn’t something we can accomplish in a week or a month. Good missionaries devote themselves to reaching specific people over many years, even decades. They grow in wisdom slowly. Their credibility grows within the community they are serving. They build trusted friendships. They understand the people. They know what works and what doesn’t. They become part of the fabric of the culture they are reaching.
I am convinced that any of us who will choose a field of mission and devote ourselves to love, serve, understand, and pray, over the long haul, will eventually bear much fruit. It’s not easy. Read the stories of missionaries. They sacrifice a lot and sometimes don’t see results for years. It takes tenacity. And fervent love. What is your field of mission? Who are you devoted to reaching?
How do I choose?
I keep asking the question of who your field of mission is which may lead to another question, “How do I choose who to make my mission field?” Some of you may have never thought about this till now. Don’t overthink it. Ask the Lord who He wants you to focus on. God sometimes does drastic things and calls us to reach people outside of our spheres. We should always be open to that. But, in most cases, He wants us to “bloom where we are planted.” If you are in the medical field and spend 70-80 hours at the hospital—I’m pretty sure that’s your field, my friend. Are you the first person in your family to become a follower of Christ? Then, your family is your field. Think about who you already have relationships with. I encourage you to start with one field of mission and start with one that is a natural fit.
My point in all this is to encourage you to choose a specific region or group of people and devote yourself to bringing God’s love to them. Watch what happens.