The term “on mission” is a popular one in the church planting world, so it begs the question: What does it mean to live on mission? Rather than do a Google search for a definition, we at Stadia asked some of our planters and partners to describe what living on mission means in their churches and in their contexts. This series will demonstrate what living on mission looks like for our friends in Ohio and Nebraska, as well as highlighting what our mission is at Stadia — why we will plant churches that intentionally care for children until every child has a church. We invite you to prayerfully engage in each of these three posts (this and the two previous) and begin to ask the question, “What would it look like if my life (or my church) was truly ‘on mission’?”
Stadia’s Mission and Vision: Until Every Child Has a Church
We can’t say it any better than Paul — it’s not about us. It’s about advancing the Kingdom of God. Let’s all join together in the only mission that matters – introducing people to the life-changing hope of Jesus Christ until the vision of every child having a church is fulfilled.
“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.
What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.
Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.”
Philippians 2:1-16 (The Message)