More Than a Spectator: Engaging in God's Worldwide Mission

Growing up, I attended the First Baptist Church in our little town. I’m unsure if I ever learned where the Second or Third Baptist churches were, but I knew I went to the First one and was excited about that! Through the Royal Ambassador ministry of that little church, I was exposed to the nations and heard the gospel for the first time while attending Camp McCall in Sunset, SC. On the side of a mountain, in a small chapel, from a preacher I cannot remember, I heard the good news proclaimed and realized that I was a sinner in need of a savior. While I didn’t understand the depths of certain theological positions or what I was supposed to do next, I knew that Jesus had called me out of darkness and into the light. At that moment, on that mountain, I was a new creation, and my life would never be the same.

Not only had my sin been forgiven, but my life had a purpose and I was to live on mission for God. With progress as the goal, not perfection, I walked forward as best I could without much intentional discipleship. God placed godly people in my life all along the way and held me close, even when I tried to flee. Through a set of tragic circumstances some years later, God began to reveal a plan that would lead my family and me to move from a small town in the USA to a place we had never heard of. While God led us to pick up our stuff and relocate to the other side of the world to share the good news in a place where it had never been proclaimed, He uses different people at different times to advance His mission both near and far.

While some will go, many will stay. No matter the destination, one consideration arises about the rest: Are you living in obedience to what the Lord is leading you to do in your life? If not, why not? If so, how so? Consider the following ways that all followers of Jesus can join in the work God is doing around the world.

Pray – D.L. Moody said, “Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” If we truly desire to see a movement of God in our homes, our country, and to the ends of the earth, then we must be interceding on behalf of those who’ve never heard. From people groups you struggle to pronounce to places you’ve never heard of, prayer is needed for all. Don’t allow yourself to become numb to the power of prayer or to believe the lie that your prayers don’t matter. Your heavenly Father desires to hear from you. We pray for the things we care for the most. Consider praying for new people groups, new places, and new followers of Jesus by accessing databases such as PeopleGroups.org.

Give – While many limit giving to financial means, the greatest way to give is to give everything you have. Time. Skills. Experiences. Knowledge. Care. Giving yourself away and leveraging everything in your life for the sake of others hearing the good news, is at the core of being a follower of Jesus. Of course, ministry and missionary work do have a financial cost. If you would like to support the work of missionaries financially, please consider giving to the Rocky Creek Mission Offering. Click on the following links to learn more about how mission efforts are advanced through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.

Go – There are numerous avenues to be mobilized to the mission field. From strategic, short-term assignments to long-term career missionary service, the opportunities abound for anyone looking to go on mission. The mission field starts before you ever depart from your home. From the closest circles of family, to friends and coworkers, to your neighborhood and favorite restaurant, there is no shortage of ways to engage people with the gospel and live lives on mission. If you want more information about short and long-term mission service, please visit NAMB and IMB.

Know – God continues to work worldwide, even in places little is known about. As people begin to pray, give, and go to the nations, they quickly realize their view of God is limited to themselves, their families, and their circles of influence. Through these experiences, God becomes bigger, His reach becomes more evident, and their desire to learn increases. From learning new languages, studying about people groups, and paying attention to the movements of God around the world, not only does our head knowledge increase, but our hearts desire to see people walk from darkness to light, too.

Care – Sending missionaries is exciting, but if there is no plan to care for those sent, we have dropped the ball as a sending church. Focusing on the spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial condition of the brothers and sisters, allows for us to know them better, walk alongside them longer, and lead them well. Working in cross-cultural settings where language remains a battle for those sent out. As a sending church, we desire to see dedicated groups of people committed to caring for these individuals intentionally. If you were a part of the sending, you have a role to play in the caring. Ryan Martin’s book Holding the Rope does an excellent job providing practical ways to walk alongside those who’ve been sent out.

Each follower of Jesus has their part to play in getting the gospel to people who have never heard it. Which part(s) will you play?