When the Session in Airdrie told us last spring that we were going to have a mission this year, I learned a new use for the word. Up until that time, the word mission conjured up in my head scary music and the words “top secret” and “impossible.”

Our mission was to be a week of special, evangelistic services held Apr. 18-22 from 7–8 p.m. These services would be specifically aimed at unbelievers, and not just any unbelievers, but our unbelieving friends, neighbors, and relatives.

Lesson #1—Aim High

Pastor Andrew Quigley made it very clear, through a series of sermons based on John 15 about bearing much fruit, what the goal of our mission would be. We wanted to see men and women come hear the preaching of the Word of God, and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, be brought to faith in Christ. We didn’t want to see this happen to just one or two people; we wanted as many people as possible to hear the gospel. We weren’t aiming to harvest one or two stalks of corn; we were looking for fields. Our target was the 40,000 people who live in Airdrie. The word impossible again drifted across my mind. I’ve never seen a revival sweep across a town. I’d read about them in church history, loved reading about them, but I had no personal experience watching it happen. Sometimes we set our sights only on what we think we can actually get. Aiming high doesn’t come naturally to us. We’re too afraid of the embarrassment and disappointment that might come when our expectations fail. This was the first lesson I learned from the mission: Aim high; sow a field not a row; and look for a harvest, not just a few stalks of corn.

Lesson #2—Pray Constantly

Our Session announced this mission a year ahead of time, because the church had a job to do. We needed to start praying. We needed to pray for the people we were going to invite to the mission—that they would come and that they would be saved. So, our Sunday morning prayer meeting was extended by fifteen minutes to give us extra time to pray for the mission.

At least once a week for a year we prayed, but there was still more to do.

Some of the people we wanted to invite, we didn’t know very well. They worked with us, went to school with us, lived next to us, or just ran our favorite store. Some came to Mums and Tots on Friday morning or one of our clubs on Friday night. For a year, we worked on getting to know these people better. We built relationships with them, so they would see how we cared for them, and so they would listen to what we had to say about Christ.

The second thing I learned is that reaping a harvest takes a lot of prayer and a lot of time.

Lesson #3—Support Each Other

In February and March, we produced a mission booklet. The 16-page color booklet told about the church, gave testimonies of various people in the church, and invited people to the mission. The theme of the booklet was the same as the mission theme: “Power to Change Your Life.” The booklet is published on our website on the publications page: www.airdrierpcs.org. We printed 15,000 and distributed them with the help of a GO Team (short-term mission team) from Northern Ireland. They, along with people from the congregation, walked for three days to make sure every home in Airdrie got a booklet. Support from others in the body of Christ is a wonderful thing.

Lesson #4— Swallow Your Fears

In April, it was finally time for the scariest and hardest job of all—we actually had to ask people to come! Inviting unbelievers to church isn’t scary for everyone, but it is for me. My hands get sweaty, my heart beats faster, and I become petrified.

As I asked people to come to the mission, I noticed something: The ground didn’t open up and swallow me, the person I was talking to didn’t yell or scream at me or punch me, or stop speaking to me. In fact, they seemed more interested or sheepish than anything else. I also noticed that I wasn’t scared to invite the people I had worked at becoming close to. It was easier to talk to the ones I’d built a stronger relationship with. The more I talked to people and invited people, the easier it was. It helped to exchange stories with everyone else in the church who was doing the same thing. Through this I learned we should just do it and stop worrying. What holds you back from inviting people to church?

Lesson #5—Nothing Is Impossible for God

God answered our prayers beyond what we expected. God enabled Pastor Quigley to preach clear and powerful sermons. God brought nearly everyone from the congregation to the church each of the five nights. God also brought in 15-20 unbelievers every night.

Men and women left the services talking about Christ, thinking about Christ, and asking their friends about Christ. Many doors have been opened. We’re seeing opportunities to talk to people about Christ, and to follow up with those who came. God answers prayers, and nothing is impossible with Him.

Mission: Accomplished…Not Yet

How many people did God convert in all this? We don’t know yet. This was a time of sowing the seed of God’s Word. The harvest comes bit by bit. It comes in the new faces that have been out to church every week since the mission. It comes in the new conversations about Jesus Christ that take place between those in the church and their friends, neighbors, and relatives. It comes in the new boldness and the immense desire we have to sow more seed, to see more people come to faith, to help more Christians grow.

We’ve had a taste of the joy that comes from seeing God work, and we want more. Our mission isn’t accomplished yet.

Beth Bogue is church secretary and member of the Airdrie, Scotland, RPC.