The 1980 film “The Blues Brothers” tells the story of Chicago brothers Jake (John Belushi) and Ellwood (Dan Aykroyd), who were raised in an orphanage where they were influenced by an old bluesman, Curtis (Cab Calloway), who was employed there. The orphanage fell on hard times and its head nun, the Penguin (as they knew her), explained that the orphanage would be sold unless they could come up with $5,000 for taxes. Jake has a vision during a church service (led by James Brown) that inspires he and Ellwood to put their band back together to raise the necessary funds. What follows is an epic music-filled journey, where the boys reassemble their bandmates and miraculously deal with new enemies and challenges along the way. It ends with a monumental high-speed car chase in downtown Chicago. Their oft-repeated guiding phrase along the way: “We’re on a mission from God.”
In this Tavern Talk, we explore why Christians engage in missions. What’s the point? Is there a better way? Should we all be engaged in missions? What about those who feel they have nothing to give? Where should we do missions? Are missions for everyone? What impact do missions really have? Why should we care?
Additional readings: