Missions: Is It Really Worth It?

Hola a todos,

You know something that I have been thinking about is the great commission and persecution, but I would like to talk about the great commission. I am so glad that I decided to stay here and finish school instead of leaving for Africa right away. I am so glad that I have took my two Inter-cultural classes because God used both of them to open up my eyes and heart to see and feel what He sees, feels, and moves Him. We all know the great commission, so I am not going to preach to the choir. However, the only thing that I do not understand is if we know that there are tribal groups and other ethnic groups that have not heard of who Jesus Christ is, than why are we still in our comfortable nation. These tribal/ethnic groups probably do not even have a word for love in their own language and they are living through each day and they are missing it. Since they do not understand the concept of love because they have no word for it, then how in the world are they going to know and understand of a God who died for them and loves them. I think the only way that they can know and understand that is if we go out there and put the Gospel into their own language to where they can actually understand it. I mean, we are talking about serious stuff here. This involves life or death for them. This involves heaven or hell for them. This involves being separated from God or spending eternity with God. This involves eternal life: quality and quantity of life. I was talking to my mama last night about this and I could not understand how people knowing this truth will not go out into the Nations and tell all ethnic/tribal/peoples about the God and Father who changed their life. And my mama said that they are some people that do care, but the one thing that made me sad is she said that there are people that don't care. Oh man, I pray for those that don't care. I pray that God will convict our hearts. I pray for those that do care that God will enlarge our hearts to see what He sees and feel what He feels. I was once the one that knew about lost but did not want to go out into the Nations. I was making excuses. But who are we to make excuses? I mean come on. Seriously. I have heard in the past year: I have children to look after, I have a job, I don't have enough money, some people are just too old, maybe I will do it later. Oh man, I pray that God will convict us and change our hearts. I pray that God will let everyone see that He is a global God not just a Western or American God. I mean, there are people out there in Africa, Asia, and I think South America that have never heard of the name Jesus Christ before. They are living each day as each day is normal. And they are missing something. These people do not have a word in their language for love. I just don't understand how in the world we can just stay here in our comforts and just let them live a normal life without know who Jesus Christ is. The way I see it is we are ignoring their cries for help. Their cries for mercy. Their cries for grace. I pray that our generation won't be like the others and try to make excuses. I know what you are thinking, well if we go out into the world, then who is going to stay here and minister to the people here? That is the question my mama and granddaddy asked me. I didn't know how to answer that when they asked me that, but I think I do now. Let God handle that. That is not our problem. We are not supposed to limit God and His power and His work. We are not supposed to put God in a box. God will find a way to work that all out. That is how BIG is! I am not trying to change everyone's hearts, I just want everyone to think about things differently. Because I think that is the problem, is that we do not think. I can tell you that I have learned to actually learn the use the brain and mind God gave me, and yes I might have short-term memory but that doesn't stop me from thinking. I also pray that we look at the BIG picture also. I will leave you with some quotes that encouraged me:


"The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed."
- Hudson Taylor


"If you found a cure for cancer, wouldn't it be inconceivable to hide it from the rest of mankind? How much more inconceivable to keep silent the cure from the eternal wages of death." - Dave Davidson


"Had I cared for the comments of people, I should never have been a missionary." - C.T. Studd


"Today Christians spend more money on dog food then missions"
- Leonard Ravenhill


"Have my blood. Have it all. Let it be poured out for the life of the world."
- Jim Elliot


"If every Christian is already considered a missionary, then all can stay put where they are, and nobody needs to get up and go anywhere to preach the gospel. But if our only concern is to witness where we are, how will people in unevangelized areas ever hear the gospel? The present uneven distribution of Christians and opportunities to hear the gospel of Christ will continue on unchanged." - C. Gordon Olson


"This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth!"
- Keith Green


"The command has been to "go," but we have stayed - in body, gifts, prayer and influence. He has asked us to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth…But 99% of Christians have kept puttering around in the homeland."
- Robert Savage


"Let my heart be broken with the things that break God's heart" - Bob Pierce, World Vision founder


"Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ."
- Francis Xavier


"A tiny group of believers who have the gospel keep mumbling it over and over to themselves. Meanwhile, millions who have never heard it once fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation story."
- K.P. Yohannan


"Here am I. Send me." - Isaiah


"Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring" -Jesus


"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." - Jesus



I will let you decide that. Is missions worth it? Is missions worth it all? Is going to another country and forsaking our comforts worth it? Is going on a journey and seeking out tribal/ethnic groups worth it all? Is going on a journey to where you might actually have to work your butt off to translate the Gospel into their own language to where they truly understand worth it all? Is going to other countries worth it? Is being truly persecuted for the sake of the Gospel worth it all? If the stones and rocks will eventually cry out, then is it worth it? Is it really and truly worth it all?


~Chandler