Are Missio Dei (God’s Sending) and apostolic (sending) foundational and scriptural understandings meant to reflect a heart transformation toward a mission-based attitude and Gospel-centered movement? We should expect this very mission-based attitude and Gospel-centered movement as the Christian Church and her members are sent by Christ, who was sent by the Father into the world, and who together with the Father sent the Holy Spirit.

For God did not send (apŏstĕllō) his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. —John 3:17

God’s sending for Jesus occurs a total of 35 times in St. John from chapters 3 to 16 (not counting chapters 17 and 20 with 7 more “sending” references in contexts apart from God’s sending for Jesus). Three more “sending” passages occur in John 14, 15 and 16, with references to the sending of the Holy Spirit.

God sent his beloved son, Jesus, to fulfill what we as infallible human beings could not fulfill ourselves: the salvation of the world through an agonizing death and a triumphant resurrection.

If we compare the “great sending” passage of John 17:18 and 20:21-23 with the “great going” passage of Matthew 28:18-20, we see Jesus’s awesome authority and directions to disciple, to baptize, and to teach – all of which are a part of the great sending. His command to “Go” in Matthew 28 can be interpreted in a number of ways: having gone, going, as you are going, now that you have been sent.