I have started reading “Let the Nations Be Glad!” by John Piper, and although I am only about a chapter or so into it, it has made me think…a lot. The book begins, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t.” Honestly, I had to think about what I thought about those few but powerful sentences. And after I continued reading and thinking about all the scripture Piper uses to back this claim, I have to say I agree with him. Why were we created? To worship God and walk in fellowship with Him. That’s the whole point of life, right? So, since the world is not worshiping God, missions must happen so that one day “every tribe, tongue and nation” will praise the name of Jesus and bow down at His feet and so “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).” The job of EVERY believer, not just missionaries, is to make God known.
Piper also makes another really good point that really hit me hard. If we are not doing missions, as a church or as an individual or maybe both, are we worshiping God?? Do we live a life that is filled with awe, praise, adoration, love, respect, and obedience. For to love and worship God is to obey Him.
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his
commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:2-3

Paul’s greeting to the church in Rome “…Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the
sake of his name among all the nations….” Romans 1:4b-5

Worship encompasses our entire lives…or rather it should. I did not understand this until sitting in Worship class at seminary. I realized for the first time that worship is not about me and that worship is something I should do in my everyday life as well as with my brothers and sisters on Sunday morning. So, if we are not on mission for God, which means making His name known throughout all the nations, then are we obeying God. And if we are not obeying God, then are we worshiping God? And if we are not worshiping God, then what are we doing??
MacKenzie