In our denomination, the Evangelical Free Church of America, we have a new tagline, a brief slogan describing who we are: “Biblical and missional. United and free.” I’ve been thinking about those first two words and how well they describe the passion of my heart and the labor of my hands. But I hope that biblical and missional not only describes my life and service to the Lord, and not only describes EFCA, but also describes every Christian.

Jesus was the ultimate example of being biblical and missional. He did not come to abolish law but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17.) He preached the Word, lived the Word, fulfilled the Word. In Luke 4, Jesus went to the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth and read from Isaiah 61 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then with every eye watching him, he declared, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Shocking! Breathtaking! And the passage He chose was all about His mission! He was biblical and missional.

Over and over He declared His mission. “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Lk 19:10) “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:45) He repeatedly foretold his suffering, death, resurrection (Lk 9,18), and in John 17 he prays to the Father, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” (17:4) Jesus’ final biblical and missional words (Matt.28:18-20), based in His complete authority, call us to make disciples of all nations, baptizing in name of Triune God, and teaching them to obey all that He commanded. Jesus was biblical and missional in His life and service to God.

The Apostle Paul was also a great example of being biblical and missional as he served God. I have been studying Acts 20:17-35, and in that passage which is Paul’s primary message to believers (initially the elders from Ephesus) recorded in the book of Acts, he emphasizes these two elements. Seven times in this passage he declared the biblical, Gospel message, “all that is profitable, teaching in all places, testifying to all people the message of repentance and faith, the gospel of the grace of God, proclaiming the kingdom of God, declaring the whole counsel of God, commending the word of God’s grace.” Paul was devoted to the ministry of the Word, in his teaching and in his life. He also was missional in his service to God, serving humbly, with tears, despite trials, without distraction, diversion, or delay. He “did not shrink” from fulfilling his calling, in fact in v.24, he holds loosely to his own life but tightly to the mission and ministry of “testifying to the gospel of the grace of God.” He warns the Ephesian elders to “pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” (v.28) because “fierce wolves” are coming (29), “men speaking twisted things to draw away the disciples after them.” (30) Therefore “be alert,” (31) remembering Paul’s sincere and unceasing charge, “Serve the Lord, fight the enemy, live and preach the Word, fulfill your ministry.”

So my charge and strong encouragement to you, dear reader, is to serve the Lord biblically and missionally. May the Bible fill our minds, guard our hearts, and guide our decisions. May it impact our screen time, the words we use, our leisure activities, and the message that flows from our life to those around us. We are to “be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.” (Phil. 2:15-16) And may we be undeterred, missional, in our general and specific calling from God: generally by striving to know Him, love Him, walk with Him, and help others to know, love, and walk with Him. But also specifically flowing from the unique way God has shaped us, gifted us, equipped us in His service. For me, my specific mission is to equip ministry leaders globally to study, understand, live, and teach God’s Word, so they train others to do the same. That includes my family, stateside pastors, African pastors, and my newest target, training those who work with unreached people groups globally. What is your specific, missional calling? May you pursue fulfilling it all the way till God calls you home. As you serve the Lord biblically and missionally in line with His plan for you, your life will have eternal significance and an inheritance from God is awaiting you. “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32)