Reflections on “Scattering”: Who Will Go For Us?

God is calling His whole global Church to be activated in the greatest enterprise in human history – the fulfillment of the Great Commission among every unreached people on the planet. This means every local ministry (no matter how big or small) thinking more about “how” we are sending out laborers. As well as “who” we are sending as laborers.

“Who will go for us?” This was the question of the Trinity in the well-known Isaiah 6:8 passage. Following Isaiah’s three-fold encounter with God in verses 1-7 (revealing His glory, Isaiah moved to repentance, and the cleansing of his sin), God asks Isaiah, “Who will go for us?” In this context, referring to obeying God’s call to be His prophet, Isaiah responds, “Here am I, send me!”

In a similar way, God is seeking multitudes of individual believers who allow Him to take them through a preparation process to come to a place of rightly responding to Jesus’ Great Commission.

It is necessary to get out of the paradigm that the Great Commission is only for a few people who go out as “missionaries.” Instead, Scripture affirms every believer is part of a “Kingdom of priests (Rev. 5:10; 1 Pet 2:9),” each one privileged before God to serve, in some way, in the Great Commission.

To cooperate with Jesus in this glorious endeavor, individual local churches become involved in three varying levels of “scattering” of believers.

Level One Scattering refers to training believers in our churches to “scatter” into relationships God has sovereignly provided around them (relatives, workplaces, universities, neighborhoods), engaging them in natural, non-threatening “God conversations.” This in time will lead to purposeful Bible studies with them, systematically journeying together in core discussions about the Kingdom of God. This level of “scattering” is ideally for every believer in a local ministry. (Find more at Rethinking Global Mobilization)

Level Two Scattering surrounds specific leaders in our churches sensing the Lord guiding them to relocate to a “near culture unreached people” in the vicinity of the church. They are not necessarily going long distances. A “near culture unreached people” shares the same language, general culture and basic worldview, but is technically from a different ethnic background considered “unreached” with the Gospel. This level of “scattering” ideally consists of about 15% of the members of a local ministry. (Find more at Rethinking Global Mobilization)

An example would be a few leaders in Jakarta, Indonesia relocating to a district on the opposite side of Jakarta, among an ethnic group where there are few known believers. These leaders would begin reaching out in the community and planting a culturally relevant bible study that could become a church in this new district. Meanwhile, another group from the church in Jakarta, Indonesia would begin targeting another island in Indonesia for the same purpose.

Level Three Scattering is the one we are most familiar with in the mission world. It includes specific leaders in our churches sensing God guiding them to relocate to a “distant culture unreached people.” This likely refers to crossing national borders but doesn’t necessarily have to. (Find more at Rethinking Global Mobilization)

A “distant culture unreached people” has a different language, general culture and overall worldview, while also being a technically “unreached” people group. This level of “scattering” ideally includes about 5% of the members of local churches.

In summary, every believer in a local church is meant to engage in Level One Scattering with the relationships God has already given them in their communities. Levels Two and Three Scattering together ideally make up about 20% of the members of a local church.

Who then is this 20% of our church members ideally engaging in Levels Two and Three Scattering to near and distant culture unreached people groups? This is the primary focus of this article.

They are formal leaders (e.g. pastors) and lay leaders within the church. They have walked with Jesus for years, have been involved in practical ministry, have learned ministry and leadership skills, possess discernment and wisdom. They are not novices or spiritual babes, but have shown themselves to be people of character, with humility and integrity.

If I can say it like this, it is true that in some places around the world it is somewhat common to send as “missionaries” those whom a church would never trust with leadership in the home ministry. Why are we willing to entrust such critical ministry to those who have not been proven trustworthy of it?

Put another way, why are we not putting forth the most qualified, spiritually prepared, tested, proven, and perseverant leaders in our cross-cultural ministry “scattering?” It could be argued that cross-cultural ministry is the most difficult type of ministry in which to be effective.

Cross-cultural ministry is not for the faint of heart. It is not for the new believer who simply wants an adventure. Nor is it for the lone ranger Christian who doesn’t know how to have healthy, thriving relationships. Could this fallacy be a significant reason behind so much of the attrition in cross-cultural ministry today?

As such, we need a revolution in our approach to cross-cultural “scattering.” It is vital to follow the lead of the Antioch Church in Acts 13 as they sent out the first ever organized cross-cultural ministry team.

Who did they send? Two of the pillars of the Antioch Church – Paul and Barnabas. They didn’t argue with the Spirit as many churches might today, saying something like, “they are our best leaders. We need them in the local church. We can’t ‘scatter’ them.”

It is critical that we rethink who we are sending. God’s is searching for the best and the brightest in cross-cultural ministry, not our ministry leftovers. This will undoubtedly include many senior pastors, and top lay leaders, who discern with their local church leadership teams that God is asking them to relocate in Level Two and Three Scattering.

Who are the best and the brightest in your local church that the Spirit is calling forth in Level Two and Three Scattering? What can you do to encourage, mentor, mobilize and equip them?

Let’s align with what the Spirit is saying in this hour as He catalyzes the global Church in cross-cultural “scattering.”

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