What’s a Missionary? You are a Missionary!

Picture Philip being called by God and told to go visit the Ethiopian Eunuch in a chariot in the middle of the desert. God basically teleports Philip to the scene and uses Philip to witness Jesus to the Eunuch by starting with the scroll of Isaiah that the Eunuch did not understand.

Starting a new mission church has many similarities to this account as recorded in the book of Acts 8:26-40. God didn’t tell Philip how to witness. He just says, “Go” and where to go. That is in essence what the call to a missionary is. A missionary is called by God to “Go” and is sent to a place that has been researched and approved as a great opportunity for mission work. This missionary then is to reach the people in that setting with the great news of Jesus applying God’s Word and using the resources that are right in front of them to reach the people where they are at in life.

We are excited to be a part of that mission work at The Shore Lutheran Church in Parrish, Fla. We came up with that name because we are near the shore of the Gulf Coast, but also just on the north shore of the Manatee River. It is at the shore where many wonderful events take place in the Bible. Events that reveal the powerful mission work and setting that God has before us. Jesus went to where people were at, the shore. Fishermen gathered there along with many other people as Jesus shared with them that he came to save them. Jesus called many of his disciples right there on the shore. It was on the shore where Jesus fed the disciples with a miraculous meal and served them. It is on the shore where God’s people witnessed his power to save them as the Red Sea parted for them to walk through on dry ground, but then also on the other shore to watch the water crash down and save them from the pursuing Egyptian army. One of the infant stages of a mission is to choose a name that will resonate with your mission field. We pray that our name, The Shore, will inspire in us to reach out to the people where they are at, but also build a wonderful safe place for all people to gather to praise the power of God and be calmed from the storms of life by their Savior.

It is our prayer at The Shore that we all hear God’s call for us all to be his missionaries. That is exactly what we are. God places us in all different areas of work, life circumstances, neighborhoods, everywhere, all of these places so that we may witness Jesus right then and there to this so quickly dying world. We have a living Savior which means we too will live. May we all join in sharing Jesus so that many others will live forever in heaven too.

Written by Rev. Jeremy Cares, home missionary at The Shore Lutheran Church in Parrish, Fla.

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