Why missions? Why don’t you stay and fight the many problems here? Why not just send money and support the native missionary?
These are all questions that have come up since starting this wonderfully terrifying journey on The World Race. Their all valid questions. And I’m so thankful they were asked, because it made me search for answers other than, “I dunno. God wants me to go…”. I have to admit that at first I almost didn’t want to search for answers because I was nervous that I was only going to find reasons for me not to go and that I really should be focused on the problems here. But instead I found encouragement and confirmation in this journey.
So why missions? I want to clarify right off the bat that I do believe there is a huge need for missionaries who don’t go overseas and stay in the States. I have countless friends who are kicking butt for the Kingdom and they haven’t left their home towns. This is still very much so mission work. The Great Commission calls all of us to missionary work.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surly I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
This means every Christian is called. Every Christian is sent. For some this means staying here. For others, this means going to the nations. Our God is a sending God. Throughout the Bible God sends His children to share His name. Shoot dang that’s so exciting!! So while yes there is a need right here in the States, God is still sending His children to the nations just as He sent His son.
Why not just send money to the native missionary? We live in a very fortunate and wealthy country. It would be easy to send money to support someone far off in another land and barely give it a second thought. But again I need to clarify something. I don’t believe this is an either/or situation. I believe God has gifted me with certain funds to be able to support others in their Kingdom work. I also believe God is calling me to the nations to do His Kingdom work. So when asked why not just send the money off, I have to say…well I am! But I’m also not JUST sending it off. If the Church that resides in the States gets the mindset that all they have to do is send money, they begin to lose the concept of The Great Commission. We are called “therefore GO and make disciples of all nations”. For some this means going across the street. For others this means going to another country. We can’t allow ourselves to forget that God is a sending God still, just as He is in the Scriptures.
The Church is one body that is united by the head. (That’s God…just to be clear). We can’t ignore our brothers and sisters in different parts of the world because we think God isn’t sending anymore. He is. God sent His son and He is sending each an every single one of us to share His Good News. For some He’s sending them to the inner cities. For others, He’s sending them to eleven countries in eleven months.
So that’s why missions.
