What a year we have had! So many blessings, so many opportunities, so many changes in the world.

At this most special time of the year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior and look forward to the new year ahead, I am reminded that the mission of Christ’s Church can be summed up in Discipling (making Christ known and bringing people into the Kingdom) and Perfecting (building up the saints).

There are two definitions of Mission that I really like. The first comes from Donald McGavran and reads, “An enterprise devoted to proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, and to persuading men and women to become His disciples and responsible members of the Church.” Charles Van Engen developed the second: “The people of God intentionally crossing barriers from church to non-church, from faith to non-faith to proclaim by word and deed the coming of the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ.”

So as we welcome 2014, wherever we are in the world, let’s continue to be on mission and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Thank you so very much for what you do each day in the name of Jesus and serving Him right where you are.