In today’s sermon, Pastor Jeff Crawford (read his blog here), talked about how God is always trying to move us somewhere to somebody. He then concluded that the problem is that most Christians don’t move. As I was thinking about this, I thought that most believers, if not all, love the idea of missions, but really do little to nothing for the kingdom. In a gospel-centered church, congregants will hear over and over about how they should invite friends and neighbors to church, look for opportunities to share the gospel, sign up for mission trips, etc. The fact is that a very small percentage will actually ever do these things. So the next logical question then is: Why not?
I do not know of any believer that has a problem with Jesus being our Savior. I do not know of any Christian that would not agree that Jesus is the Savior for all the world. Most Christians that I know love the idea of going to the remotest portions of our planet to share the gospel, as long as it is not them. They want to see the Muslims saved. They want to see churches continue to be planted in East Asia. They want to hear about the miracles that our missionaries are experiencing. But to actually be a part of it themselves, they would have to make Jesus their Lord. This is where I see the answer to the “why not?” question. The reason that the vast majority of so-called believers will not go next door to share Jesus with their neighbor, much less go to Central Asia on a mission trip, is because Jesus is not their Lord (think, boss). If Jesus is our Lord, and He gives us a command, we do it. It really is that simple. This leaves us with two options for the answer: either we are disobedient believers or we are no believers at all.
Jesus did not design this to be rocket science – only for the elite Christian to figure out. It is constantly staring us in the face both Biblically and demographically. As we look to the scriptures, it is clear that Jesus has commanded us both in His words and His example to share the gospel. As we look to the world population, we see the great need for Jesus everywhere, but especially in the unreached and least-reached places. It is clear that Jesus has mandated that we are to stay here on planet Earth to fulfill the Great Commission. If we are not a part of this plan, then we are missing out on our one purpose for life.
In high school, I used to run track. I loved running the half mile race. What would you think, if you were watching a race, and one of the runners, instead of staying in their lane around the track, just began to run in a little circle around the starting line? You would think that guy is crazy. Yet so many Christians do just that. They run around in their own little circle saying how much they love Jesus, His commission, and His people, all the while they are missing the race. Don’t be a crazy person! I implore you to not just like the idea of missions, but to run the race! Truly make Jesus your Lord, step out in faithful obedience, and experience the blessing of being a part of God’s awesome story!
God Call 
Scott, thanks for nothing on this blog. How do I get that place on my blog?
Jesus is LORD!
I have spent my life in a local church… I felt THE CALL. I get that Christ is for the nations and I knew from an early age that “Jesus commands us to GO.” However I felt as if I made no impact for the kingdom of God. I longed to serve Jesus. I had recently heard a favorite preacher (James MacDonald) speak on the radio about how you will know Christians by their fruits. It crushed my spirit. Where was my fruit? I was feeling defeated. I had been seeking to follow God intently for years, facing trial after trial. I was struggling to see fruit from my own personal ministry.
BUT a few years ago… still seeking God’s will for my life… I visited a mission agency in Oklahoma. Spent the day there.. searching…. And as I was about to leave, I was led out through a communications/tech room where they were Skyping with some missionaries in Egypt. I forgot his name, but the missionary they were talking to was from Fort Smith. He asked me if I knew several people… No, No, Nah Unh. Finally he said a name I recognized. I said, Yes I remember her! He hollared into the kitchen. That was his wife! And a few years earlier as I was serving with Scott in fuel at GABC I had prayed with her as she made Jesus, LORD of her life.
As I was leaving the building to walk to my truck, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart one single word: “FRUIT.” I wept.
The heart of God IS for the nations. Jesus calls us to this purpose. It doesn’t matter where you are on the planet, you can “go into all the world.” We are never commanded to merely sit and soak, but to serve as Christ served. This is so that every tribe tongue and nation will know Him and the power of His resurrection.
Every preacher, missionary …. grew in Christ…. somewhere. Someone caught the vision for the kingdom of God. Someone even served Billy Graham in a local church to make a HUGE global impact to reach the world for Jesus…. a few missionary kids are out there, but for the most part, we all experienced God through the ministry of a local church, that was faithfully equipping and mobilizing the kingdom of God.
Since then I have become a local pastor. I am ‘Evangelizing the World’ in a little country church outside of Clarksville Arkansas. I believe that Jesus is Lord and that there is no greater means for reaching the world than His church on task and on mission.
With Enduring Love in Christ
Andrew