Byrnesys Blabberings

Rick Warren gives some brief thoughts on mission, and why we are the best equipped and best financed generation to reach thw world:

Is the local church being asked to do too much to save the world from poverty and disease?

No—if everybody does their part. One drop of rain makes no difference at all, but a million drops of rain can turn a desert area into a garden. Is the Great Commission for every believer, or do you believe it’s only for missionaries? We live in a world where we are the first generation that can actually to go into all the world. When Jesus gave that commandment, it was physically impossible for the disciples to go into all the world. If anybody had a right to be discouraged, it would be a group of Middle Eastern disciples who had no planes, trains, automobiles, fax machines, internet, cell phones, and were quite poor. Yet they accepted the task: We are to go into all the world. They didn’t say, "Mission board go into all the world." They said, "All of us should go into all the world."

We are the wealthiest church in history. We are the most technologically advanced church. The option is — not an option. For 50 years or even longer, missions have been, where you either completely commit your life and move to Zanzibar and live there and serve there the rest of your life, or you don’t do anything. As you know, the PEACE plan is about everybody doing something. If every Christian went on one single mission trip in their life, how would it change them? How would it change the church? How would it change churches around the world?

HT: CT Mag - Three Purposes of Christmas, Saddleback’s Warren to address global audience over holiday weekend