Every so often, the Lord places a fresh challenge before His people—a holy nudge that invites us to see our community, our opportunities, and our calling in a new way. This past Sunday we explored Paul’s words in Philippians 3:14, where he describes pressing on toward God’s call. Paul’s determination wasn’t simply about personal growth; it was about mission. He lived with a forward-leaning posture, ready to go wherever the Spirit directed, even when the path surprised him.

Rethinking mission begins with that same posture. Paul’s journey to Philippi in Acts 16 is a vivid example. He planned to go one direction, only to have God redirect his steps to Macedonia. And once he arrived in Philippi, his ministry didn’t unfold in predictable places. God led him to Lydia, a business leader in the marketplace; to a young slave girl being exploited for profit; and to a Roman jailer inside the systems of the city. Each encounter revealed a different doorway into mission and showed how the gospel takes root whenever God’s people are attentive, flexible, and willing.

I was challenged to rethink mission at last week’s BGAV annual meeting in Abingdon. Cindy Wiles, member of First Baptist of Arlington and Executive Director of Restore Hope, shared the story of Mission Arlington—from its humble beginnings in the 1980s to the far-reaching ministry it is today. It all started when Tillie Burgin asked one simple question: “Who are the most unreached people in our community?” That question eventually led FBC Arlington to begin apartment-based Bible studies throughout the city. Over time, the ministry grew to include food distribution, medical and dental care, clothing centers, school support, and more. Today, thousands of volunteers serve through Mission Arlington each week, and countless lives are being touched with the love of Christ.

What strikes me most is that none of this began with a grand program. It began with a mindset—one person asking God to open her eyes to the needs around her and being willing to follow His lead. That is the kind of thinking Paul describes when he speaks of “straining toward what is ahead.” Mission is seldom neat, predictable, or limited to church buildings. It happens in living rooms and workplaces, in apartment complexes and schools, and in all the places we encounter people who are searching for hope.

As a church, this is a good moment for us to ask similar questions:

Who are the people around us who may never walk through our doors unless we walk first toward them? Where are the emerging needs? What opportunities is God placing right in front of us?

Rethinking mission doesn’t mean reinventing everything. It means opening ourselves to God’s imagination. It means being curious about the stories unfolding in our neighborhoods. It means trusting the Spirit to take our small steps and multiply them beyond anything we could engineer on our own.

When we embrace that posture—as individuals and as a congregation—we begin to see our city the way Paul saw Philippi and the way Tillie saw Arlington: as a field ready for faithful witness and compassionate presence. And as we press on together, we may discover that God has far more in mind than we could have asked or anticipated (see Ephesians 3:20-21).

May God renew our vision, expand our compassion, and help us press forward with hearts ready to serve!

Blessings,