Passion for the Mission

For our church, this is International Missions Season, and we are working on a goal that is challenging. As I write this, we should be just past the 2/3-of-the-way-there point.

I was reading the other day, and it was mentioned that people who have been to the “field” and seen the people have a much greater burden and understanding of God’s heart for the world. I find this true here at home as well as overseas.

People that serve others, be it student ministry, inner-city ministry, or ____?____, tend to be passionate about it. They know the recipients, see the needs, and experience the blessings of giving of time, talent, and resources, then seeing God work.

I was reading the other day, and it was mentioned that people who have been to the “field” and seen the people have a much greater burden and understanding of God’s heart for the world.

When you have seen with your own eyes the masses of people without Christ, you appreciate the huge need—and responsibility—you have under the great commission (Which isn’t in scripture just once, but five times—each gospel and the book of Acts: Matthew 28:19-29, Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:45-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8).

The first time I went purposefully overseas, I saw thousands of people in the cities and villages who had never heard the message once. I have had the opportunity to serve on three continents, and with each destination, the masses become more and more a concern. Once you see them, and have opportunity to talk, touch and serve a few of them, these distant peoples cease to be just statistics.

The need for our missions offering is immediate. The IMB has already cut or is cutting more than ten per cent from the work force overseas, on top of making home office and budget reductions across the board. If this offering falls short, then the likelihood of more cuts (or delayed sending) looms much larger—and millions more will go into a Christ-less eternity.

Once a believer went to a distant place to share the good news. Many were receptive to the invitation. Then, one of the new believers said, “You have had this truth for two thousand years. Why has it taken you so long to come and tell us?”

If God didn’t already know the answer, He’d probably ask us the same thing.
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