Missionary Commissioning Service

My first charge to you is the most important one… ABIDE in Christ… Keep your relationship with Him as your FIRST priority. The enemy doesn’t want you there, so stay close to Jesus. Be intentional and protect your time that you spend alone with your Savior! Jesus did this same thing... He spent time alone with the Father. Don't fall into the trap of busyness or trying to meet the expectations of others at the expense of your own relationship with Jesus. If you remember nothing else from this morning... remember to ABIDE in Jesus!

My second charge is to be BOLD and COURAGEOUS to lift up the name of Jesus and proclaim His truth as those opportunities present themselves. There may be times when you keep quiet and then kick yourself later. If that happens, don’t be afraid to cut yourself some slack, and use that as fuel to be more courageous the next time.

Third, strive to do all things in UNITY with your brothers and sisters in Christ, and to conduct yourself in ways that glorify God. You will be living alongside other believers, and worshiping and ministering together. But they may not have the same understanding of certain Scriptures as you do. They will probably worship differently than what you’re used to. Ephesians 4:1-3 says…

1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Number 4… I’m going to tell you upfront… you will face trials and struggles. There may be times where you stumble and fall. My fourth charge to you, [candidate], is to maintain your hope and TRUST in God when those trials come. TRUST God… TRUST in His goodness… TRUST in His lovingkindness… TRUST in His grace and mercy and forgiveness… TRUST that He desires good for His children.

Lastly, when you’re busy and stressed, or you’re focused on the task at hand, it’s sometimes easy to forget that you’re not alone on this mission… You are an extension of this church… Many others have also sacrificed so that the name of Jesus can be lifted up in [destination country]. This final charge is to REMEMBER with prayer and thankfulness your church and those who are partnering with you in this mission… to keep them informed of what you see God doing in [destination country]… and how they can be praying specifically for you and for those God has placed in your path. You and your church are a team even though you are oceans apart… Don’t allow yourself to get so busy that you stop communicating with your team back home.

4. EXPRESSION OF MISSIONARY COMMITMENT

[Candidate], with those charges in mind, will you commit to love the Lord, your church family, your fellow co-laborers in the field, and the people of [destination country] selflessly and unconditionally as a missionary? [wait for response] Amen! Go ahead and have a seat in front.

5. CHARGE TO THE CHURCH

Church, you’ve heard my charge to [candidate], and his/her commitment. Now, it’s your turn. This is a big step of faith for [candidate] and for [candidate's] family.