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TRANSCRIPT:

Welcome back to our study about the habits of highly effective missional people. We have named one, two, three, four so far. So, let’s review them.

First, we talked about B—blessing, blessing someone else. There are lots of ways you could do that. Then we talked about eating with someone else and being a good listener to someone else, listening to their story and what is going on in their life. We also talked about learning and staying connected to Jesus who guides us to being missional people.

This takes us to the last principle of being highly effective, missional people. It is this principle of being sent.

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Jesus said, “As the father sent me. I am sending you.” (John 20: 19-22)

So, think about that for a minute. Jesus did not put his “sentness” in a box. He lived out of a sense that he was on a mission from God.

I am here at a shopping mall. You can probably hear a little of the noise in the background and see a little traffic behind me. I am here because I have been asking myself, what does it mean to not put my "sentness" in a box? What does that mean for you? What does that mean for us?

It means that I am sent when I get up in the morning and greet my wife. It means that I am sent when I show up at my place of employment wherever that may be. For me it is a Methodist place or appointment. Whatever that is for you, is where God has sent you.

It means your neighborhood. We live out are sense of being sent people with our neighbors and how we interact with them. We live out our sense of being sent people when we go to the shopping mall. What does that look like? What does that mean?

One way we are sent at the mall is by treating those people that wait on us with a sense of respect.  We see them like they are real people. They have their name badge, with their name on it. What would it be like, the next time you made a purchase, like at the grocery store, you called the person by name? Give them that sense of honor, respect and dignity that sometimes they may not get in the retail industry.

Living as sent people, we can’t put it in a box. Everywhere we are, we are either living like we are sent by God into the world to do mission; or we are kind of living a way that doesn’t fully demonstrate that. It is a big challenge.

I would love for you to have a conversation today in your group, whatever that group looks like.

What does it look like for you to bless other people, to share food—be in relationship with them, to listen, to learn, and finally to live as a sent person, wherever God sends you this week?

Think about it. God bless you as you have your conversation today.