So the question is such an odd question for a Christian to even ask. “Why would an American minister in Scotland?” Why? Well apart from the fact that there is not a rush of people queuing up to plant churches, it is also because we are by our very nature a called-out and a sent-out people.
Cultural Elitism May not Be the Issue
Surely it should not surprise us that God would send English-speaking Christians to other English-speaking nations that are in great need of gospel workers. God could send from any nation, and he does, and he will. But why would we be in any way uncomfortable with God sending people to us in Scotland from other English-speaking nations? Why would we not rejoice that the Lord has not forsaken his church in Scotland?
He will, and he is, calling out and sending out workers. Those workers might come from within Scotland, just as they might come from places further afield. The origin of the Lord’s sent is really a mute point. God is the one who sends. The wind blows where it blows, and the Spirit leads whoever the Spirit decides to lead.
If only the Church would grasp hold of a bigger vision of herself. We are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people from every tribe and tongue standing together to declare in a brilliant multicolored unison that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is glorious!
So let us get out from behind our cultural elitism and instead look firmly forward toward a vision of a church that is made up of all nations, all tongues and from every tribe. Accents of all kinds are welcome here. Workers from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds are invited to join us in building healthy, gospel-centered churches in Scotland’s poorest communities.
The gospel destroys every dividing line. A gospel-centered, gospel-loving, gospel-proclaiming believer who is being obedient to the call of God to go and proclaim his name where Jesus is not yet known is my brother and my co-labourer in the Lord, regardless of background, accent or economic standing. We are a new people, a new creation. We are one in Christ, and by our oneness the world might see him as the Son of God.
