Global (and spiritual) Sons

I recently spoke with a leader of a global missionary initiative. He explained to me how he was interested in the way mission-theory and thinking on a local level can be transferred globally.

As I thought about that idea--that what we learn in our own setting can have implications and application to other believers in other cultural contexts around the globe, I was reminded of something the Apostle Paul wrote to his son-in-the-faith, Timothy:

...what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

While this is traditionally applied to training up young men in the content of the Christian faith, I think it sometimes is treated too academically.

As if the only thing Timothy "heard" from Paul was, say, sermons.

Ask yourself this question: what do you remember from your dad? (Click below to read more.)

Elsewhere, Timothy is called Paul's "true child" in the faith, and Paul speaks about his relationship with Timothy as being like a father.

Fathers teach more than their words to their sons. In fact, sometimes it seems like they teach everything BUT their words to their sons.

How we live, and how God teaches us to interact with one another, in the context of our remaining imperfections, becomes a paradigm for helping others.

Through us, others not only discover Jesus, but grow in conformity to Jesus.

My missionary friend is arguing we have an obligation to help not only such "needy others" who are nearby, but also those who are distant from us.

These are pre-Christians who are scattered across the globe, whom we have never met, but yet are on the mind and heart of God even before they realize it.

(On this idea of being on the mind and heart of God, at one point God spoke to Paul, urging him to persevere in his preaching ministry, by saying, "I have many people in this city.")

What is our obligation to our brothers and sisters in Christ around the globe? In a day of hyper-localism, do we have a responsibility to other people and countries besides our own Peoples and Countries?

In Hebrews, we find this challenge: "Remember those who are in prison as if you are in prison with them."

No one can solve every problem, but our solutions, here, can be uploaded through kingdom-minded networks of believers and missionaries.

This way, others, in contexts vastly different from our own, both in this country and around the world, can benefit from us, and we from them.

I think this is an expression of the Divine Command to love one another.

There is so much good that is happening in the world today through the preaching of the Gospel, but so much that remains to be accomplished.

They, and we, can't do it alone. They need what we have seen and heard in people like St. Paul, our spiritual fathers, and they need to see and hear that in us.