A Missional People Gets Popping

Here at Luther Seminary we talk about being a missional people, living in the reality that our existence into the family of God by the faith of Jesus Christ that comes to us as pure gift is also a call to go to the neighbor sharing the gospel, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked…

Another concept that is thrown around a lot at Luther is missio Dei, or Latin for, missio Dei. This is the theological understanding that God is at work throughout the world, creating, redeeming, saving. Certainly this mission is the proclamation of the good news of the cross of Christ (classically understood as the missio ecclesiae, or Latin for, missio ecclesiae) but many consider (including Kevin and myself) that it also includes so-called humanitarian work, inter-religious dialogue, peace-making, justice and advocacy work, even environmental endeavors. The idea is that God is busy at work and that work pops up and out all over the place. Discovering where God’s work is oozing out into the world, and then joining in is the joy and adventure of the Christian life and that of the Church.

It’s kind of like my back zits. They are all over my back, waiting to be uncovered and exposed. However, somebody has to go looking, exploring, scratching, and popping.Let us, therefore, get talking, keep our eyes peeled and risk everything in the freedom of Christ to serve the neighbor in the pluriform reality of God’s saving work. And if someone has a sterile clothespin I could use a hand.