The unreached peoples will not hear without those who go.
“And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:14-15
How beautiful are the feet of missionaries who bring the good news of Jesus and plant the church among unreached and unengaged peoples!
How can you discern if you are one of those who leaves the comforts of home to cross geographical and cultural barriers to plant the church among an unreached people group? To help you discern God’s leading you can ask yourself four questions. Do I have clarity, conviction, confirmation and commitment?
1. Clarity: Do I have clarity on the Biblical basis for global missions?
Exposure to teaching about missions from God’s Word brings clarity on the Biblical basis of missions. Without Biblical clarity, a decision to be a goer may be based on experience or individual preferences alone, rather than God’s Word. The Bible is our primary guide to understanding global missions. Here are a few ways to gain Biblical clarity.
Review the “God’s Word” section in your Global Christian Training book from your time at Engage Global. Consider Engage Global’s Missions Convictions.
Read a book on the Biblical basis of global missions such as:
Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions by John Piper.
God’s Bottom Line: Discover Your Global Role in His Global Plan by Bob Sjogren.
No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions by Matt Rhodes.
2. Conviction: Is my heart convicted that God’s mandate is to be glorified among all nations?
Biblical clarity leads to passion and conviction. Paul had Biblical clarity about global missions. In Romans 15:20-21, Paul understood that his heart to reach all nations was rooted in God’s Word “as it was written” from Isaiah 52:15, “I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”
This Biblical clarity gave Paul an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known. A passion for God to be glorified among all nations is the sustaining motive for missions. An aspiration to serve in cross-cultural ministry and love for God’s glory among the nations are essential to being a goer.
To help you discern God’s leading you can ask yourself four questions.
Do I have clarity, conviction, confirmation and commitment?
3. Confirmation: Does my church confirm I have the ministry experience, the character, and skills required to be a missionary?
Dive into ministry now through your church and among the nations where you live. Be involved in evangelism, discipleship and local church ministry. If you are fruitful in these ministries now, this is a confirmation that you could be effective in cross-cultural ministry overseas. If you are not willing to make these commitments now, you should not pursue missions overseas.
The task of missions was given to the local church. The process of getting the gospel to the unreached begins with churches that send. “And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” Romans 10:15
After fasting and praying the leaders of the church in Antioch sent Barnabas and Saul (Acts 13:3). Going is not only between the goer and God. Missionaries are confirmed and commissioned by the local church who sends them to the nations. To discern if you are a goer, first meet with your local church leaders to ask them to pray for God’s clear direction and speak into the discernment process. A few questions to ask them:
4. Commitment: Am I committed to making the sacrifices necessary to complete the task of planting the church among an unreached people group?
This missionary task takes a long-term commitment of 10 to 20 years to plant the church among an unreached people group. This includes living among an unreached people in an unreached place. This usually requires learning two languages fluently; the national language and then the focused unreached people group’s heart language. It takes great sacrifices to complete a portion of the unfinished task by being sent by the church to plant the church among an unreached people group. You don’t want to start what you are not ready to complete. Do you have a commitment to make the sacrifices necessary (with God’s help!) to complete the work among an unreached people group?
