Sending One of Us

It's not as sad as sending soldiers off to war, but there is something similar. On Sunday, our church NDCCCS sent our brother Jon Cheung off to South Africa to work with Working Hands, a Christian organisation that offers a wide range of community projects to meet the needs there. Something that Danny said made me think. He mentioned that it was because Jon had been with us so long that he was part of us, and when he goes, all of us are kind of going with him. Jon is leaving for 6months, may God be with him.

But I wondered what we would say if we sent someone who hadn't been with our church for long? Or if we had sent someone who is not from our church originally but have been offered assistance from our church, for example, one of the missionaries our church supports along with other churches in Sydney. What are our emotions, hopes and attitudes in that sort of sending?

I'd hope that our sending of any brother or sister, regardless of our personal friendship or relationship with them, would be filled with generosity, care, concern, prayerfulness and giving. For the gospel called all of us into one big mission: to promote the good news in whatever shape or form. And the gospel has brought about gospel communities (local churches), which are the bodies that send members out to do what these bodies desire. The member and body, ideally, have the one Spirit, compassion, mission and goal (c.c. Philippians 2:1). I haven't known Jon for long, but his being part of my local church, means that my prayers go with him, and so on. What primarily motivates us is the good news: it brings the unity that we feel, it encourages the diversity of ways in which we promote it, here and overseas. This surpasses even long friendships and comraderie from being in the same association, school or [local] "church". The good news thus creates the most sincere and warmest affections in other members of the body who do the sending.

I certainly felt this when attending the commissioning service of Charissa Mak (another friend from another church), who had left for Taiwan recently. There were not only church members present, but also members from her previous churches (including myself), college partners, mission society workers, other missionaries, etc. The common goal was the bringing of good news to the working people of Taiwan. Charissa was one of us and we were sending her. I haven't seen her for a while, let alone attended the same church, but the goal was mine. She is doing in Taiwan, what we here at home wish to do. Though we are not there physically, we are there in Spirit. I do not doubt that Paul had this in mind in Philippians 2:1.

This is how I understand and practise sending. I hope that you would join me in this.

Philippians 2:1-2

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."