I attended a meeting earlier this week at the Tennessee Baptist Convention's Missions Mobilization Center in Mt. Juliet, near Nashville. Dr. Randy Davis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, shared a story that I found particularly moving. I wanted to post it here today.
A certain young Baptist minister was fond of attending Pastor’s Conferences, where he would often go to hear gifted men of God deliver moving sermons about the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One particular year, along with several other young men, he stayed afterward to meet with a group of older Pastors and Denominational Leaders in what amounted to a question and answer session.
He posed the following question: “What I would like to know is this. Was the command of Christ to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth just for the first Disciples, or was it for us today as well?” The answer he received was this: “Young man, sit down and be quiet! If Christ desires to convert the Heathen, then He will do it without my help or yours!”
Thankfully, that young man neither sat down nor shut up. For, he was none other than William Carey, who essentially went on to found the Modern Missionary movement. He also was the first to carry the Gospel to modern India. There, he labored for seven long years before he ever saw his first convert to Christ.
But, the important thing is that he did not quit. He persevered because he knew what God had called him to do. His motto has since become famous throughout the entire world: “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”
Dr. Davis’ concluded his story with this observation. “As anyone who has recently travelled to Europe knows, it is absolutely dead spiritually. Yet, even today, India is seeing as many as 25,000 people a day come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.”
As Christians, we have been all received the very same great commission from our Lord and Savior. It is recorded in Matthew 28:18-20:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Granted this may not always be easy. Nor will it always be popular. But it is still our job. And do it we must,; for this is God's chosen method for sharing the life-giving and life-changing story of his Son with a lost and dying world. May we ever be faithful to carry out this commission, both to the glory of God and to the benefit of mankind.
NOTE: William Carey’s amazing and inspirational story is recounted in greater detail by the editors of Christian History Magazine at: http://www
.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/missionaries/carey.html.
A certain young Baptist minister was fond of attending Pastor’s Conferences, where he would often go to hear gifted men of God deliver moving sermons about the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One particular year, along with several other young men, he stayed afterward to meet with a group of older Pastors and Denominational Leaders in what amounted to a question and answer session.
He posed the following question: “What I would like to know is this. Was the command of Christ to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth just for the first Disciples, or was it for us today as well?” The answer he received was this: “Young man, sit down and be quiet! If Christ desires to convert the Heathen, then He will do it without my help or yours!”
Thankfully, that young man neither sat down nor shut up. For, he was none other than William Carey, who essentially went on to found the Modern Missionary movement. He also was the first to carry the Gospel to modern India. There, he labored for seven long years before he ever saw his first convert to Christ.
But, the important thing is that he did not quit. He persevered because he knew what God had called him to do. His motto has since become famous throughout the entire world: “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”
Dr. Davis’ concluded his story with this observation. “As anyone who has recently travelled to Europe knows, it is absolutely dead spiritually. Yet, even today, India is seeing as many as 25,000 people a day come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.”
As Christians, we have been all received the very same great commission from our Lord and Savior. It is recorded in Matthew 28:18-20:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Granted this may not always be easy. Nor will it always be popular. But it is still our job. And do it we must,; for this is God's chosen method for sharing the life-giving and life-changing story of his Son with a lost and dying world. May we ever be faithful to carry out this commission, both to the glory of God and to the benefit of mankind.
NOTE: William Carey’s amazing and inspirational story is recounted in greater detail by the editors of Christian History Magazine at: http://www
.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/missionaries/carey.html.