Being in isolation #7 Mission work

In the preceding articles we looked at the reasons why it is not so goo to have one person to be in isolation. We also argued that the person or persons living in isolation should know and feel they are not on their own. In a way it might be the task for those who live in larger community or do not live in isolation to help those who live in isolation. Those idolated should be able to feel they are really part of a Christian community that is alive and kicking well. They also should have access to enough material to feed them in their religious adventure. This can be by printed magazines or letters as well as by the modern media, having access to Christadelphian magazines and websites which can offer enough material to think about.

Too many of the society forget how such facilities can help to take the feeling of isolation away. Giving sources and material to those in isolation gets them out of the spiritual isolation and may give to them a feeling of belonging to a brotherhood. In such a way our Belgian ecclesia, though we are not with many, being taken up in the ecclesia of Newbury makes us feeling that we are accepted as fellow brothers and as such feeling we are accepted to be part of the brotherhood of Christadelphians.

For an ecclesia that has its own church members, not having to take care of another ecclesia it may seem not important to associate with other people so far away, even having kilometres of water creating a big border. But such associations with other ecclesiae only can strengthen the brotherhood and can create a chain in which others may come to believe too.

Because being with not many makes others reluctant to join. The isolation or the being on their own of people who claim to have the truth is less convincible than to see that others also have such a belief and want to be connected with them.

When there are some people just on their own, living in an isolated religious surrounding, the individual coming into contact with such a small secluded Group shall be easier to accept that such isolation shall have to be only a temporary necessity.

When facing more connections others shall be more eagerly to join and being able to meet at some place, in the living room of a member or in a public place, those coming to be interested to join shall see that there is a connection with others and shall offer an opportunity to seek to remove that isolation by witnessing unto the Truth and thus seeking to gather a congregation of those who share with him the whole of God’s Truth.

This is precisely the manner in which so many of the early Christian congregations were founded. When persecution set in at Jerusalem, the Christians were scattered. They moved from place to place, not with languid hearts and sealed lips, but with throbbing hearts and lips bursting to confess the way of life that they had found in the Lord.

When those who are willing to connect with the isolated ones create a bond and do continue to have regular contacts, by e-mail and internet meetings, gates are opened to keep the ground fertile.

Those in isolation should always remember that Jesus has never relieved the individual of the responsibility of being a witness and a light and a salt. He never said we only could work in and as a group. It would be nice to go with two or more, but even if we are on our own, alone, we should dare to go out and preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom. It is not because we are in isolation that we can permit ourselves to stay in isolation and be happy with ourselves being on ourselves. Being in isolation it would be too easy also to shift everything onto the bigger ecclesia. To shift that responsibility entirely to the group, the ‘ecclesia’ or ‘church body’ would be a totally wrong attitude.

When what we today consider the regular ways and means for doing mission work are not available, then we must revert to the ways and means frequently used by the early Christian Church, and used successfully!

On our own we do try to follow up the task given by Jesus Christ to all his followers. Living in isolation recognising the isolation of so many in ancient times we can put hope form their work and their strong will to continue to do the work of God.

Preceding articles

Being in isolation #1 Baptists making an important choice

Being in isolation #2 Looking at the word “Isolation”

Being in isolation #3 Gathering and Sharing

Being in isolation #4 Man’s greediness, slackness, internet, friends and social contacts

Being in isolation #5 Isolated Biblical figures and Confessional isolation

Being in isolation #6 to Hear Call from God and breaking isolation

Internet meeting 2016 March 30, Tuesday