USA (MNN) — There's the local church and the traveling church. As Christians, we're involved in one or the other. The problem is, many Christians believe they're not called to be a part of the traveling church. While that may be true, all Christians are to be a part of either one or the other, and at times can be part of both.
The Mission Society missionary Debra Buenting is currently on loan to Youth With A Mission, or YWAM. She's using her skills in media to tell the stories of God at work around the world. "Personally, I produce videos for years to promote missions, to try to raise money for missions, to try to recruit missionaries and so forth for YWAM and other organizations."
Buenting says being involved with YWAM helps her accomplish her mission. "YWAM is in so many places that we're uniquely placed to gather stories of what's going on in different parts of the world. It's trying to build that bridge between the local church and the traveling church, which is usually referred to as missions."
The ministry she's involved in is very similar to Mission Network News. "People don't know how to pray or where to give their money; they don't know how to be involved or where to spend their time if they want to go on a short-term mission trip. So it's really important that we point out those needs and share the opportunities that exist."
According to Buenting, information is just one tool that helps Christians to be used by the Holy Spirit. "It's not a matter of if we're called, it's a matter of where we're called. And it's a matter of being obedient and being faithful to be a witness and be a missionary wherever we are."
Quoting Loren Cunningham, Buenting says, "Missions is about going, whether its across the street or around the world."
Many Christians have separated their spiritual lives with the secular lives. Buenting says that shouldn't happen. "We go to church and that's spiritual, but then we wash the dishes and that's secular. What does it really mean to be a Christian in your community? It's got to mean more than just speaking about the cross to your neighbor. It's got to be about other things — about providing justice and standing up for the oppressed."
The bottom line is everyone can do something: everyone can pray, some can give financially, and others can go. What will you do for God today?
