Commissioned

We had a commissioning ceremony today for Brandon and Heather Culp at our pastor's meeting in Júarez. Our pastors and staff came together and prayed over Brandon and Heather, as they prepare to move their lives to Guatemala to work full time for the ministry of Casas por Cristo in San Raimundo. As we laid hands on our friends, the walls of the church echoed with our prayers and praises sent up to God in two different languages.    

It was a beautiful ceremony, but more importantly a reminder of the call that has been placed on each of our lives. Every single one of us claiming to follow Christ has been commissioned to go out and preach the gospel. Although for missionaries, we often have a ceremony or are presented with a certificate when we are sent out to distant lands to follow our calling, the reality is that we have all been called and sent; we have all been commissioned.  

The definition of commission is this: "The act of granting certain powers or the authority to carry out a particular task or duty." Perhaps it adds some sort of validity to our lives and our calling when our friends and family gather around us and reassure us that we have been called to go out and serve our God, but truly, this validation is already ours. Maybe we just need to take hold of it. 

Mark 16:15 tells us, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Matthew 28:19 says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." 

As Brandon and Heather move to Guatemala, they remind us that we have all been commissioned. We are all called to go. We do not need a ceremony, or a certificate, we need to take hold of the calling and responsibility that has been placed on each of our lives with authority and share the gospel with others each and every day.