Recently, a friend asked me to explain to her the difference between ‘mission’ (singular) and ‘missions’ (plural).

Over time, mission and missions have become interchangeable.

Put into the simplest terms, mission is what God does to reconcile with  his children. Missions is what we do in response and obedience to that.

Once upon a time, there was a garden. There was a couple living in the garden, along with some rivers, lots of animals and God. There was also a serpent in the garden that coerced the couple into eating some fruit found on a tree called the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It was the same tree God had told them not to eat from (Gen 2:16,17).  They ate the fruit anyway. What was the result? The couple had to leave the beautiful garden, therefore leaving the presence of God.

Since then, every person who has ever lived has been born outside the garden.

God never wanted his children to live outside the garden and away from him. He created them inside the garden to be with. He has always wanted them in the garden with him again. In fact, God even started his search for the couple while the two were still in the garden.

“Where are you?” God cried out (Gen. 3:9).

Since the garden incident, God has been relentless in seeking after his children, even though they are outside the garden.

As you read through the action packed Old Testament (OT) stories, you’ll see a common theme weaved throughout. God is actively after his people. He shows up on the scene in some pretty remarkable ways at times. Some of the familiar ways we see God in the OT are in the burning bush or the thunderous cloud hovering the top of Mt Sinai. These supernatural revelations of God are called Theophanies. But God didn’t just use the supernatural approach. The scriptures say there are times when he speaks in a still, small voice. (1 Kings 19:12).

The most incredible act God has done to reconcile with his children was done through the birth, the life’s works and teachings, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. God went so far to get his children back he literally gave up his beloved son, Jesus, so that the gap that was created when mankind left the garden could be closed once and for all.

When Jesus Christ conquered death he paved the way for us to re-enter the garden. In other words, we can live in the presence of God again, just as the couple did while they were in the garden. In fact, the presence of God dwells within us. Incredible isn’t it?

Mission is the work that God has done to make it possible for every person to be in his presence 24/7.

Missions then, is the obedient, spirit-led strategy and implementation of plans to fulfill God’s mission in the world. Mission or missions is what those who are in his presence do to help others enter his presence as well. Here is where we get the name missionaries. These are people who generally cross-cultures for the purpose of sharing this wonderful story with people who may have never heard it. Missionary is a fairly outdated term, yet is still perhaps the most widely known. A more modern term used is cross-cultural servant.

Christopher J.H. Wright puts it this way.

Fundamentally, our mission (if it is biblical informed and validated) means our committed participation as God’s people, at God’s invitation, and command, in God’s own mission within the history of God’s world for the redemption of God’s creation.

My favorite words in this quote are ‘participation,’ ‘invitation’ and ‘redemption.’ I love that we are invited to participate in this incredible, global wide invitation by God to be redeemed (Redeemed: to be bought with the purpose of being set free). What do you like or not like about this quote?

“Missio Dei” (mission of God) has also been coined by German theologian Karl Hartenstein (1928) in the same manner. A biblical example of what this looks like can be found in 1 Kings 8:41-43. Here, the heart of God is revealed. 

The life of the redeemed and the life of missionaries should look exactly alike. The fact that we use two different words to describe Christian and missionary in my opinion, is ridiculous. The moment a person becomes a Christian (a follower of the risen Christ), that person is a walking missionary, i.e., cross-cultural servant.The heart of God seeks after you, the person who was born outside the garden, yet, has the opportunity to enter it today.

What is your understanding of mission and missions? How have you been apart of missions? Do you see a gap between the ideas of Christian and Missionary? How can we close the gap?