Wow. It's over a week since my last post! I've tried to be deliberate about my visits to other blogs. This can really take up as much time as posting and puttering can! All good, I must add, albeit time consuming.

On a very sad note, my daughter's bird was found dead in his cage Sunday morning. If you have been reading a couple of posts back, you would know how weird this is for us at this moment in time. Only last week we flushed the fish. (This on the heels of her "discussion" with God about her Dad and his health.) This parakeet was not in poor health, nor was he old. One minute he was singing happily, the next he was gone. I have no more to comment on this at this time. It is still a mystery and a bit of a shock. We have been having a rough couple of months at my house with regard to life and death. Pray for her. She is deeply grieved.

Now on to the word game: I posted the dictionary definition of Mission last week. Since then I have asked around -- "How would you define Mission?". This has been great fun for me (yes I am a nerd). My son's response was immediate and unwavering. "Mission Impossible" he stated. "Mission Impossible?" I asked, "like the movie? or like the concept?" He started singing the theme song and acting the part of a secret agent. (He's 13...I hope that explains a lot...). "Okay, I'll draw my own conclusions," I state, knowing that I've gotten as much out of him as I will, but I add, "are you SURE nothing else comes to mind?" He said "My second choice would be the California Missions and the Exploring Priests -- you know, Father Junipero Serra, Santa Barbara, San Juan Capistrano, San Jose..." (This is a staple of the California State History lessons. The missions are still here today, and all the kids have been to at least one...) This aspect for him equates to his adventurous perspective of the word "Mission". It had to be a great adventure to "boldly go where no man had gone before". Sure, they dressed weird, but they had a pretty cool life if you think about it. (in the eyes of the boy...) I would say his perspective of the word Mission covers definitions 1, 2, and 6 mostly. (see my last post).

My daughter (age 10) went straight for the California Missions. Nothing else came to mind for her. After all, she fed the birds there. She just built a mission model in 4th grade. She did point out that the Missions were about settling land so it could be claimed for Spain. I asked her if she thought the Missions helped to teach the people about Jesus. She said that it would have been better if the Fathers were nicer to the people -- but that yes, they did learn of Jesus from the Missions.

My own feelings about the word Mission and missional are complicated at best. I see the concept of mission as being completely westernized. The age of exploration has done this to me. I see this model as a completely different reality than what Paul lived out biblically. Our missions were footholds for living out the "manifest destiny". Our culture was built by conquerors who came to commandeer the land and erase the cultures that existed here. ("you think you own whatever land you land on"... Disney's Pocahontas) To learn of Jesus also meant to give up all other cultural beliefs and traditions. It was a hostile take-over. Paul didn't operate that way. He spoke to the people in the context of their cultures. Our Christians don't do that. I see today's churches as big business. Christians are out to "Win people for Christ" (to be translated -- "win people for our church and win the sales incentive award. Maybe there'll be a bonus.") Love is not the basis of this quest. It's about numbers. And competition. We are racing to win that guy to Christ before you do. Then we're off to the next...(this is the pyramid marketing missional statement).

I don't disregard the good work that the Missions have accomplished. Definition 2 really rings true on many levels then and today. Missions provide education and heath care, food and clothing to so many cultures all over the world. I believe that the California Missions brought more good than bad -- so much depends on the agenda of the Missionary, the motive of the heart. I feel that this model of settlement was far more amenable than a complete military invasion. The church tempered the motives of the movement. Spain was coming whether the church jumped on the bandwagon or not.

I feel strongly that Americans have a duty to distribute the incredible wealth we enjoy to all the corners of the world, and I think a Mission is a great way to do this. But I know that this model of Mission work is based on a system of haves and have-nots -- The Missionary has something physical the subject needs, and while they will minister to the body, they attempt to deliver the spiritual as well. I don't think you need to have anything to be missional. And I believe that people, although to a degree grateful, will eventually resent that every "gift" is given with a string attached. If my children are starving, I'll agree to listen to your sermon in exchange for food. Maybe I'll hear it, maybe not. You are holding all the cards. (this is the forced attendance option). The danger in this type of Missional work is confusing cultural preferences with Godly concepts.

I have a missionary friend (that sounds dangerously like "some of my best friends are republicans...") who once described her experiences beautifully. She started off a Blue American. Off to save the world. She went to the land of the Yellow, and couldn't help but become Green. She would never be Blue again, nor would she ever really be Yellow. But her work changes her culturally and ideologically, and she changes them--the people in her path. It is a chemical reaction, slowly but surely. "You really have to leave your culture behind if you want to represent God. He transcends all of that." "Sometimes", she added, "it's easier to see the failings of the American models (of Christianity) by stepping away from them and seeing them from another's eyes."

My mother worked for many years in the UN. She owned a business there. The many diplomats we met there were "Ministers" of their country of origin. Representatives. Their offices were called Missions. (Definition 1 on the dictionary list). Some wore the costumes of their country of origin. All ate at the cafeteria along side one another (and my mom and me!) They were not ashamed of their differences, nor were they bothered my ours. I love this idea as it applies to Christianity. I am a child of God, sent to represent His kingdom here in a foreign land. I am establishing relations with this foreign country, the world. I am learning about the people that my Father, the King, has assigned me to. He loves these people. It is not my job to demand my own way here, my Kingdom is from far beyond the confines of this land. I will influence the world around me by being present here, but change will be subtle. I am a representative. People will know I am a Christian by my love. It will be a result of that love that they will come to me to connect them to the amnesty they desire. They want what I have in Christ. I only have to introduce them to my Father. (this is the diplomatic missional approach).

I have to say that being missional to me bears no resemblance to the Evangelists of fame. I cannot bear to look at them. I can't stand the words Proselytize. Converts. These images and terms turn sour in my stomach. Birgit says that the term evangelist is no longer PC. This may be true. Have I equated the term to the unsavory images it evokes? Maybe so. I have heard the churches I've attended categorized as Evangelical. It actually made me consider running in the other direction. (I didn't run, by the way, but still wonder if I should have...) TV Evangelists are in the same category as computer spam in my book -- sometimes the message hits pay dirt (after all, I did buy a star...) but how many thousands of those messages are deleted before one catches your eye? I have heard it said that if even one person connects to Christ as a result of this method, than it has a value. I wonder how many refuse to connect to Christ because of what they see here? I am glad I won't be the one doing the math on that one day. I know that many love this genre of religion. I say "God Bless them". I know that God is way bigger than the sum of my preferences. Allelluia to that. I am thankful that the body of Christ is not limited to only that which falls within the context of my comfort zone. Even if I have to wince on occasion....

I asked my husband in the end what his thoughts were (he having grown up in the conservative evangelical bible-thumping genre). "Mission Impossible" he stated simply (a man of brevity). After verifying that he was not kidding and that he did not collaborate with our son on his answer, I asked him to clarify. He said simply, "It's all about the adventure." (...Men...or should I say 'amen'?).

In conclusion, for me, being missional is a combination of the UN model (a representative of the Kingdom), the Good Works model (teaching and feeding those in need--or being the hands and feet of Jesus), the Green theme (allowing God to use others to change us and make us grow) and quite truly (even though I hate to admit it), the Mission Impossible model. I am a card carrying member of the God Squad. Agent 007 -- in the service of His Majesty, the King of Kings. (After all, its all about the adventure....)

God Bless you, wherever along the path you may be. I hope great adventures abound for you. May you find joy in the journey.