Embracing God’s Mission
“Missions isn’t just a program of the church, it’s the point of the church,” Maegan Gahima, missions director at Parkway Church on the Mountain (Roanoke, VA), told me.
We get a picture of God’s heart for the nations and his plan for the world from Genesis through Revelation, she continued. It doesn’t just suddenly pop up when we’re commissioned by Jesus in the books of the Gospel.
Take Psalm 46:10 for example, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations.”
“We know that this is going to happen because when you read Revelation 7:9, you see all the nations and languages and tribes are going to be there together worshipping,” Maegan emphasized. “It’s going to happen. So why would you not want to be a part of that?”
She spoke in a way that felt casual yet compelling. I could sense that her passion for God’s mission is a steady hum in her conversations. She was testifying from personal experience that God has uniquely called each of us to engage in what He’s doing around the world.
“It’s the one thing in this day and age that you can say for certain is worth doing, because we know the end of the story,” she said.
Previously a missionary who served in Uganda for seven-and-a-half years with a Christian non-profit agency based in Easy Africa, Maegan joined the team at Parkway full-time in 2020. Since then, she’s worked hard to use her passion and experience with global missions to help inspire not only Parkway, but the Church as a whole, to pursue our commission from God.
Within her four years working at Parkway, God has already used her in significant ways. Personally, I heard about her efforts from several people within Global Partners, and felt excited by what she’s been doing.
Parkway is by no means new to engaging in global missions. In fact, Christy Van Steenburg, who served with her family in various places in South America for seven years with Global Partners, has felt very supported and loved by Parkway for a long time. The church consistently sent short-term teams, helped move them into a new home, and still partners with her today while she serves as the Southeast Regional Mobilizer for Global Partners.
But Christy and Maegan agree that something has shifted within Parkway in more recent years.
From the relationships church members are building in the local community, to trips members of the youth group are getting involved in, to the decorations highlighting the globe all throughout the building – it’s evident that Parkway has a growing heart for global missions. Even the church’s coffee shop helps to financially support missions.
This shift didn’t take place overnight, but through intentional time and effort. The Parkway team has spent the last couple of years honing in on their global strategy – first with participating in Missional Coaching, provided by Global Partners, and then with continued coaching through 16:15 Outfitters.
“I think we’re already seeing transformation in people’s hearts and minds. I’m excited for them and really proud of the intentionality,” Christy said.
In January, Parkway began to lay the groundwork in people’s hearts and minds about the importance of missions with a sermon series titled “Neighbors and Nations.” Moving forward, they hope to continue articulating and highlighting the church’s global strategy.
The ultimate goal, however, is to help people within the church discover and pursue their unique role in the Great Commission.
“Missions is not just for the ‘missions people,’” Maegan emphasized, addressing the unconscious belief some hold – that engaging in God’s mission is only for a certain type of person.
Parkway aims to provide a variety of opportunities for individuals to engage in God’s mission, however they might be called. The church prioritizes discipleship, local and international service opportunities. They financially give to various projects around the world. They collaborate with other organizations and churches to host an annual outdoor worship festival called Night for the Nations. They partner with international church leaders – the list goes on.
Options for missional engagement aren’t exclusively tied to the adults either – the youth have had opportunities to serve in their own unique capacities. This year, Global Partners even appointed the first NEXT intern from Parkway!
Maegan and the team at Parkway also maintain the desire to learn more – she acknowledges that they haven’t “arrived”, and they don’t know everything. They want to continue learning together and from other churches.
We are so thankful for what Parkway is doing and for their partnership. It sure is a blessing to be part of God’s mission together.
→ Want to know more about Missional Coaching, or are you interested in connecting with Maegan and the Parkway team? Contact heather.auker@gponline.org for more.