What does it take to be missional? Not a lot it seems, as I’ve been at it for over thirty years. You don’t have to be overly talented. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist. You don’t have to be able to lift boulders. See, I’m a natural! All it really takes is a willingness to do something. Something is just that…something that will progress God’s Kingdom and allow us to share our blessings with people desperately in need of blessings. For some of us it’s constant prayer; for others it’s financing the work; for others it’s a trip to do the work. It takes all three of these components to make it come together and to make a difference in people’s lives.
The picture above tells the story of my latest missional adventure. On Missional Saturday, I worked at the church in the morning, and traveled to the site of a handicapped ramp build for the afternoon. As soon as I arrived, the leaders of the ramp build met me with instructions for what to buy at the building supply store. I had no idea what they were saying. I took a course in ancient Egyptian languages once that I understood better than the “lumber” gibberish they laid on me. I asked them to write it down. They wrote the instructions on a piece of wood. “Really?” I asked. “A piece of wood, I’m to go buy wood with a list written on wood?” So off I went to Dawsonville, to buy wood with my wooden list. I’m probably imagining this, but I got a lot of odd looks in the store as I strolled around carrying a block of wood. I’m probably not the first guy to go in with a shopping list written on a block of wood, but I’m guessing it’s a small fraternity.
The moral of this story? Anyone, and I mean anyone, can be a missional believer and make a difference. It’s true they won’t let me near a power tool; Shoot, I don’t even get a hammer, but I can go buy stuff and I can organize the fool out of something. Back to line two: I ain’t much, but whatever I am, I am willing to use. So if prayer is your best route for missional living…pray. If giving to missions is your best way to be involved…give. If you’re able to participate…participate. If you’re able to travel…travel. It’s all about something, and your something will be different than other people’s something. But, we all have something. And if we are willing to dedicate our something to the cause…we will impact our needy world. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll get your own block of wood in the process. I keep mine in my office. It reminds me of my something!
Michael McCullar
Formations Pastor
Johns Creek Baptist Church
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Well done, Michael, well done! As you said so well, all of us have “something” to give to the cause.
The good news is the didn’t write the list on your back!! On another topic, I AM RUSHING TOWARD RETIREMENT AND I WILL BE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SERVE STARTING IN JAN 2015.
IN THE ,INTERIM, I AM AN ACCOMPLISHED CARPENTER BUT SPINAL STENOSIS LIMITS ME TO VERY LIGHT WORK. I DO KNOW MY WAY AROUND LUMBER YARDS HoDePo, Lowes, et al.