What's Your Mission Assignment? 17 Questions to Help You Discern
By S. Crawley
Photo by Dave Pullis on Unsplash
You're sensing God's call to mission - stepping out of your comfort zone to join what He is doing outside the four walls of the church.
Awesome!
But where to start?
The first and most important step is to discern our assignment(s) for this season. Maybe in future we'll be living in a different country, but right now we're here. How is God inviting us to join what He is doing now?
Cities like Singapore are complex. So much going on, so many communities, so many types of brokenness, so many possibilities. It's easy to get overwhelmed before we start.
Alternatively, we might get spread across a large number of projects and activities which keep us busy and feeling productive, but with limited impact amongst the communities we most want to see God bless.
There are infinite possibilities in the city, but we are very finite!
God knows our days and that we are dust (Ps 103:13-16) - He is not asking us to do more than we are capable of. Discerning the assignment helps us prioritise our limited energy and resources according to His Will.
Each urban village is unique, and each harvest worker is unique. God knows exactly how He intends to weave together the pieces to see His vision fulfilled in our cities.
How do we discern our assignment for the season so we can be in step with the Lord of the Harvest and maximise our contribution?
This process can be challenging, but we need to remember His first and primary invitation to us is to relate to Him as sons and daughters. When we lack clarity, we can be sure that He is working through it to deepen our trust and intimacy with Him.
There is no sure-fire formula for discerning the season and the assignment, but the following questions can help us build a picture that gives greater clarity as we pray.
17 Questions for Discerning Your Assignment
The Fundamental Question
1 Am I surrendered?
Romans 12:1-2 gives us the most important key to discerning God's will.
We are exhorted to respond to His love and mercy by offering ourselves as living sacrifices, and engaging in the process of conforming our thinking and living to His perspective rather than the world's. There is no substitute for time in the Word, time with Him in prayer and doing both in the context of community.
God does not expect us to be perfect, but He does ask us to be committed. Are we?
Personal Questions
2 What is already clear?
You're already on the journey of learning to walk with God. There are likely some things you already have clarity on. What have you picked up along the way? What has been spoken into you by others?
They might be concrete (places, people, activities) or they might be more ambiguous (a Bible verse/passage, a dream, etc). Make sure you write them down and include them in your processing.
3 What do I know I need to say 'yes' to?
These are the things you don’t even need to think about.
You know that you know that you know that this is where you need to be in this season of your life.
4 What do I know I need to say 'no' to?
The reality is that we will need to say "no" to a lot of things - especially in cities where there are so many voices and opportunities. Jesus had great clarity and freedom to say, "No" directly and indirectly. What are the things you already know?
5 What are my convictions?
Each of us has a unique journey that has shaped unique convictions in us which impact the choices we make and how we go about life and relationships. What convictions are most important to you?
(Tip - when you get most upset or internally disturbed, there's a good chance it points to a conviction that got trampled on)
6 Where is my passion?
What do you get excited about? Think about people, topics or causes that energise you and really light you up.
7 Where is my compassion?
This might be types of brokenness or types of people. What makes your heart break, and gives you a glimpse of the depths of God's love for people? For some of us, it's children. For others, people suffering addiction. Others, the elderly. Others, it's people suffering domestic violence. Who or what stirs your compassion?
8 Where is my giftedness?
Where do you see satisfaction and good results from your efforts? What contributions attract the most positive comments from those around you? Romans 12:3-8 and Ephesians 4:11-16 are useful starting points on this topic, but don't stop there - gifts like data analysis or social media platforms were not on Paul's radar, but they are on God's!
9 What skills have I learned?
God has sovereignly led you on a journey where you have picked up a unique combination of skills. What are they?
As you think about this, step back from a worldly perspective which might focus on qualifications or productivity-related skills. Look with Kingdom eyes. What have you learned to do with people? With objects? With systems?
Harvest Community Questions
10 Which urban villages am I part of?
God has sovereignly placed us in the midst of social networks and communities. None of it is random.
Who has He placed around you?
11 Which urban villages do I have access to?
There are villages where you are not a member, but you have access to it. Possibly through a close relationship, due to past experiences or because of geographic proximity.
Which villages could you step into with minimal effort?
12 Which urban villages do I have direct or indirect influence in?
Similar question, but different.
There are some villages where we belong, but we have limited pull. In other villages, we are known or trusted and our opinion or example are valued by the people around us. This is worth taking note of.
In which urban villages do your opinion and example influence others?
13 For each of these villages or affinities, what brokenness do I see? 14 What would change in these villages if every single person was in a trusting relationship with the Father?
Asking these questions helps us see where the Kingdom of God might meet the deepest needs and desires of the people in this specific village. We can be confident that our Father wants to bring healing and blessing to these things and has a plan for how to do it..
Jesus Community Questions
15 Who am I running with?
Who has God put around us in this season who is already moving in the same or similar direction? Maybe we can collaborate at a deeper level.
16 Who else shares my passions/convictions?
They may be geographically near, or they may be far, but there can be great energy where two or more hot coals combine their heat.
17 Who do I know who has complementary gifting and/or resources?
A passion for intercession, a deep desire to help people practically, a love for putting things in order, an ability to innovate and/or generate income... these qualities can work powerfully together when they are focussed on a shared goal or assignment.
Answering these questions won't necessarily give you a detailed blueprint for your next steps, but they WILL give you clarity about your current reality, clues about the things God is doing and good fuel for conversation with the Lord of the harvest and people He has put around you.
Don't Wait Until You "Know"
Very rarely does God reveal the full journey before we begin. More often, He reveals His plans to us as we go.
This verse from the Psalms has always spoken powerfully to me,
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
As we step forward, trusting our Father, He meets us, teaches us and shows us the next step. Nothing is wasted. If we wait for certainty for the whole journey before we move, we may fail to see Him waiting one step away.
In European tradition, a lamp is often imagined to be something that is held up and gives bright light for some distance around.
Lamps from the time of the Psalmist, by contrast, were very dim - giving about the same amount of light as a birthday candle. You got 15-30cm of brightness, and maybe 1-2m of visibility. Just enough light for the next step. No more. As the bearer took a step, the light moved with them and they could see enough to take the next step.
So often, this is how God leads us, and the uncertainty, the ambiguity, the stubbed toes and the missteps are all part of His process to help us live in greater intimacy and dependence on Him as His sons and daughters.
As we step forward, trusting our Father, He meets us, teaches us and shows us the next step. Nothing is wasted. If we wait for certainty for the whole journey before we move, we may fail to see Him waiting one step away.
So, whether you are stirred to move to other countries, or you know God has planted you firmly where you are, the path to His calling is the same: Take one step forward from where you are.
Surrender completely to Him, discern the assignment(s), and move forward trusting His goodness and sufficiency.
Getting Practical
1. Where do these questions point you?
2. Is there anything you need to start or stop?
3. Who do you need to process this with?
Discipling the Urban Harvest provides practical insights and encouragement to walk with God in multiplying discipleship in an increasingly urban world - growing as children of the Father, serving the communities He has called us to, and discipling those hungry to know Him.