The mission imperative (an introvert's perspective)

I last wrote about the imperative for unity which lies at the heart of church life. Out of our unity comes the second great imperative: to be a missionary church. Mission is the work of God, and every disciple is called to join in with God in what He is doing in their place.

So often mission and evangelism are confused. Evangelism is part of mission - an essential part if the word of God is to be heard by those who aren't habitual churchgoers - but it is not the whole of it. Sometimes the idea of being evangelical seems difficult, and yet every Christian is called to be evangelical, in the sense that every Christian is called to share their story of the good news of the gospel impacting on their lives. The appropriation of the title evangelical by a particular sub-group of Christians with a particular worship style is perhaps unhelpful to all the ordinary Christians in ordinary places. They don't worship that way, perhaps don't agree with every viewpoint that is labelled 'evangelical' and so they understand that they are not evangelical and not called to speak out the gospel or do the evangelical thing. It's an easy opt out.

I recently heard myself tell a colleague that I am not an evangelical. After she left, I realised that I hadn't got it right. I am not a person who would easily fit into any of the sub-groups within the church, but at different times I am nurtured by most of them. I believe passionately in sharing the good news of Jesus with the world. That presumably does make me an evangelical, even if I'm not the sort of person who goes to Spring Harvest or New Wine. And, I reflected, the main factor in that difference between and the New Wine goers is not about belief necessarily, but about temperament. I am an introvert. Going to big gatherings, talking to strangers, all the things that are the hall mark of evangelical churchgoing, are the sort of thing I really find draining. So, I got it wrong when I talked to my friend. I am an evangelical, just too shy, too quiet, too introverted to fit into the sub-groups's general mould.

Middle of the road rural village churches sometimes need to give themselves permission, as I do myself, to be another kind of evangelical, speaking about our experiences quietly, gently, in ones and twos. What matters is not how we tell the gospel but THAT we tell it. For we are missionary churches and we must do God's work. And that means pointing people to Jesus by whatever means we are able.