Wednesday 29 May
Celebrating partnership throughout May Mission Month!
I’ve had the opportunity to be in five states over the past five weeks speaking in churches and meeting with pastors, leaders and supporters as we’ve celebrated partnership through May Mission Month 2024.
Again, I have been struck by the passionate, prayerful and generous engagement of so many Baptist churches and supporters across the nation. Our ministry across Africa, Asia and Australia is fuelled by these faith communities and faithful people.
During May, I have been sharing with church communities about modelling the heart of Jesus as we actively participate in our mending God’s loving and restorative vision for our beautiful, broken world.
In bringing God’s love, grace and justice to earth Jesus modelled a compassionate heart, a captivated heart and a collaborative heart.
Throughout the Gospels we see Jesus come face to face with human brokenness and his heart is moved; his heart is broken. We see Jesus’ beautiful and deep compassion for others in need.
Our Baptist Mission Australia team members are all unique individuals. They are gifted and wired differently. They have a passion for different ministry expressions and have been called to serve in different communities across the globe. But one thing I see they have in common is their deep burden for the people they live and serve alongside. They model the compassionate heart of Jesus as they seek to address spiritual, physical and emotional needs in their midst.
We join God as co-menders amid brokenness. The way of Jesus is motivated by deep and genuine compassion for others. During May I have been praying Bob Pierce’s prayer: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God”.
In the Gospels we also see Jesus’ captivated heart. During his earthly ministry Jesus was wholeheartedly committed to doing his Father’s will. We see nothing distracts Jesus from the Father’s Kingdom purpose. We see Jesus’ willingness to pay the ultimate price in the pursuit of God’s reconciling, redeeming vision.
As I travel across the globe I continue to meet inspiring people of faith like Peacefully on the Thai Myanmar border, Redson in Zambia, Amazing in Zimbabwe, Jane in Vietnam and Kathy in Melbourne’s east.
These five people all work with Baptist Mission Australia ministry partners. They all have different stories and yet their lives are marked by captivated hearts. Each are creatively and wholeheartedly engaged in pursuing shalom in the unique contexts that God’s Spirit has led them to serve in. They yearn to see Kingdom transformation.
Jesus models a compassionate heart and a captivated heart. He also shows us from the beginning of his public ministry the importance and power of collaboration. With purpose and urgency, Jesus calls others around him to share in good news proclamation and demonstration. We see his collaborative heart as he shapes an extended family on mission.
This month as we celebrate May Mission Month we remind ourselves of the power of partnership. Baptist Mission Australia was birthed out of the collaborative hearts of mission-minded people and continues to exist 160 years later because of the partnership of churches and individuals from across our Australian Baptist movement.
Over the past five weeks I have met many people committed to modelling the heart of Jesus in their local communities. Across the street, they are creatively bringing to life Jesus’ compassionate, captivated and collaborative heart. I’ve been inspired afresh meeting so many people serving as the hands and feet of Jesus in their local neighbourhoods.
And I am very thankful for the big hearts these people have for mission across the globe and their support of our team members and ministry partners.
Around the world God’s Spirit is at work! And one thing the Spirit is clearly doing in our rapidly changing world is fostering a new era of mission partnership and collaboration. At Baptist Mission Australia we’re committed to being a part of what the Spirit is doing and this is only possible with your partnership.
If you haven’t yet made a financial gift to our shared ministry this May, can I invite you to donate today.
You can make your gift here. Your generous support will enable others to experience the life-transforming love and hope of Jesus – by word and deed – in ways that make sense to them.
Join us. Be part of the change today!
Grace and peace
Scott
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