Page 3 - Mission Journal

ney, we grow in our spiritual ma- need to discipline our lives, strain- branches. Those who abide in me
turity. If our understanding of mis- ing forward to what lies ahead. and I in them bear much fruit, be-
sion needs to be reframed from b. Exercising our spiritual gifts cause apart from me you can do
time to time in the face of its nothing.” (John 15:5)
changing context, mission practi- To all Christians, God has be- In our spiritual formation, we
tioners need also to grow in our stowed spiritual gifts. And it is the need to remember that we are not
spiritual maturity if we are to do will of God that we exercise these
the vine, we are the branches. On-
the mission work well. What does
ly branches that are well connect-
it mean by spiritual maturity? In ed to the vine will bear fruits. Cut
the confinement of this paper, let
off from the vine, the branches
me suggest three things:
will wither. As Christians, our sur-
a. To grow into the fulness of vival and well-being is completely
Christ
dependent on God. If we draw
A life in Christ is a life that is near to God, God will draw near to
growing into maturity. While us. Connected to God, we would
growth in a living organism hap- be like branches on the trees that
pens naturally, provision of nutri- are planted by streams of water,
ents, watering and maintenance is which yield their fruits in its sea-
required. Peter admonishes us: sons, and their leaves do not with-
spiritual gifts “to equip the saints
“You must make every effort to er.
for the work of ministry, for build-
support your faith with goodness, ing up the body of Christ, until all Notes:
and goodness with knowledge,
of us come to the unity of the faith
and knowledge with self-control, [i] John Wesley Sermon The New
and of the knowledge of the Son Creation given in 1785.
and self-control with endurance, of God, to maturity, to the meas-
and endurance with godliness, and [ii] UMNews. org/en/news/United
ure of the full stature of
godliness with mutual affection, Methodist mission statement re-
Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12-13)
and mutual affection with love. vised
For if these things are yours and No one is an island to him/
are increasing among you, they herself. No one, however compe-
keep you from being ineffective tent one is, is adequate to serve
and unfruitful in the knowledge of God and to do ministry for God by
our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5 oneself. But together we are in
-8) All these added dimensions in possession of great wealth of gifts
our faith journey represent spiritu- and talents to help each other to
al growth toward maturity. grow into full maturity. As we
There are two parts for Chris- grow spiritually, our understand-
tians to successfully grow into full ing of God’s mission and our in-
maturity: One part that is given volvement in it will become clear-
and done by God and the other is er and more productive. This is
to be accomplished by human co- important, because Christians
operation. God’s “divine power who are lacking in spiritual maturi- __________________________
has given us everything needed ty and discernment may and could Academic Dean of Trinity Theological Col-
lege in Singapore for 20 years.
for life and godliness, through the do harm to the mission of Christ. Assistant General Secretary for Mission
Initiatives at General Board of Global Min-
knowledge of him who called us c. To be connected to the vine istries in New York City for 10 years.
by his own glory and goodness.”
Jesus said to his disciples clear-
(2 Peter 1:3) On our part, we ly: “I am the vine, you are the

Mission Journal 3