An ancient mission

An Island called Lindisfarne

In the seventh century, Northumbria was a pagan and spiritually dark land in northern England. Ruled by secular kings in a feudalistic culture, this region was much like the “wild west” of the 19th century in the U.S. Rulers had to fight other rulers to keep their lands and safeguard their people. People were protected by their local strongman, and for that they owed him their complete allegiance!

The life expectancy of warlords was short. Around 615 AD, the Northumbrian warrior leader Aethelfrith was either killed in battle or murdered by a rival warlord, depending on the source you read. His children fled to western England. They were orphans, and they were joined by a flood of other refugees fleeing from violence in Northumbria.  These royal youth were put on a boat and sent to the Island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. On Iona, there was a Christian community that had a reputation for caring for refugees and orphans.

The arriving orphans were the children of a man who slaughtered Christians.  Their father, who was known as “The Destroyer,” had once massacred 1200 defenseless Welsh Christian monks who had gathered to pray against his victory. Nevertheless, the Christians at Iona received these refugee children, guarded them, fed and cared for them. The residents began to share their faith with these orphaned youth, and eventually, the children of the “Destroyer” were baptized as Christ followers.

One of the children was a prince named Oswald. As he grew up in Iona, he heard stories of the barbarism and violence of his homeland. Over time, he wanted to return to his people – as a Christ follower – to bring order and peace to his homeland. As an adult he returned to his land of Northumbria, and regained rule and leadership. In 635 AD, he called for Adrian, an Irish monk to come with a team of about 12 leaders, to plant a missional community that was commissioned to preach the Gospel and build a church.

When Aidan arrived, Oswald allowed him to choose land on which to found his monastery. Aidan chose Lindisfarne - an island off the eastern coast of England. In their monastery, the monks set up the first known school for discipleship in northern England. They trained men and women as practical missionaries who later spread the Gospel throughout England. Lindisfarne became known for its skill in Christian art. The Lindisfarne Gospels - illustrated versions of the Gospels - are the most beautiful surviving example of their work.         

The mission and community of Lindisfarne offers a model of a missional community that I believe will be a relevant and authentic expression of the Gospel in our culture today. Here are the lessons we can learn from Lindisfarne.

Go to where the lost are. Don’t expect them to come to you. Go to them.

Matthew 28.19 instructs the Lord’s followers, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” 

The concept and practice of sending out missional communities into a spiritually dark world is Jesus’ model. Moreover, it is the main theme of the Book of Acts, where disciples were sent in small groups to unreached places.

And so, it’s no surprise we see this in the Celtic way of evangelism. In fact, early Celtic missionaries were renowned for their risk-taking travels and missionary outreaches. They traveled on foot. They lived among the poor. They went to distant lands, and then back to Europe and even Asia Minor

St. Aiden and his small group of 12 went out, and lived among the people and visited them in their homes. They talked to all the people they met. They were a real-world example of people who represented the kingdom of God in the midst of the community where they lived. It’s an early example of organic and relational ministry. Those monks lived in the midst of a people needing the hope of Christ, and they brought Christ to those people.

Listen to your friends and neighbors and loved ones who don’t believe. Keep your eyes and ears open so you can hear their story. When you do, you’ll see that God has gone before you.

Ephesians 1:3-4 (ESV) says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.”

God goes before us… before the foundations of the world! God goes before all “pre-Christian” people and prepares the way for them to hear the good news of Jesus. 

As he traveled, St. Aiden listened to the barbarian British, and he learned their story. There is a well-known account of Aiden being told about the courage of a young peasant boy, Lilla, who was servant to a past King Edwin.

The story goes like this: A visitor from a rival ruler sent a messenger with a scroll to Edwin, who assumed the scroll would contain words of welcome or requests for help. As the visitor approached, he removed a poison tipped dagger and rushed the King. However, the servant Lilla stepped in his way, and was stabbed in defense of his king. He died but the king was saved.

This story was told by the locals with special emphasis on the courage and commitment of Lilla in taking the knife for his king. Aiden listened to this story with ‘kingdom ears,’ listening for echoes of the Gospel. He told the people that he and his group were committed to their King Jesus in the same way – willing to risk all for their king and his kingdom. 

Then he added the punch line – they were representing the King of Kings who loved them and the world so much that he laid down his life, to give them a new kingdom.  And in dying, he gave them new life. Aiden saw the connection between the ancient account of Lilla and the cross of Jesus. And he used this story to share the Jesus’ open invitation to all. Over time, he saw conversions and growth. He also learned to speak their language!