Ready, Set, GO!

. . Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them . . . 

Joshua 1:2

 When I give a sermon, I ask questions. I like the congregation to raise their hands to answer. I will ask you a series of questions and feel free to raise your hand – even if I can’t see you. How many of us know someone hurting? How many know someone who is uncared for and unloved? How many in our community, workplace, and school are struggling or feel alone? How many of us have been hurt or judged before by the church?  How many know someone who is different than you?

We both have been on both sides of the equation. We both have been lost with no one reaching out to us. We felt lost, confused, and judged, especially by church people. But we also have been lost and had great servants reaching outside their comfort to help us, most importantly to love us and not judge us. We have also been the servants that loved someone unloved. But, we have also been the servants staying far away from helping someone that makes us have to sacrifice.

When I ask these questions, don’t get me wrong, – we have amazing church congregations! Can they be better? I’m sure we can always work to improve. Have we seen people far from God return to God? Of course! Yes, God is working. God will work in spite of us. I’m sure we want God to work through us!

GoCoptic is a blog designed to talk about ways we as Christians can GO. We all are called to do Mission Everywhere to Everyone.

A little over 12 years ago, we were a couple living a pretty normal life in Northern Virginia. I was a Manager Consultant in Accenture and my wife, Dalia, was working in a high-powered law firm in Washington, D.C. The same month we got married, I decided to leave the corporate life and work for our church full-time as a lay person.

Mission was always a part of our lives, as well. During my full-time work in the church, because I had taken so many many mission trips around the world, this led starting a missions program in the church. We remember praying for more and more missionaries to be raised up in our Coptic Churches across the world. We earnestly prayed that more and more people would heed the “call” and serve full-time as missionaries. Little did we know that God was preparing to give that “call” to us!

GoCoptic is based on our mission experiences that we have had over the last 12 years living and serving in Africa. And the years before that being involved in local missions.

The reason this blog was created is to encourage all Coptic Orthodox Christian believers to fulfill the Great Commission of “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). GoCoptic will take us through a journey of how each of us can learn to do mission in our homes, schools, work, and to lost church members, and even to the unchurched in our communities. 

We are learning everyday how to grow the mission of Christ. We are by no means experts but felt compelled by God to share what we have learned so far. We pray we can start to incorporate more mission and evangelism in all our churches and our own personal life.

We believe that every Christian is a missionary and every Church is a mission church.

Mission won’t happen by chance but needs to be an intentional part of our church life and our own daily life. We believe that all Coptic Orthodox Christians and churches should “Go”.

Not to stay still and be satisfied with only keeping existing members but reaching to all the communities and all nations as Christ said in the Great Commission.

Our life motto: Mission Everywhere to Everyone

Christ came to Earth to start His mission. It has been on our hearts to do this blog and what better time to start than the Season of Joy and Christmas, when Christ came to start His mission.

Come to the site to get resources. We are still learning, and growing and facing challenges. We are by no means experts. The call we heard long ago is not just for us, but the call is for all of us. Wherever we are. Right where we are. We are in this together.

 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. John 6:38 

And what is HIS will?

And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:40

And they will see the Son, Jesus Christ, through us. Through you! Through ALL of us!

We are not in a competition to build the biggest churches or have the largest congregation or more converts – but we are living so that ALL of us can work together for the Kingdom. This blog is not to criticize our churches or leadership but to fulfill the Great Commission we are all called to do. If we all do our part no matter how small but faithfully, then more and more will believe and be saved.

Our prayer is that this blog can encourage you to Arise & GO! Go and do something, no matter how small. Start somewhere. GoCoptic can challenge you to think and act different. Even if it is in your home, your neighbor, a friend, a relative, someone unchurched. Call someone. Have a coffee with someone in need. Help your church members. Reach out to someone new. 

Together we can start a movement. A movement of love. Doesn’t the world need it now more than ever?

Ask Christ to give you His eyes to see the need and then GO!

 

First Mission Assignment: Follow this blog via email, share it and continue to visit to learn and grow together on how we are all called to be missionaries.

Tags: Arise, Calling, Church, GO, Home, Introduction, Lost, Love, Mission, Missionary, Movement, School, Unchurched, Work