A Letter from Bishop Chris
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
The heart of our mission as Christians flows from Jesus’ invitation to follow Him and share His love with the world. When He said, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), it wasn’t just a command—it was a calling to carry the hope, healing, and wholeness of the gospel into every culture and community. This mission is deeply relational and holistic, inviting us to walk alongside others in compassion, humility, and faith, showing the love of Christ not only through words but through our lives.
Scripture reminds us that we are not alone in this work. In Acts 1:8, Jesus promises, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” The mission of God is powered by the Spirit of God, guiding ordinary people into extraordinary places. Whether across the street or across the globe, being a witness to Christ means being present, listening, learning, sharing, and embodying His grace in every encounter.
Missionary Roland Allen once said, “Missionary zeal does not grow out of intellectual beliefs, nor out of theological arguments, but out of love.” This love—God’s love to us in Christ, God’s love in us by the Holy Spirit, and God’s love through us in word and action—is what makes mission more than a task; it makes it a joy. Lately I’ve been praying into Romans 5:5 and making it my own: “God, thank you that your love has been poured into my heart through the Holy Spirit who has been given to me. Pour more love into me and out of me, dear Holy Spirit, that I might live into your mission, in Jesus Name.”
I recently had the privilege of experiencing this Holy-Spirit-love-in-mission during a trip to Kenya with Archbishop Steve Wood and Bishop Marc Engel and his wife, the Reverend Terri Engel of the Diocese of the Great Lakes, and Bishop Drew Williams of the Diocese of New England. We had the privilege of leading a three-day retreat for the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Kenya. We taught from Romans 12:1-8 and focused on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a bishop. It was a powerful time with God’s presence among us in word, worship and sacrament and as we prayed for each other and anointed one another with oil. It was a humble and humbling time as we built missional friendships between our provinces. (Read more from the Archbishop about this trip here.)
After the retreat I had the joy of visiting an orphanage connected to the Church of the Apostles in Fairfax, VA. I was delighted to meet children whose lives have been changed by the missional love shared by members of our diocese. I pray that every one of our churches would build missional partnerships around the world and especially with churches throughout GAFCON and the Global South in our Anglican Communion.
If you or your church are looking to engage in mission or revitalize your heart for mission, start praying for Holy Spirit love and power. Why not also join me at New Wineskins Global Missions Conference this fall in North Carolina? Learn more here.
Blessings,
+Chris