In my recent readings and musings on missions I came across an article titled Luther and Missions in the 16th Century by the Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz. My first reaction to the title brought thoughts that this was yet another call for looking back to the "good old days." But, as I read it, with its various quotes from Luther on missions, I couldn't help but find myself thinking how much of it applied to issues we are facing today in our church and in our culture.

Dr. Schulz reminds us of Luther's take on missions when he says, "All Christians are obliged to missionary witness. They live for the sake of their neighbors and assist them in witness and deed." With the world continuing to come to North America via immigration, and with other philosophies foreign to the Gospel taking hold in our society, believers in Jesus find themselves in need of being "prepared in season and out of season" "to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

At Oak Ridge Lutheran Brethren Church, we have been encouraging one another to proclaim this hope of the Gospel of Christ to people as they visit us on Sunday mornings as well as when we visit people at places of work, leisure, shopping, dining, etc. As Jesus comes to us through His Word and Sacrament, we become recipients of His mission of forgiveness and grace. And it is in the assurance of this forgiveness and grace that we live and work among many people who don't have this assurance. And so we share this assurance in Christ with them in conversations and coming along side them in work and service because we care for them just as God has been caring for us. Most of this occurs rather serendipitously while some of it is planned, but all of it is quite intentional.

As we thought about our summer activities, we started making plans in ways that we could be included with our neighbors. One example of this was that instead of having all our picnics on the church grounds, we would get permission to host barbeques in the neighborhoods where we live. That entailed some additional planning such as meeting with the city council for permission to barricade roads for these events and gaining permission from apartment owners, and seeking trust from neighbors that our motives were simply to share food, enjoy time, and get to know them. This of course meant that we needed to be willing for them to get to know us as well. And in getting to know us is also getting to know the One who sends us.

Food is good, fun is good, service is good, but they are not in and of themselves our mission. Our mission is Christ and to make Him known to our neighbors. And our motive is love that has been demonstrated to us by God in Christ.

And here is where I found another connection to 16th century mission. Dr. Schulz concludes his article by saying, "Mission during the Reformation was a way of life, a grass-root-level movement­; it was not a subject only for specialists or enthusiasts. That makes it surprisingly contemporary. The church is now, in a sense, in a missionary situation everywhere. For ‘missions is no longer understood as a thing which plays itself out chiefly on the outer edges of Christendom, but instead as a way of life or, rather, as a lifestyle for every Christian congregation within its particular surrounding (Luther).' Mission is a task differently conceived from the great 19th century. Competing faiths are no longer separated by distance, over the horizon, but wherever the church exists, in the midst of us. Good congregations, known for their yearly offering for foreign missions, may suddenly face the tough question of outreach to others who contest the salvation only found in Christ."

As I continue to see Jesus, quite blurrily, I am struck by the ongoing nature and work of His Word and Spirit delivered through "jars of clay." The nature of mission itself is contained in the Person of Christ who is sent to us through the living Word. As He sends us, wherever and whenever we go, Christ is contained within us as the True Treasure given to our neighbors in mission. As the proclamation of this Treasure unburdens and assures those in faith and brings unbelievers to new faith, this same Treasure travels with us out of the worship service and into our community to be shared in word and deed with neighbors who may contest it, but need it nonetheless. And with the joy given to us in Christ, we are glad to share the treasure of the Gospel for we know that "it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."

Pastor Aage Larson serves Oak Ridge Lutheran Brethren Church in Menomonie, Wisconsin