by Mike Randall
(Adapted from “Basic Training about Missions,” published in the Tribune, August 15, 2002)
Nothing reveals the love of God and the power of Christ more than the work of missions at home and abroad. Missions is the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ with people anywhere and everywhere in the world. It is embodied in the command of Christ, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
THE AUTHORITY FOR MISSIONS
Christians are authorized to participate in missions based on two things. First, there is the love of God that has saved the Christian and has been imparted to the Christian. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” This love from God received by the believer motivates and authorizes him or her to be involved in missions. Paul writes, “For the love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Corinthians 5:14), to accept a ministry of reconciliation (vs. 18) and share the word of reconciliation with the lost (vs. 19).
Second, there is the direct command of Christ for missions. Matthew 18:18-20 records Christ’s command, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations …” Obedience to this command produces involvement in missions.
THE APPEAL FOR MISSIONS
First, there is the need of the world. Every person born into this world is a sinner, a sinner by nature and a sinner by choice (Psalm 51:5, Isaiah 53:6). This sinfulness brings two disastrous results: corruption (Romans 1:20-32) and condemnation (Romans 3:19, 6:23). Both are evidenced by misery, deterioration, and ultimately destruction of both body and soul. The root of the problems of the world is not economic, military, political, or social. The root problem is sin. The solution is spiritual. This provides a powerful appeal for the work of missions.
Second, there is the fruit of the gospel. Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection provide cleansing for sin and the new birth for the sinner (2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Peter 2:24). As a result, the sinner is changed from his or her evil ways and is transformed.
History records the amazing results of missionary work. Over and over again as missionaries preach the gospel among the most primitive, uncivilized, and degraded peoples of the world, individuals are converted and their lives transformed. The work of gospel-preaching missions brings hope and help for the misery, destruction, and evil caused by sin.
THE AGENT FOR MISSIONS
Each Christian is to be an agent for missions. Believers are the individuals who carry the gospel to every creature everywhere in the world. Individual Christians carry out Christ’s great commission in two different ways.
Personal – New Testament Christians spoke the gospel to people one on one to fulfill Christ’s command. Acts 8:4 says, “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” No Christian is exempt from being a missionary in his own family, neighborhood, community, or in a foreign country.
Proxy – Obviously, a Christian cannot be in more than one place at any given time, but he or she can still do missionary work by helping to send others. This is done through gifts to missions and through prayers for missionaries. Giving of funds for missions is a special emphasis in many churches.
Many participate in missionary work through the process called faith promise missionary giving. This giving goes beyond the tithe. It is the giving of an amount by faith to missions systematically, which we trust God to multiply, use and return to us so we can give again (Luke 6:38). Such giving is prompted by a spiritual sensitivity to the Holy Spirit for missions. We should be involved through systematic faith giving to missions.
THE AGENCY FOR MISSIONS
Missionaries are called in the local church. A service in the local church of Antioch resulted in Paul and Barnabas being called to do missionary work. Acts 13:1-2 presents the record, “Now … in the church that was at Antioch … As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” God still uses this method to call missionaries today.
Missionaries are sent by local churches. According to Acts 13, these first missionaries were sent by the local church at Antioch. Verse 3 says, “And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
Missionaries win souls and organize local churches. Paul and Barnabas did missionary work that included preaching, winning souls, baptizing converts, and organizing them into local churches. That remains the job of missionaries today.
When their missionary tour was completed, Paul and Barnabas reported their work to the local church at Antioch (Acts 14:26-27), then the churches of Palestine and Jerusalem (Acts 15:3-4). From these accounts it is obvious that local churches of the New Testament shared a common interest in and cooperated with each other to advance missionary work and provide for the needs of missionaries. Today, that same type of combined, purposeful effort is exhibited in fellowships such as the Baptist Bible Fellowship International.