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What Is Your View of God?

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Is God someone who wound up this place called Earth, let it go, and now has nothing or very little to do with it? Is He a Father Time kind of figure? Is He an angry god? A loving Father? Does He exist at all?

Depending on who you talk to, no doubt you will get any of these views and more. The conversation might even become a little emotional and personal. So much so, some will not want to talk about it at all.

Have you ever thought of God as a missionary?

What does that mean you ask? Missionary, as someone who is sent from their own context or land into the context or land of another person.

When did God do that?

[quote cite=”Philippians 2:5-8 NASB”]Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men.[/quote]

A Latin term—Missio Dei—became popular in the late 1900’s. It is translated as “the mission or sending of God.” The thought is that God was the first to be sent with the mission of salvation. The Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit didn’t have a need to include anyone else in their family or culture to be complete. They lacked nothing.

However, They decided to leave Their context, Their land and come into our context so that we might know Him.

As a missionary God, God pursues us, not the other way around. If He had not sent Himself to us, pursued us, sought us out, we would have never known Him.

That is a powerful picture. That is why it is called Good News. Sure, I understand that some of you might not think of it as good news. You are ok with there being a God as long as it is on your terms and within your timing. You prefer to be in control and the one who does the pursuing. I get that.

The cool thing about what God has revealed about HImself is that He is perfectly secure in Who He is to allow you that freedom. He will allow you to take the inheritance that is yours for the taking and even squander it. At the same time, He waits for you. Watching for you to return to Him. He is always Faithful even when we are unfaithful.

And when He sees you return, if you do, He runs to you. He doesn’t even wait for you to make it all the way to Him.

Wow. As many times as I have read and heard that, I still sit in amazement at what kind of God He is.

This view of God or Theology or Missiology is the premise from which I blog on this site. It is what I mean by the phrase, “Missional Lifestyle”.

Most of my topics here—caring for orphans and poor, international missions, how we handle our money, discipleship, even worship—are spokes off the wheel of Missional Lifestyle.

What is your view of God? 

About the Author

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I am a longtime Austinite. Married my beautiful wife over 35 years ago. Adopted our son September 2012.
As a small business and nonprofit coach/consultant, I have found my sweet spot. I lean on my varied background of corporate, small business ownership, writing, and pastoring as I work to help small business owners and nonprofit founders build the business they want to have.


  • Kenny, I find it encouraging that the missionary God is running the show. I don’t have to. The missionary God of the Old Testament, sends the missionary Jesus of the New Testament, who sends the missionary saints (disciples) of the present age. What we need to keep in mind is that God has made it clear that he wants to use believers to reach the lost sheep. He can do it on his own. He doesn’t need us, but he wants us to experience the awesomeness of sharing Him with others. He wants us to experience His power through His spirit in us. He wants all believers to be passionate about reaching lost people, and I have found that this requires some intentionality on my part by praying for more passion to share, praying for opportunities, and when God brings them, I have to be ready to take action. There are far too many apathetic Christians who are not experiencing the fullness of their relationship with Christ because they are letting fear, doubt and other things keep them from witnessing to others. I know you and I share the desire to see all believers live out their faith to the point that we are sharing Jesus wherever we go, in diverse ways in which God has gifted each one of us to do so. Thanks for helping us all to be “on mission” with this blog!

    • As a non Christian I can honestly say there is nothing more off putting than witnessing. My husband and I are Jewish and very happy and secure in our religious choice. When people label me as “a lost sheep” and “witness” to me it envokes a very knee jerk reaction inside of me. It feels judgemental and like I need to be saved. I don’t see myself as someone needing to be saved. I just write this for people to understand that for a lot of people the witnessing movement has the complete opposite intent that you are wanting.

      • Kelly—Thank you for writing this! I like how you state this—”the witnessing movement has the complete opposite intent that you are wanting.”
        Too often this kind of terminology and thinking makes someone who is not a Christian feel more like an object instead of a person.

        I remember reading a blog post of yours a while back where you make a similar point. It led to my blog about how posture can turn other people off.
        Thank you again for being a part of this conversation. I think it helps everyone who reads it.
        Love you guys.

  • Kelly,

    I appreciate your comments as well. I do not believe, or practice, pushy evangelism. I have found that as I pray, God leads and opens the door for spiritual conversations. I have found that many are open to sharing what they believe, and I always learn more about people from these conversations. It is dialogue, two people sharing and learning. What you are talking about is monologue, one person pushing their beliefs.

    And perhaps I should use the term “non-Christian” or “unbeliever” to refer to those who do not believe in the deity of Jesus Christ. I am sorry if you were offended by my terminology.

    Conviction drives Christians to want to share Jesus. It is hard for us to hold back what we experience in our relationship with Him. Hopefully we are sharing Him in a way that is both honoring to Him, and attractive to others.

    Blessings,

    Keith

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