The Forge Dallas Missionary Residency Program is a 5-month journey that equips women and men to live as missionaries where they live, work, and play. And DON’T let that word missionary scare you!
Missio is the latin root where we get our word “missionary” and it simply means “sent ones.” Jesus tells his followers then and now, “… as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”~ John 20:21
What that means is that we are ALL “sent ones!” And as “sent ones” or missionaries we adopt rhythms of life that reorient our daily lives around the mission of God in the various places (contexts) he has placed us. In this series we will take a glimpse at B.E.L.L.S. (a set of missionary practices as introduced by Michael Frost, Forge Co-founder in his book Surprise the World) and discover how a few simple practices can be life changing for us and others!
One way our family has adopted the missionary practices of B.E.L.L.S. is by committing to bless three people per week, at least one of whom is not a member of our church. Here is just one recent example of our life on mission:
Have you ever eaten so much you were uncomfortably full? My wife, Holly, and I recently took a blissful trip to Chili’s Restaurant where we had a terrible time deciding on one of their many delectable appetizers. Our solution, let’s get four! I’m not exaggerating, we dug into parmesan sprinkled fried cheese curds, fajita chicken nachos, perfectly grilled cheeseburger sliders, and savory skillet cheese fries. Our waitress looked at us with crazy eyes, but we persisted. I’m not afraid of a challenge! As you might imagine, I lost this one. I gave those appetizers my best shot, but sadly, stumbled out of Chili’s way too full and with a to-go box.
Naturally, Holly had to drive because I was nearly incapacitated. We definitely had our fill of Chili’s for the time being, yet, we still had a to-go box full of good food. I reclined way back in the passenger side seat of the car as we drove home, thinking about what we were going to do with all this food, and then Holly and I remembered B.E.L.L.S. and our commitment to bless those God has sent us to.
We had the privilege of stopping by a neighbor’s house on the way home, a beautiful couple with custody of eight of their elementary school age grand-kids. They gladly accepted the late night snacks for the kids and welcomed us into their home to catch up on life. Holly and I were so blessed by their company, friendship, and gratitude, and I think they were blessed to have a night where they did not have to come up with food for eight kids on an extremely tight budget. God was in that living room and it was so rejuvenating to join Him.
I tell you this story to give you a very small glimpse into the way we are living on mission. Our eyes were opened to the opportunities all around us after we went through the Forge Dallas Residency. In the residency, we learned to see and act differently. We learned to be counter-cultural and step well into the places we live, work, and play.
To learn more missional practices and about Forge Dallas' Residency Program, contact me, Kevin Davis, at kdavis@forgedallas.org. Our next Residency Program kicks off in January 2019!
