In the Great Commission, Jesus reminds His followers that He has been granted “all authority.” With this authority, He charges them (and us) to go and make disciples of all nations.
But, as Chris reminds us in his video teaching for this quarter, Jesus’ authority and power are much different from the worldly ways with which we are so familiar.
…Jesus’ kingship is not of this world. He inaugurates His kingdom through humility and sacrifice, a stark contrast to earthly power. This understanding of Jesus as King reshapes our approach to the Great Commission and discipleship. It’s a call to follow a King whose authority is expressed in loving service and whose kingdom is built on principles of mercy, justice, and humility.
What does this mean for us as we seek to make disciples in the modern day?
For American missionaries moving abroad and learning to live cross-culturally, humility often comes in the form of open-mindedness and curiosity. It’s the ability to gracefully accept weakness and powerlessness and laugh at the inevitable failures and foibles of being a fish out of water. It’s the willingness to say, “I don’t know,” or “I don’t understand.”
SIM USA seeks believers with these qualities because they are more likely to enter their new ministry contexts ready to listen and learn in submission to local leadership, thereby truly serving (rather than simply imposing upon) their local church and ministry leaders.
Practicing this radical humility is easier when we fully surrender to God’s authority over our lives as beloved children and devoted servants. The journey to becoming a cross-cultural worker is an ongoing exercise in humility—it compels believers to ask themselves and learn if they are really willing to let God lead them anywhere for His purposes.
-Randy Fairman, President, SIM USA
SIM USA is a faithful partner of The Bolick Foundation.