I have a Grammar Issue

I have a grammar problem. Maybe I’m being picky here, but I’m not normally the detail-mr.-grammar-guy (feel free to leave comments about the irony of bad grammar in this post). But I have a grammar issue with the church. It’s not really the grammar itself that’s the issue, but the bigger problem that the grammar issue brings up.

The grammar issue is this: the is no such thing as “missions”. Seriously. “Missions” does not exist. We don’t do “missions”. We don’t go on “missions trips”. We aren’t on “missions teams”. We don’t perform “missions work”.

Why is there no such thing as “missions”? Because there is only one mission- The Mission of God. In John 20:21, “Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’” Jesus’ mission was to reconcile people into a relationship with our Heavenly Father. It has been God’s Mission since the start. God has not had multiple missions. It’s been one mission: The Mission of God. God on a singular mission, because he has a singular character. God does not change. He is the same always. He is a missionary God, coming into our lives. His character remains singular and consistent. Therefore, there is one mission.

I told you I was being picky. But here is the deal. Besides sounding funny (which it does sound funny). There are huge implications for the Church:
*Understanding The Mission of God brings unity to the body of Christ. Too many churches have fractured and there is too much us-them mentality in the Church because we have fought over which mission is right.
*Having a single mission doesn’t mean we have a single way of being involved. On the contrary. There are all kinds of ways to live out God’s Mission. We see God do this throughout history. But it always point to his reconciling mission of Jesus.
*Jesus himself is mission. He is on The Mission. All mission directs to him. It all leads back to Jesus.
*We are a part of God’s Mission. We may participate in God’s Mission. We are missionaries. Singular mission allows for singular identity within diversity of gifts.
*A single mission gives you the freedom to find your place in the mission and not worry about what the mission is. We can be boots on the ground instead of theoretical minds in the clouds.

So, no more saying “missions”. Don’t stop doing mission work or going on mission trips or having mission involvement. Do all those things. Say all those things. But most importantly, remember that it is singular because it points back to the one Missionary God who has one mission: reconciliation.

Grammar lesson done. Flynt out!