Urban Missions
~ Rev. K Kamchinkhup, Director of Missions
“We are privileged enough to be here at the metropolitan city and this is a good place to spread His word, the gospel. Let us read Acts 16:6-11. Here, we can see that the spirit of Jesus would not allow them to preach the gospel at Bithynia. So they set their foot towards Philippi, Macedonia. Dr Luke introduced Philippi as the place where all the Romans stayed during that time. Also, Philippi is the first place where the gospel has reached in Europe and the first to become a believer was a girl named Lydia. Philippi was named after Philip, the father of Alexander the Great. Philippi was 10 miles from the seaport. This mission in Philippi has been established after God has closed the doors of others. Like them, we also tried to go into a mission where God did not open for us. But this urban area seems to be what God had chosen as we are going well smoothly till now. And we hope, like the Philippi, this is a mission field that God had chosen and we are happy about it.
Gifts - As we read the Philippians 4:10-20, we can see that Paul was giving thanks to the Philippians for what they had done to him. He thanked them for giving him an offering and he praised God for the same. When we give money to the missionaries, it’s an investment indeed. We may sometimes feel that what we had always offered to God has no meaning and some may even stopped giving or helping the missionaries, but they always do wonders to the people of God. So we will not stop doing the good things.
Prayers - As we can see from Philippians 1:19, the missionaries were glad that the people had prayed for them. Missionaries were being called by God, and it is mandatory that we pray to the one who call the missionaries. Gifts and helps to the missionaries are important, but what is much more important than them is prayer. If God is not working, the work of missionaries would have been a waste. In the case of Lydia, the first believer from Philippi, if God had not opened her heart, even though the missionaries were working so hard to preach them, then it would not be a success. At Dhemaji mission field, one missionary tried to enter a village to preach the gospel. But on the way, he encountered a man who obstruct him from entering the village as he was about to spread the words of gospel. So the missionary went back home and he and the churches prayed for it for three whole months. Then a miracle is happening when he once again tried to go to that village. The same men who obstructed him from entering that village was the one who is so eager to hear the gospel and he was the first one to become a believer. He became a witness of God and told the good news to everyone who came to him.
There was a leper who was left to die alone at the corner of the village, but missionaries came across him and they prayed for the leper. He got healed from the prayer and now he became an influential person in telling the gospel to his own village. Everyone clearly knew how he will not be alive, but only because of prayer that he live.
Fulfilling their needs: Giving gifts and praying only for them is not enough for the missionaries. They can be feeling alone at times, we can show them that care for their physical and mental wellbeing. The people of Philippians thought that Paul would be lonely so they sent some men to check on to him while he was in jail. People live not only by bread; likewise Paul also needs the warm companions of people.
Witnessing Life: As we can see from Philippians 1:27, we can see that we can show the gospel through our lives. Living our life in accordance with the gospel of Christ. Conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel is what we want to talk about. We have talked about giving gifts, prayers, fulfilling their needs and what we are going to talk now is the rarest, which is witnessing Christ in our lives. Paul said that showing the gospel through our lives is the most important.
We can work out our salvation. When people get salvation, there is always an intention to work for God. There is a burning desire to work for God. There are people who even find it hard to not work for God, even when the health conditions did not allow.
In Philippians 2:14 we can see that we should do our work without complaining and arguing. We need to have the right attitude at work like Daniel, who has the right spirit for work.
And in Philippians 2:15 we can see that in this dark generation, his children shine like stars. This urban mission is so much important to each and every one of us as there is no one other than you, who would come to your office to tell the good news, the gospel. There might be so many obstructions these days, but the darker it is, the brighter we can shine, as it is said in the Bible verse.
Mission intention is keeping others first and yourself the last. Our problem these days is “sense of entitlement”. Mission is selflessness and love for others, letting others significant than yourself. People can give so much for God when they have mission intention. When we give, when we pray, when we help fulfilling the needs of others and when we are living a witnessing life, may we always have this mission intention. May God bless us to shine bright like stars wherever we work in this city.”
