Everyday across the US untold numbers of professing believers leave their homes and journey to offices, factories and other places of employment – the very places where workers spend the majority of their waking hours. Many of these dear folks (and you may be one) give money to help missionaries in far- away lands do what missionaries do and many even bemoan the fact that they, themselves, are unable to have greater freedom and flexibility to travel to exotic lands on “mission trips.” I have something to say to those of you who wish you could leave the workplace to “do ministry.” WAKE UP!!!! At what point did the church begin to make a distinction between life and ministry? No wonder the church has such little impact in the world. The church has taken its leave of the world and surrendered to the enemy the very places where the people are who Christ came to redeem. Rightfully so, we give great honor to those who move to foreign cultures to minister the Gospel to those in need, but shouldn’t we place just as high of an honor and value on those willing to illuminate the workplace with the love of Christ. To the custodian, welder, bank teller, doctor, lawyer and social worker I would remind you that if you are a follower of Christ you are the “salt of the earth.” But if the salt is no longer salty, what good is it? The sovereign Lord has strategically orchestrated your life to place you right where you are for a reason.  There are people you rub shoulders with each day who would not visit your church if you paid them. And why should they? Unfortunately, if we desire to make disciples and lead others to Christ, the last thing we want the lost to experience is the lifeless ritual many of us call church.  Now don’t get me wrong. I love the local church and I am aware that there are many incredible, gospel driven, missional churches around. In fact, I’m a member of one such church. I hold a high view of the local church but I am not convinced that we have acted very wisely toward the lost and unchurched if all we do is “invite them to church.” Listen, they think we’re crazy to begin with and we want to invite them to church and prove it to them. That doesn’t make sense.

Remember the great commission? Jesus said, “As you are going” you are to make disciples. He didn’t say, “Invite the world to church.” As you are going to work, model the gospel. As you are going to school, be salt and light. As you are going to ball field, go as an image bearer of Christ. Be intentional about loving the people around you as Christ would. I don’t mean to choke the people around you with your religion! Leave that mess at home and just love people and let them see you being real and authentic in real life. Invite them to dinner at your home rather than church. Host a cookout for the sole purpose of inviting unchurched neighbors. Look for ways to serve and be willing to get up close and personal with the people that God has “sent you” to. You are a missionary and wherever you are is your mission field.

Wake up and start living out your faith where you are.