Michael Y. Oh
The gospel is simple. It is a simple message that can be understood even by a child. But that simple message is also powerful, speaking into and transforming the lives of complicated people who live in complex societies in an ever-changing world.
That is our mission. God’s mission.
God has established a mission in and to the world. As Leighton Ford, my mentor, friend, and predecessor as the first chair of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, wrote in the foreword to the first edition of Perspectives, “God had one Son, and He made Him a mis-sionary.” I would add that God has a mission, and He made a people for that mission. That is you and me. That is us.
What is His mission to the world? That is what every Christian must understand and embrace. Why? Because His mission should be our mission.
That is why the Perspectives course is so incredibly important. It helps every Christian understand what every Christian must live out—the mission of God in the world. Toward that end, we must understand the contexts of God’s mission: the context of all of history, both where we have been and where we are heading; the context of the complex world within which we live; and the context of our own lives and where we fit into this all.
Jesus was the ultimate forerunner missionary. He did what missionaries do. He crossed geographic, linguistic, and cultural barriers to bring good news to those who oth-erwise would never hear or believe.
Now He calls His people, His bride, to carry on that mis-sion. We are called to be effective in that mission. Missions require excellence, commitment, and faithfulness. What that looks like is distinctively described in the Bible and empowered by the Spirit of God. We need that perspective and experience.
We are also not merely utilitarian trying to get the job done without any regard to how, in what manner, and with what posture and attitude it is done. Jesus calls His bride to be effective and beautiful. The beauty of our lives and the manner in which we carry out His mission are the very witness of the power of the gospel to transform lives and communities. The bride of Jesus Christ must be and will be more and more beautiful in the world. Revelation 19 describes the beautiful dress that we will one day wear at the wedding supper of the Lamb. That fine linen, white and pure, will be the righteous deeds of the saints. The beauty that will adorn us in that day is the beauty we are called to live out in the world now.
Ultimately, His mission must and will be done together. You are part of a vast family that spans the nations and all of time. Discovering your part in that family and your part in its mission is to discover who you are.
The Fourth Lausanne Congress, which took place in Incheon, South Korea, in September 2024, brought together 5,394 Christian leaders and influencers from 202 nations. It has been described as “the most global gathering ever.” Its theme was “Let the Church Declare and Display Christ Together!” That is our rally cry. Why? Because the mission of God is to create the most global family ever.
If you are a part of the church of God, if you are a part of the bride of Christ . . . then discover and embrace your part in God’s mission in this world.
Michael Y. Oh
Global Executive Director / CEO
Lausanne Movement