Tena tātou katoa e te iwi mīhana… (Greetings to all the people in mission)

This month’s whakatauki (proverb) is: “Whaia e koe ki te iti kahurangi; ki te tuohu koe, me he maunga teitei” (Seek the treasure you value most dearly; if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain).

In 2002 I was a relatively new mission leader sitting around a table with twelve much older and more experienced leaders from the USA, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Dr Douglas C. McConnell, our international leader at the time, introduced the concept of a BHAG—a “big, hairy, audacious goal”. This odd term became popular in the late ‘90s from “Built To Last”, the book by Collins and Porras investigating successful organisations.

Most of the leaders present were uncomfortable with the idea of inventing a stretch goal for our international organisation. Various metrics and arbitrary numbers were suggested and summarily dismissed. Something rather ‘safe’ was eventually agreed upon but it did not create a sustained singular vision that focused the organisation.

A compelling vision can rally tremendous resource to achieve previously unimagined feats

Our proverb this month suggests that it is helpful to lift our attention to a grand accomplishment, to serve something much larger than ourselves. Think of what was required of Hillary and his team to summit Sagarmāthā (Everest). A compelling vision can rally tremendous resource to achieve previously unimagined feats—for good or ill.

I think this was at the heart of Matthew’s intention to place Jesus’ commission at the end of his gospel. This is a particularly powerful BHAG that leaves his readers in no doubt about the lofty mountain Jesus expects us to bow to—the Kingdom of God. It is an imperative that, by inference, anticipates that all nations will bow to its King.

While we take the submission of all creation to Jesus as an eschatological reality, in Matthew’s commission we are clearly commanded to prepare people for that reality, by leading them to be disciples of Jesus in intimate relationship with our triune God.

This is God’s BHAG but it can seem too overwhelming. It helps for us to consider what aspect of it we are called to be responsible for. We all have unique contributions to make, as individuals, as groups (churches and organisations), and as the Church (in all its manifestations) represented from a nation. This is fine, so long as we keep the ‘end game’ in mind. We are all working towards the same objective, bowing to the same lofty mountain.

I truly believe we are stronger together, as the Church of Aotearoa New Zealand with organisations serving as conduits for the Church to serve in mission from and within this nation.

In all of our parochial struggles it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. We need to recover a vision of what path to the peak we ought to be taking as we move onward and upward and #stayonmission. 👊🏼

Ma te Atua e manaaki koutou (may you all experience the very best things from God),

Jay