Articles
To End Missions
May 31 2023
“All good things must come to an end.” You have heard this said many times before. Consider the following examples of good things coming to an end…
- An 18-year-old drives off to college, leaving her mother, father, and childhood home behind for the last time
- An iconic athlete “hangs it up” as his aging body has nothing left to give on the field
- A new bride and groom drive away from their wedding—“Just Married” in white window paint disappears into the distance
But is this really true? Do all good things “come to an end,” or is something else at play? Consider these alternative perspectives, juxtaposed against the same scenarios, albeit through different lenses…
- An 18-year old woman, equipped by loving parents, leaves home ready to take on the future
- After 20 years of elite training, an athlete is ready to cement their legacy through greater influence off the field
- A bride and groom begin their new life together—stronger together than apart
No parent really wants their kid to stay home forever. No athlete really wants to play sports into their old age. No bride and groom really want to stay at their wedding for more than a few hours. There are temporary joys in every season, but deep down, we long for something greater.
Let’s rephrase the adage, shall we?
“All good things must make way for something greater.”
If you are a follower of Christ (and I hope that you are), you may have mixed views about Christian missions. Perhaps you see missions as a good thing, but it feels more like a problem to be dealt with. Almost like a little brother—he is always going to be there, but sometimes you wish he wasn’t (that just got real). Maybe you look forward to the day that missions comes to an end, as all good things do.
But what if we are looking at missions all wrong? What if missions isn’t a “good thing that comes to an end,” but it is actually a means to something much, much greater?
At AIRO, we have a vision “To End Missions.” Not because missions is a bad thing; it is actually a good thing. Our vision is to end missions because missions is not the goal—it never was. Worship is.
“…missions is not the goal—it never was. Worship is.”
One day, God will return for his people. Everyone in heaven will believe in Jesus. Missions will no longer be needed—it will be over, forever. The way to get to this heavenly end is not to stop doing missions, or wish it away, but to keep doing missions, and relentlessly lift off barriers in the way of it.
We long to see this day when missions isn’t needed. Not because we don’t like it. But because it is a means, not the end. The end is eternal worship, in heaven, toward Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That is something worth doing missions for.
All good things must make way for something greater. Missions will one day give way to something greater: eternal worship. At last, we will see Jesus face-to-face as the object of our worship and praise. On that day, we will not think about how missions came to an end—but only how it made way for something infinitely greater.
Author
Luke Womack
Author
Luke Womack
Luke founded AIRO after learning about the unfinished task while in college. He has a Bachelors in Business Administration and has an unrelenting drive to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who do not currently have access. His favorite part of the day is coming home to his wonderful wife Allison, and children Vera, Dawson, and Pearl (born in 2016, 2017, and 2019).