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TL;DR:
Jesus’ mission was not about mere self-improvement but about radical, God-initiated transformation—a complete rebirth of heart and life. For missionaries, this means the ultimate goal must go beyond humanitarian aid or moral betterment. While clean water, schools, and disaster relief are valuable, the Church’s highest calling is to see hearts transformed by Christ, which in turn transforms communities. Missionaries must therefore communicate Jesus’ message of spiritual rebirth in culturally sensitive ways while remaining faithful to its radical nature.
The message burning in Jesus’ heart was not a message of superficial self-improvement. Jesus knew that human beings needed radical transformation, the kind of transformation made possible only as people surrender to God’s transforming grace.
As Jesus began His ministry, He declared that we all must be “born again.” That wording by Jesus in John 3 graphically captures humanity’s need for transformation. Indeed, the Gospels tell of people radically transformed physically, emotionally, and spiritually by encounters with our Lord. Lame people who met Jesus walked again. Blind people received their sight. Demon-possessed people were liberated. Those who had defrauded others made generous restitution. Sexually immoral people embraced moral purity. People of power adopted servanthood attitudes.
In an episode recounted in Matthew 21:31, Jesus shocked some Jewish religious leaders when He said tax collectors and prostitutes were entering the kingdom of God ahead of them. Jesus was right, of course. Matthew gave up being a tax collector to become one of the 12 Apostles. A tax collector named Zacchaeus radically changed in attitude and behavior. A Samaritan woman whose life included a complicated marital history was transformed when she encountered Jesus at a village well (John 4).
An encounter with Jesus on Golgotha radically transformed a dying thief’s relationship with his Creator. Jesus knew that Peter could be transformed into something more than an outspoken disciple who crumbled under pressure. Jesus knew that a wealthy young man needed to be transformed. Sadly, that young man refused (Matthew 19). The risen Christ confronted Saul on the road to Damascus and offered him radical transformation. Saul accepted and became the man we now call “the Apostle Paul.”
If the Church is to truly fulfill the Great Commission, its missionaries must share Jesus’ belief in divinely wrought transformation. People’s attempts at self-induced transformation will always fall short of what is needed.
As the Church of Jesus Christ tries to minister around the world in Christ’s name, its objective must be more than simply helping people. We want people everywhere to have clean water, health care, and decent schools. We want to help those who have lost homes and possessions in natural disasters or civil unrest. We also want people and communities to flourish. However, our principal desire for people around the world must be for the transformation of their hearts. That is what can eventually lead to the transformation of whole societies.
Jesus’ words regarding people’s need for a radical transformation in their hearts must grip us. Proclaiming the possibility of that transformation must remain central to our mission. That message must permeate everything we do in global cross-cultural ministry.
-- Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu
This blog on Christlike attitudes and actions that should be present in cross-cultural missionary service is one of a dozen articles in the “missionary ministry that reflects Christ” series published in Engage, a monthly online magazine produced by the Church of the Nazarene.
T - Transcendent grace that calls us to new life,
R - Renewing our hearts, making us whole again.
A - As we are reborn, Christ’s love shines through,
N - Nurturing us in faith, guiding us to truth.
S - Sanctified by the Spirit, we are made new,
F - Free from sin, we can walk in holiness.
O - Open to God’s will, we surrender all,
R - Removed from darkness, in His light we stand.
M - Miracles unfold as we follow His way,
A - Aligning our hearts with His eternal plan.
T - Transformed in spirit, we become His voice,
I - In His image, we reflect His grace.
O - Overcoming trials with Christ by our side,
N - Never the same, in His love we abide.
Like acrostics? Here are more of them.
The theme of radical transformation is central to Jesus’ teachings and mission. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus points to the need for people to undergo spiritual transformation if they are to live according to the values of God’s kingdom.
One example of this is Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, where Jesus speaks of being “born again” or “born from above” (John 3:3–8). This metaphor of spiritual rebirth is a way of saying that the radical transformation Jesus taught was necessary.
Additionally, Jesus frequently called people to repentance. He urged them to turn away from sin and embrace a new way of living (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15). He challenged societal norms and religious traditions. He called His followers to a standard of righteousness not only in external behavior but also in attitudes of the heart (Matthew 5–7).
Furthermore, Jesus’ ministry was marked by interactions with marginalized and outcast people. To them, He offered forgiveness, healing, and a new identity as beloved children of God. When Jesus encountered people in bondage to demonic forces, He set them free. Jesus also confronted attitudes and practices that marginalized or oppressed people.
Bottom line: The call to radical transformation is a central theme for Jesus. Those who undergo a profound change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit can embrace the fullness of life in God’s kingdom.