Basin Theology: The Missionary Mindset

My original impetus in starting this blog was to encourage other Christians to view their immediate surrounding as the personal mission field given to them by God. Hence the title of the blog: Where You Are...Evangelism. It is still for this purpose and this was reminded to me again by my pastor’s sermon this morning.

As for some background, my pastor has led us into a time of inward evaluation of where our church is in obedience to God’s plan for His church. To aid in this we have used the Transformational Church program (TC) as a guide. One of the questions asked by TC that struck the loudest chord was, if your Church disappeared would anyone realize it was gone. We could even ask ourselves this question. If you disappeared would there be any less impact on your community for the gospel? 

The illustration used by my pastor was something he called basin theology. Let's look at Mathew 27:24.

When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”

Pilate washed his hands in the basin of self. He knew what was right but in order to continue his comfortable life he was unwilling to change. Many Christians are in this position. We know our responsibility. We know we should speak to our neighbors, friends, family, and strangers about the kingdom of God. Instead we wash our hand of responsibility believing we will not be held accountable. 

Now let’s move on to John 13:5, 16-17 and examine the basin theology of Christ.

⁵Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded…¹⁶ Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Here we see Christ and the basin of others. Whereas Pilate used his basin to wash away responsibility Christ’s basin is used to wash away ourselves in service to God. As John the Baptist understood, we are to decrease and He is to increase. We are placed where we are to serve God as He pleases, not as we please. Let us know these things and do them!

God made me to be a missionary

God made me to reach other for Him

God made me to care for others more than I care for myself

God made us to minister to the needs of others.

God made us to be missionaries. Let’s Do It!