Missional Living or Full-time Ministry...?

[I wrote this in my journal about 2 hours before my lung collapsed...]
14th Oct 2010 @ 1pm

I look back over my time here as I know things are about to get busy, this week I will be meeting with a colleague about our roles within YWAM Vancouver. I will also start to help with hosting a Mission Adventures team with my roommate Josh. This will really kick-start my work here. The transition into life with YWAM Vancouver has been harder than expected. I guess moving to a new country has that, and topped with all the uncertainty before leaving (was I going to be going..?) Being here is interesting because the differences are slight but noticeable, so it becomes a bit of a subtle adjustment you have to make, I'm not sure that I made it so little things began to annoy me and then I would compare it to England. I have to continue to be weary of this...

The question I used to title this entry is one I have been thinking about recently, I posted it on my Facebook to hear the response. Is there a difference between missional living and full-time ministry? If there is, what is it? If there isn't, why does does it feel like I've transitioned from one to the other? I feel that while I was at Holmsted Manor it was very much about full-time ministry, I woke up and I lived and breathed it. I was in a community where there was nothing else. I didn't have worry/think about housing, food, community, ministry. It was always there. I did not have to make the conscious effort to "do ministry", it just flowed (most of the time). Being in Vancouver is different, being with YWAM here is different. The first two weeks have been "living", I'll unpack: On arrival I needed to find a house, then furnish the house, then get a bank set up, sort out money and a budget, and the list goes on. Where I struggled is finding "ministry" in this. It has not been so readily available. If I want to do it, which I do, I have to set it up. Self-motivated, self-disciplined. This has to be done with/on top of the "living" (housing, money, food, etc...). Now there is a difference, a colleague described working with YWAM Vancouver as "living missionally".  Ok, so I understand this is what most people have to face, this is the life of an every day follower of Christ but was I ready for that change? Did I expect it?


I'm sure this is starting to sound like the wafflings of a crazy person so I'll draw it to a close. I am not suggesting that one is better than the other, you can do either and be living the "right way", in fact you have to do one/both to be a follower of Jesus. I am talking about the personal difference I have felt and the adjustments I am having to make. I am not sure that I was ready for it, but I have to be. I do miss the always readily available community of Holmsted but I love the city life in Vancouver. "Just love people" a friend said to me on this topic, and that is what I will do. If you're reading this then can I ask that you pray with me that I will find ministry to do where I am loving people, and also pray that I learn to adjust well to "missional living".