An old song by Ron Hamilton has been going through my head for the last few days. One of the verses says, "Let me see my mission field, all around each day. Fill my heart with Jesus love, use me Lord, I pray!"
I also just finished a condensed biography on Hudson Taylor. When he founded China Inland Mission (an agency used to send many tens of thousands of people to China to reach in-land to the Chinese people who have never heard the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ) he reminded them that crossing an ocean didn't make you a missionary. You can add "Missionary" to your title, but it doesn't make you one. In fact, Hudson Taylor knew from a young age that God was calling him to China, but he was a missionary at home too. Whenever he had an opportunity to share the gospel he did it. Ministry it not exclusive....even if your passion from God is specific.
Lastly, there was an instance where Hudson Taylor and his group were praying for the money needed to get over twenty adults and four children from England to China. He did a "seminar" for a group. He so stunned them with his presentation of their responsibility for missions that the man who was hosting the event stood up. He told them that their program has specifically told them that there would be no collection that night, but he thought they would all be willing to give anyway so he wanted to take a collection. Hudson Taylor stood up himself and asked the host to stick to the original plan. He felt that if God laid it on their hearts to give at a later time, they could do that, but they shouldn't give spontaneously. Hudson was staying with the host family that night and they had an argument over this. The host felt that Hudson had been foolish. There monetary needs could have been met if he'd just let them take a collection. Hudson argued that if they just passed a plate and put some money in, most of them would forget the real need in China and feel that they had done their part and it was over. (By the way, the next morning this same host handed Hudson 500 crowns stating that God laid it on his heart to help and he now agreed with Hudson's decision. He also told Hudson that if they had taken a collection the night before he was planning to give 5 crowns.)
The point is that our mission field is all around us. It's our unsaved children. It's our unsaved spouses and family members. It's all the thousands of people around us who even know about the love of Jesus Christ to be able to accept or reject it. They may know some stories or they may know the media hype about Jesus (thank you Mel Gibson and Tom Hanks) but that is not the same as knowing the love of Jesus Christ. Who am I to just send money to other people to let them share this truth? Where did my mission field go.
Don't misunderstand me. People with money are used by God to support missionaries. Hudson Taylor was also supported by those people. Praise God for those of His children who help support missionaries. That is needed and a God-send for the missionaries. I'm just saying that your mission field probably doesn't involve walking more than 20 feet (unless you live somewhere with more land than us city folk!) Even if it takes more than 20 feet, it is probably still a phone call away.
Tomorrow I'll probably post about relationships in sharing the gospel. I have long felt that relationships were SO important to showing/sharing the love of Christ....yet how do people like Hudson Taylor (and many, many) others then explain their behavior? Paul the apostle (I believe) preached first and established relationships second. How does that work? Do we start with a relationship and then share Jesus Christ with them, or do we start with Christ and then build a relationship? Is it contextual? So, look for a post tomorrow.
I'd love your feedback and comments to today's post!!
I also just finished a condensed biography on Hudson Taylor. When he founded China Inland Mission (an agency used to send many tens of thousands of people to China to reach in-land to the Chinese people who have never heard the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ) he reminded them that crossing an ocean didn't make you a missionary. You can add "Missionary" to your title, but it doesn't make you one. In fact, Hudson Taylor knew from a young age that God was calling him to China, but he was a missionary at home too. Whenever he had an opportunity to share the gospel he did it. Ministry it not exclusive....even if your passion from God is specific.
Lastly, there was an instance where Hudson Taylor and his group were praying for the money needed to get over twenty adults and four children from England to China. He did a "seminar" for a group. He so stunned them with his presentation of their responsibility for missions that the man who was hosting the event stood up. He told them that their program has specifically told them that there would be no collection that night, but he thought they would all be willing to give anyway so he wanted to take a collection. Hudson Taylor stood up himself and asked the host to stick to the original plan. He felt that if God laid it on their hearts to give at a later time, they could do that, but they shouldn't give spontaneously. Hudson was staying with the host family that night and they had an argument over this. The host felt that Hudson had been foolish. There monetary needs could have been met if he'd just let them take a collection. Hudson argued that if they just passed a plate and put some money in, most of them would forget the real need in China and feel that they had done their part and it was over. (By the way, the next morning this same host handed Hudson 500 crowns stating that God laid it on his heart to help and he now agreed with Hudson's decision. He also told Hudson that if they had taken a collection the night before he was planning to give 5 crowns.)
The point is that our mission field is all around us. It's our unsaved children. It's our unsaved spouses and family members. It's all the thousands of people around us who even know about the love of Jesus Christ to be able to accept or reject it. They may know some stories or they may know the media hype about Jesus (thank you Mel Gibson and Tom Hanks) but that is not the same as knowing the love of Jesus Christ. Who am I to just send money to other people to let them share this truth? Where did my mission field go.
Don't misunderstand me. People with money are used by God to support missionaries. Hudson Taylor was also supported by those people. Praise God for those of His children who help support missionaries. That is needed and a God-send for the missionaries. I'm just saying that your mission field probably doesn't involve walking more than 20 feet (unless you live somewhere with more land than us city folk!) Even if it takes more than 20 feet, it is probably still a phone call away.
Tomorrow I'll probably post about relationships in sharing the gospel. I have long felt that relationships were SO important to showing/sharing the love of Christ....yet how do people like Hudson Taylor (and many, many) others then explain their behavior? Paul the apostle (I believe) preached first and established relationships second. How does that work? Do we start with a relationship and then share Jesus Christ with them, or do we start with Christ and then build a relationship? Is it contextual? So, look for a post tomorrow.
I'd love your feedback and comments to today's post!!
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