GLOBALLY SIGNIFICANT LIFESTYLE

[Montreal, Canada Team - Beng, Mel & Pei Hsu (Photos)]

[May Cheung, Oceania Missions Coordinator]

Lifestyle (līf'stīl') - A way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group.

Sam's lifestyle has changed. Sam no longer drags his feet to the gym after work. In fact he enjoys going to the gym; he is enjoying the extra energy he now has in his everyday life. Although he had never been a big fan of fruit and vegetables, since choosing to eat more of it, he is noticing a good improvement in his body system. Sam is living a healthier lifestyle.

Montreal, Canada Team Video

God says we are "light of the world", we are all called to "make disciples of all nations", and His House is a "house of prayer for all nations". It is clear that God wants our lives to make a global impact, and our lifestyle to be globally significant. Why? Because He wants to bring salvation to the ends of all the earth, and He has called us to be His hands and feet.

[Hope Quito, Ecuador - South America (Photos)]

Significant (sĭg-nĭf'ĭ-kənt) - Having or likely to have a major effect

How can we start to shift ourselves to live a globally significant lifestyle?

How you can shift to be a Global Christian

1. Shift from self-centred to other-centred thinking

Worldly Christians look to God for personal fulfilment, how their needs can be satisfied. But Global Christians know they are here for a greater purpose - to serve God by serving others. They see it a privilege to be used by God to impact others' lives and look for ways to make a difference in their world.

2. Shift from local to global thinking

The first way to start thinking globally is to begin to pray for specific countries around the world. Prayer is the most important tool for your mission in the world. Through prayer, you can touch a person's heart hundreds of miles away.

You can read and watch the news with "Great Commission eyes". God is at work in this world and He uses various circumstances as opportunities to draw people to Him. You can also go on a short term missions trip and experience a different culture, place and people.

3. Shift from temporal to eternal thinking

The Bible reminds us that worldly treasures are temporary and will pass away but the souls of men are eternal. By choosing to invest in people to go to heaven you are investing into their eternity and storing up for yourself treasures in heaven.

[Hope Prague, Czech Republic - Europe (Photos)]

5 Things you can adopt into your lifestyle to be a Global Christian

1. You can inquire into different people groups and their culture.

2. You can invest your time and resources to support mission work.

3. You can intercede for the nations to encounter the love of Christ.

4. You can impact cross-culturally through building relationships in my workplace, classroom, and neighbourhood.

5. You can immerse yourself into a different culture through overseas holidays, mission trips and church-planting.

[Hope Tokyo, Japan (Photos)]

Think Global, Act Local

The world will not be won to Christ with business as usual. In being a Global Christian, you can take action locally with a global perspective. Be willing to do new things, break old paradigms and work in every possible way with the church to get the Gospel to those who have never heard. You can start living a GLOBALLY SIGNIFICANT LIFESTYLE today.

• Write to May Cheung for more information regarding missions Email : missions@hopebrisbane.com

Adapted from Hope Singapore Missions Department: What's a global Christian? (2008).