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Are You Staying?
This entry was posted in Missions & Martyrs and tagged a call to stay, here I am, Isaiah 6:8, mission quotes, send me, the great commission, the missionary call. Bookmark the permalink.
Pilgrim
thejunglemissionary
Bill
Manfred
abidingthroughgrace
Chris Hohnholz
If every Christian in every church is commanded to “go!”, how would there be any churches “left behind”? Is every Christian commended to go to “all ends of the Earth”?
Are we not also commanded to also preach the gospel to those here and make disciples thereof?
I agree that we do not have the option of sitting out, enjoying only our creature comforts. But I do not think it an accurate interpretation of Scripture to proclaim that we are, every one of us who have been blood-bought by Christ, commanded to “go unto all the world”.
We do not see that taught in the epistles nor reported in Acts.
Hello Manfred,
Thanks for commenting. I do not believe for one moment that EVERYBODY is commanded to go to the ends of the earth for as you rightly point out somebody must stay behind to help make disciples here. The problem is that FAR too many think they must have a “call” to get out of their life of apathy and complacency to go to the mission field. Many who speak about preaching and making disciples here do nothing at all either here or abroad.
The disciples were commanded to teach all things and I believe that one of those things they were to pass on was the responsibility of giving forth the words of life to those who had never heard of the kingdom of God. I believe that all true believers have the responsibility of sharing their faith today whether it be through personal testimony, active witness on the streets, missionary work at home or abroad, etc.
I hope this clarifies. Thanks again.
The Desert Pastor
DP,
You and I are locked in arms on this topic. The video left out the other side that we addressed.
Those of us who stay behind must get off our behinds and serve the brotherhood and the Lord, as there are many lost within our reach and many who are on milk that should be on solid meat by now.
I thank the Lord for those who go and those who stay. As long as the Lord be glorified and not man.
Amen to both of my brothers, since Christ’s command in Acts 1:8 was not to go to “the uttermost parts of the earth” only, but also to “go to Jerusalem, Samaria, and Judea” as well.
I think too many times some little churches get so intimidated into thinking that the only missions are the ones halfway around the world that they neglect the mission field right here in America, the “Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria” (and what a field it is, especially amongst those who claim they attend church regularly!)
Here’s a good question to ask yourself when trying to determine whether or not God has called YOU to “Go” and be a missionary…
Are there enough missionaries currently serving around the world?
Consequently, another question you might ask yourself is…
Are there enough Christians faithfully contributing to the missionaries that are currently serving abroad?
Yet another question would be…
Are there currently enough bold Christians that are willing to find the busy sections of their city and pass out gospel tracts and / or do open air preaching?
Another question…
Are there enough Christians reading their Bibles and praying?
Another question…
Where do I fit into this equation, and how might I more faithfully serve the Lord who not only created me, but sent His Son to die for me, that my sins might be forgiven, and I might live with Him forever in the new heaven / new earth?
See. The question isn’t what can I not do and still be a Christian. If you truly are a Christian, the reoccurring question in your mind should be, “In what new way can I shed my old self and take on more of Christ, today?” There is liberty in this walk, but the liberty is not to be the focus of our walk. That takes us farther from our Father, rather than drawing us nearer to Him. That’s all I got. Talk at ya later.
In Christ,
Billy.
ps. fourpointer, I’m interested to know which point you feel is easily disposable in the doctrines of grace, and thus can be done away with, without destroying the doctrine of regeneration. You can answer me on my site if you’d like. Laters.
Billy,
My nickname is a bit of a misnomer anymore, because until a while back I always had a problem with Irresistable Grace. I had bought into the idea that God will not force us to believe. Until I realized that He does not FORCE us to believe–He gives us the FREEDOM to believe, because there is nothing in us that WANTS to believe (see Romans 3).
But, alas, by the time I had understood this I had been using the name for so long I just decided to keep it. It’s unique, distinct, etc.
“If you truly are a Christian, the reoccurring question in your mind should be, “In what new way can I shed my old self and take on more of Christ, today?” There is liberty in this walk, but the liberty is not to be the focus of our walk.”
Amen, billy! Let everyone who claims Christ examine himself in this manner and see what the Spirit of God reveals!
fourpointer – I knew a bit of your coming to terms with all 5 points, I simply assumed you had trouble with the “L”, as that’s the common objection. Good to see some variety!