Fully Engaged

Contributed by:
Eric Dunaway
Small Groups Pastor

I remember my marriage proposal to my wife like it was yesterday. I had purchased the ring weeks in advance, and managed to keep it a secret...something that shocks me even to this day. My friends knew about it, my future in-laws knew about it...but my soon to be fiancé (I hoped) suspected nothing. In fact, I had managed to guard the secret so well that when I finally did propose to her on December 12, 1998, she was blown away...maybe a little too blown away. I don't think I had a firm answer from her for a solid ten minutes, which was the amount of time it took her to get over the initial shock. In case you're wondering, she said "yes."

From that time, and I could argue much sooner than that, I was engaged to her. My heart already belonged to her, and in less than a year's time my life would belong to her, as well. My life ceased to be just my own, it now involved another. I was responsible to her, and in many ways responsible for her. Every decision, every defining moment, everything life would bring now belonged, not just to one of us, but to both of us.

That's the power of engagement.

Last weekend, Ron wrapped our values series on LIFE by exploring our fourth and final vital sign of life, which we call "Engaging the Mission." He reminded us what that mission is: to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 28:19) As Christ followers...as a body of Christ...that's what we're about. That's our mission. We know it as the Great Commission.

Now, what does it mean to be engaged in that? One of the things I've always admired about PCC is our drive toward a missional focus. In just a few days time we'll be packing 400,000 meals that will be sent overseas to impoverished nations. This past year, we sent out teams to Mozambique, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, and India. We have roughly 1,200 shoeboxes being handed out that will eventually make their way to children in third-world countries. Every weekend the Gospel is being preached to nearly 3,000 people who walk through our doors. Pathway is about fulfilling the Great Commission...we're about engaging this mission together, because that's what Christ called us to do: reach the lost, care for the orphan, feed the hungry, and do it all in the name of Christ for the furthering of His Kingdom.

That's what we desire to see happen within the hearts of every Christ-follower at PCC...that they would be fully gripped by the calling of the Great Commission. That they would see their lives as not their own, but belonging to the lover of their souls, the one who rescued them from sin and death. And that it would then lead them to passionately seek to engage the Great Commission by reaching the lost, starting in their communities, but extending even to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Here's some things to think about:

1. When someone uses the term "missions" at church, what do you think of?
2. Is the "mission" something that's only contained to a short-term trip oversees, sponsoring an orphan, or packing food for the hungry? If not, what else is there?
3. How has God been challenging you in the area of the Great Commission?