Participation or Observation?

As Part of the Missional syncroblog with Jonathan at Missio Dei, here is my contribution to the question, Why am I Missional?

My Dad hates Golf. He has consistently refused to have anything to do with it since I was a child. Despite my Dad's influence, I like golf. I enjoy a round of 18, I even enjoy going to the range to iron out the kinks in my swing. But for the life of me, I can't watch golf on TV. I've tried. But I get bored. I realized during the Master's that the main reasons I enjoy golf have absolutely nothing to do with graphite clubs and little white balls. I like golf for three reasons.
One, I enjoy being outside, enjoying God's creation, and golf courses are beautiful. Two, I enjoy exercising. I like walking around with a bag over my shoulder, keeping myself healthy.
Third, and most importantly, I enjoy the fellowship of friends hanging out. The friendly competition and rivalry we share has led us to get to know each other beyond the surface. Some of my best friendships developed over time spent competing.

In a weird way I think that the Kingdom of God is like golf.
I think that the way in which we live our lives reflects the way we view the Kingdom and the church. Am I missional when I am merely observing someone else do something hard? Or does it mean that I am missional when I actively participate in the redemptive story?

To answer the question, "Why am I missional?" I think it is important to look at the Mission of God. For me, the simple answer to why I am missional is this; I want to live within the redemptive mission of God on Earth. That said, I think it is important to develop what God's mission looks like. [I addressed this in more depth in a previous post.]
This is my attempt to represent the larger points of God's Mission.

Creation:
God created everything, seeking to glorify himself.

Fall:
Adam and Eve disobeyed God.
God punished their disobedience by breaking off the relationship they had to Him.
Even as God is sending them out to live in the world, he promises that he will send a redeemer.

Redemption:
God made a promise to Abraham that his people would fill the earth.
God used his people to demonstrate his power, authority and love.
God sent down his only son Jesus Christ to earth.
Christ was born of the Virgin Mary inaugurated the Kingdom of God.
Christ demonstrated what it means to perfectly love others and love God.
Christ was crucified, paying the penalty of death for all those who believe in him.
He was buried, and then He rose from the dead, declaring victory over death and sin.
Christ ascended to Heaven, and reigns over all.
God left his Holy Spirit here, to convict and guide us as we seek to work for the redemption of the world.
Christ commissioned his people to be ministers of reconciliation of Christ to the world.

Re-Creation:
Christ will return at a time of his choosing and will fulfill the Kingdom of God in the new city of Jerusalem.

This is his mission, that God created us to glorify himself through our relationship with him. We rebelled against him and were damned. Evil entered the world and we were left with the promise of a redeemer.
God began redemption with Adam and Eve, continued it through all the history of Israel, and fulfilled his promise with the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Christ redeemed sinners at the cross, the Holy Spirit sustains us, and Christ will return to bring about the recreation of the perfect Natural order.

This is the Mission I am seeking to align my life with.
I don't want to be a spectator, watching from the sidelines as God does his work, I want to be in the action, swinging away.

The Other Syncrobloggers
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Jeromy Johnson - Why I am Missional

Ben Wheatley - WWSBD

Bryan Riley - Jesus Was Missional

Jonathan Brink - Why I Am Missional

Blake Huggins - Why I Am Missional

Alan Knox - Demonstrating the Heart of God