"It is odd that the million Baptists in the South can furnish only three men for all China. Odd that five hundred Baptist preachers in the state of Virginia alone must rely on a Presbyterian minister to fill in a Baptist pulpit. I wonder how these things look in Heaven. They certainly look very queer in China."
Missionaries today are still making the same appeal. Yesterday we received a newsletter from missionaries in Ecuador. They write,
"There are two kingdoms. The kingdom of this world, and the kingdom of God. We have to decide which kingdom is ours. Yet most of us like to keep our foot in the door of the world. We need to pull that doorstop out and be freed to live out God’s ideas.
We are misguided if we think that our life goals must be:
- education
- marriage
- own a house
- profession
- possessions
- retirement
But isn't that what the sleeping giant of the American church believes? In the nine years I have been back in the States, I have not met one Christian person, one Christian family who has left for the mission field; who has left to take the light to those who haven't even had the opportunity to hear in the darker corners of the world. Not one. Be willing is not enough - not enough to get one Evenk saved.
Something is wrong. Something is very wrong, indeed.
4 comments:
I was thinking about this and was thinking how blessed I feel that I do know friends and family who have left for the mission field. A friend from college in Papua New Guinea doing bible translation, other good friends from college in inland China and now a cousin with his wife heading to Costa Rica. I know others too but those are the ones that are closest to us. Maybe you are just hanging in the wrong circles. ;)
By the way I also wanted to tell you that I requested that book on your side bar, "Revolution in World Missions" and love it! Did you read it yet? It took me a while to get to it but I am so glad I finally picked it up. We are looking forward to the opportunity now to support a full time indigenous missionary in Asia. How awesome!
Oh and Christian just reminded me of 2 others. One who works with Native Americans and another who was/is in Egypt and also went into Iraq right after the war and it was opened up. Crazy guy! Quite the stories he has to share!
So they are out there, it's just that you haven't been hangin' with them I guess. It's one of the reasons we moved on from you know where. We knew there were radical people out there and we wanted to find them.
You ARE blessed to know so many! That's awesome! I know OF some, just wish I knew a few personally; I just don't. Sad, isn't it?
Anyway, glad you like the book - it IS amazing. I was so encouraged by his testimony. God is so BIG. Must remember this...
:)
By the way, thanks for commenting. :) Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself here! Which I may be... come to think of it. Blogging as therapy works for me. Hey, add me so I can read your blog - are you still writing or no?
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