25 Years of Mission
Posted by Chris on July 22, 2012 under Front Page Posts, Missions, Sermons
1987 – 2012
West-Ark began its current era of mission efforts in 1987. Of course, there were notable mission efforts before 1987; and the two congregations that merged to become West-Ark (College Terrace and Windsor Drive) certainly have their own histories of mission efforts. Yet, we mark 25 years from 1987 since that was the beginning of the West-Ark “Mission Committee” and a significant time for a new period of growth in West-Ark’s overall approach to reaching out around the world and across the street.
We will accept the excuse to celebrate what God has been doing among us for a quarter of a century! In the months ahead many stories will be told of how God has worked through different mission efforts and how he continues to work in amazing ways. The story of missions at West-Ark is not institutional or programmatic. Though there is serious attention to budgeting, fundraising, equipping, and other logistics, the story is organic, just like the story of any family. This story is about the growth and development of people who are caught up in God’s adventures. We believe that God has a mission, and that the mission has a church (rather than saying “the church has a mission”). We believe that God is at work in the world and we must join him in that work.
I have three general observations regarding West-Ark’s 25 years of mission efforts. Looking back, I hope to indicate how God has been at work within West-Ark. Looking forward, I hope to suggest some ways that we might build on this legacy and encourage future generations to follow God’s leading.
1. West-Ark is a congregation that encourages and equips its members to join in God’s work. There is an impressive list of our people who have been nurtured and encouraged by this congregation over the years to serve God. Over the last 25 years we have had individuals and families, members of this congregation just like any of us, who have made the decision to leave their profession and home country to devote themselves in serving God’s church where they might be needed most. That trend continues and even now we are involved in preparing couples who originally came to the Fort Smith region to work and start a family here.
Concern that this process weakens the local congregation by sending our best and brightest away from us is understandable but unfounded. The departure of families to serve God in other countries and cities has never left our congregation weaker. There is no instance of this ever being the case in 25 years. Even if it were true, we must remember that the mission of God is not to preserve our congregation. If West-Ark truly desires to be a congregation that follows Christ, then we must take his example seriously. Christ did not seek to preserve himself. He recognized that what might appear as loss to those who are concerned with self-preservation and establishing their own institutions is gain in the kingdom of heaven.
“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” – John 12:24-16
In the last 25 years, West-Ark has let go of the anxiety of self-preservation. As a result, we have been inspired by our involvement in the lives of various missionary families. Kernels of wheat have fallen to the ground but many more seeds have been produced.
I want to encourage every member to consider how God is calling you. I hope that each of you will at least get involved even in a short term trip before the end of 2013. God has prepared good works for you to do. Don’t look to West-Ark or its staff to do it – you are the church and you are West-Ark. Whether you have been here since 1980 or just placed membership today, you have a calling.
2. West-Ark has been and must continue to be a regional and international resource for missional faithfulness, awareness, and support. Before I came to West-Ark in 2003 I was inspired by West-Ark’s involvement in the mission. I was preaching at Lake Jackson in 1998 when there was news about trials and challenges for some of our missionaries. The story of their faithfulness and resolve inspired me and the congregation in Lake Jackson.
I believe that God has prepared and equipped this congregation to influence and encourage other congregations. We have partnered with other congregations and included individuals from other congregations in our region in our mission efforts. We are a regional steward of the mission of God.
We must continue to have this vision and be intentional about supporting others who are also involved in God’s mission. This congregation will not grow if we only concern ourselves with “our own affairs.” We have been too richly blessed and we are too mature to simply turn inward.
3. If we want the congregations that we directly support in our mission works to be faithful, then we had better be faithful too. One of our missionary families working in a challenging field sent us this message recently: “Please give our love to all there. Encourage them to make the most of their freedom for His glory!”
What are you doing with your freedom? Not just your freedom as an American, but your freedom in Christ. We can thank God that we are not persecuted as some of our brothers and sisters in other countries are persecuted. We can and should thank God that we have freedom of worship in this nation. But even if we did not, we have the freedom to pray to the Creator of the Universe and the Sovereign over all the earth. Governments on earth can only acknowledge that freedom; no government on earth can bestow that freedom or take it away. The Lord of Heaven and Earth has invited us to come and make our petitions and requests known to him.