What's in a name?

Our colleagues at the Escuela Misiologica Latinoamericana (EMLA) prepared a beautiful office for us to use during the Seminar. As much as I appreciate the two desks, conference table, and view of the ocean and city, though, I am dedicating this blog to the sign on the door.

It says, “World Link Graduate Center (WLGC)” I had to stop and think as I looked at that sign – are we really linking the world? Is that just a nice sound, or is there reality in the name of our ministry?

Let me tell you how I spent the weekend, and you can decide: Friday night I downloaded my email, and read student work sent to me by four students in the MA program. It was late, so I got a good night’s sleep and then, on Saturday evening, interacted with students from Mozambique, Ghana, and Nigeria about what we learn from God in His names. You could say I was “grading” their work, but in fact we were mutually encouraging one another in the Lord, and growing in the ability to take His Word to other peoples. Sunday morning, the three Portlanders left with two of the Seminar participants to go to a local church service in Lima. It was missions Sunday, and we heard about Peruvian missionaries serving outside of Peru. Conversation over lunch revolved around the culture of that neighborhood – things that we had learned by attending the church service. Without saying so, Karen and I were teaching Peruvian students how to better understand a neighborhood and a church community. One weekend, with interaction between students and faculty in Portland, Peru, Ghana, Nigeria, and Mozambique. Maybe the name is a reality.

And yet, there is something else that is behind that name. What links the world is not just the internet or an international school where mission leaders, mission teachers, and missionaries interact; what links the world is “mou eklesia,” the words Jesus used in Matthew 16:18. He took a common word from the Greek community (eklesia – a group that meets together for any number of reasons that they share in common). Jesus took the “eklesia” idea and made it universal and timeless. It is now not just a “group” – it is “Jesus’ group.” Not just “eklesia” but “mou eklesia” – “My church” as Jesus phrased it. What is World Link about? Tied to Jesus and His Church and His mission, we link arms across the continents to prepare and send messengers. . . . . so that the Links can grow. . . . so that “Jesus’ eklesia” expands. . . . . so that He can receive the glory. That is the link. In a sense all of us who know Jesus are part of “world link.” It is He who links us together.

I’m glad to have it on our office door!