03. Your First Mission Field Is Already Around You
From Church Attenders to Kingdom Laborers · Part 03
Mark 5:18-20
The man had been tormented, isolated, and feared by his entire community.
Then he encountered Jesus, and everything changed.
When Jesus prepared to leave, the restored man begged to go with Him. That request sounds spiritual. He wanted to remain close to the One who had rescued him.
But Jesus gave him a different assignment:
“Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.”
Mark 5:19 WEB
Jesus sent him home.
His first mission field was not a distant nation. It was the community that already knew his story.
The people closest to him had seen his brokenness. Now they needed to see his transformation.
He did not have years of theological education. He had not completed a ministry program. He could not answer every difficult question.
But he could say:
“This is who I was.”
“This is what Jesus did.”
“This is who I am now.”
That testimony was enough to begin.
The man obeyed. He traveled throughout the Decapolis telling people what Jesus had done for him, and the people marveled.
Your first mission field may already be around you.
It may include:
- Your spouse and children
- Your relatives and longtime friends
- Your neighbors and coworkers
- The people who remember your past
- The people who have watched God change your life
We sometimes imagine missions beginning when we travel somewhere unfamiliar. But Jesus often begins by sending us back to the people who already know us.
They may be the hardest people to reach because they remember who we used to be. But they may also be the people most able to recognize that something real has happened.
You do not need to be an expert.
You need to be honest about what Jesus has done for you.
Do not underestimate the power of a changed life explained simply and shared personally.
Before searching for a platform, look around your table.
Before dreaming about reaching thousands, consider the people who already answer your calls.
Before looking for a distant mission field, ask whether Jesus has already placed one in your family, workplace, neighborhood, and circle of friends.
Challenge: Are you searching for a mission field while overlooking the people who already know and trust you?
Write down five names today.
Pray for them.
Then ask God to give you an opportunity to tell one of them what the Lord has done for you.
Your testimony may be the doorway through which someone else encounters Jesus.
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fdQq0ioC7A
Join Terry’s free Zúme training: https://zume.training/join-a-training
Training page: https://internationalafricanmobilization.com/training/terrys-zume-teaching-series/
Next Steps form: https://airtable.com/appUh4Y3McdFcQ8Xg/pagCyMWEWZbPNlyH5/form
Free Scripture video in your language (works offline): https://internationalafricanmobilization.com/bible-video-in-your-language/
Daily email: Subscribe
LinkedIn newsletter: Daily DMM Insights