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Mission, Humility and Boldness

I've been reading a fascinating book this spring with a colleague of mine at the seminary in Osijek. The Drama of Scripture takes the reader through the Bible following the threads that connect the books while also unpacking the main themes. 


Towards the end of the book, in Act 5, the authors notice that in the way Luke tells the story "Mission is first of all an act of the Spirit". 

How could I argue with that? 

And yet, I do feel like many times when mission is discussed, it's done so in a way that is dependent on our initiative, our enthusiasm and our effort. Part of that, I think, is because the early church was both enthusiastic and devoted to being witnesses. We certainly don't see a passive church in the book of Acts. Indeed, although it's called Acts of the Apostles, it could just as easily be call Acts of the Holy Spirit, as my New Testament textbook emphasized. Which leads me to the question; how do we both allow the Spirit to lead, while also being proactive as Christ's witnesses? 

I believe the answer is humble boldness. 

Humility because our efforts as the Church are part of God’s plan from the foundation of the world. This mission was not our idea, but God’s. The Lord has already gone before us, and the power belongs not to us but to the Spirit. We are also reminded that we stand among a great multitude of witnesses who have gone before us in faith. As individuals, we can do nothing on our own. 

Yet alongside this humility there must also be boldness. God the Father has given us a purpose. The Spirit gives us power, and when the disciples asked Jesus,  in Acts 1:6 “Will you...?”  He answered, “(No,) you will…” The continuation and expansion of Jesus’ ministry has already spread throughout the world, and we have been filled with the power of the Holy Spirit — dunamis.

This balance of humility and boldness reminds me of a current Croatian hero - Luka Modrić. 


As incredible as Luka Modrić is, he cannot control an entire football match. He cannot control every pass from his teammates or every move of the opposing team. There must be a certain openness and calmness in the way he plays. Yet there must also be boldness in the way he runs across the field, finds space, and controls the ball. That combination often comes with maturity and experience. 

In many ways, Modrić plays with humble boldness. He is quiet and humble in his leadership, humble as a teammate, and humble in the way he allows the game to unfold. But when he has the ball, he is bold — bold in looking for opportunities and bold when it is time to take the shot.

Mission, as noticed by the authors of the book I'm reading, is indeed first of all an act of the Spirit. But we are called to be bold, courageous, fervent and devoted. It's this combination that I'm praying for as we continue to endeavor to make disciples in Croatia. 

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