Take Jesus to China! I once saw this on a poster. It had a beautiful picture of the Great Wall with those words at the top in a big and bold font. 

I get the idea behind this. Millions of people in China have never even heard the gospel, so the need for us to go there and tell them about Jesus is huge. However, the idea of taking Jesus to China seems like a stretch. He knows all about China. He created China. Seems like He's been there before. 

Our next core value to cover in our recap series is what we call the Ancient Work. This truth reminds that God is at work all over the world, and He has been since the dawn of creation. He doesn't live here in Texas just waiting for a group of teenagers to get Him on a plane so He can go visit Honduras. 

The Bible teaches us that God uses His people to accomplish His purposes, but what that really means is God invites us to join Him in the work He is doing all over the world. The reminder that this is God's Ancient Work helps us embrace some key truths: 



• We don't start anything
• We don't finish anything
• God invites us and allows us to play a role in His mission

This teaching helps us engage missions with the right mindset. We aren't starting this work; we are joining God in it. There is freedom to be found in this message as well. If this is His work, then we don't have to worry about finishing it. Our goal is to do the work that He allows us to do, and then trust Him to carry it on with or without us. After all, He can do it without us. All of it. This is His work, and He doesn't need us for it. He chooses to use us for it. That's humbling, and also amazing. 

Knowing God is at work all over the world helps us see all of life as mission as well. We might join His Ancient Work in Japan for a few weeks, but then we head back to find God is at work in our hometowns just like He is at work in Japan. The invitation to join Him is always open. 

Where do you see God at work around you right now? How can you join Him in that work? We should always be asking those questions, and looking for ways to join God's work all over the world.

There's another question that's helpful to ask - how has God been working in your life to prepare you for His mission? You might not be as ancient as I am, but the truth is that God is always at work in us to prepare us for the work He wants to do through us. What have you been learning? What have you been through? What experiences has God brought your way? Look for ways to use what He has been doing in your life to impact others for His glory.