What is the Biblical basis for missions? (Part 1)

In this series, Cafe 1040 Lead Recruiter, Courtney F., will explore the Biblical basis for missions.

Would you agree that no story is a good story if only half of it is told?  Imagine if we never saw Frodo and Samwise reach Mordor.  What if the movie ended before Buzz and Woody returned to Andy's room or if Star Wars ended with Luke Skywalker explaining to Yoda that he simply couldn't do it.  Movie goers would be outraged and demand to know what happened to their beloved heroes!

Unfortunately, the story of God is often only half told.  We know the Sunday School parts: the fall of man allows sin to enter the world and separates us from God; God himself enters the world as a man, sacrificing his only Son as the sacrifice for our sins; those of us who believe in Christ are reunited with God through the sacrifice of His son's life and we receive eternity in Heaven.  As amazing as all of this is, it is only half the story!

The other half is the equally amazing story of our God shattering the darkness of our world with the light of His coming Kingdom!  It is about God making himself visible to the believers, and the redemptive role He crafted for us in this 'cosmic take-back.'  And this story, the whole story, is laid out in the Bible you hold in your hands.

You probably already know that the Bible has 66 books - all inspired by God himself - with many different authors  But did you know that the Bible is actually one story with a central theme spanning throughout all of history and time.  Like many books you read, the Bible is laid out with the basic elements of an introduction, the body or plot, and the conclusion.  The introduction - Genesis 1-11 - sets the stage for the plot of God's story.  Genesis 12 through the book of Jude takes us deep into the plot of God's story complete with highs and lows, catch your breath moments, and sometimes leaves us asking if the good guys will win.  Like most good books you read, you may not even see the end coming and the Bible is no different!  The conclusion of God's story in Revelation still remains a mystery in many ways.

Next time we will dig deeper into the beginning of God's story!  We'll explore the plan for mankind, how it's thwarted, and the dilemma that is set before our Hero Almighty!