Missions and More
Missions and More
The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel. (1 Cor. 9:14)
Recently I saw in our church program that the annual missions conference was approaching, and people were needed to host home meetings for individual missionaries. I immediately contacted the missions department to let them know I was willing to help. I figured it would be easy enough to offer hospitality by simply opening my home as a place where missionaries could tell others about their work, but I was dismayed to find out that I would have to do much more than I thought.
Rather than just open my home, I would be responsible for getting the word out, inviting as many people as I could, and educating them about what the missionaries (whom I didn’t even know) did. I hadn’t counted on such a sacrifice of my time, and I wondered if it was too late to back out. As I talked to God about my predicament, He reminded me that these missionaries needed advocates, and the little I would do to prepare was nothing compared to the sacrifices they made daily.
Later, after the successful home meeting, I was glad I had said yes to God. The missionaries were encouraged, and I learned so much about their ministry and the miracles God was doing through their work around the world. Best of all, I was able to be a part of their work without ever leaving my hometown!
Missionaries rely on the body of Christ to make their work possible. Though supporting them might mean giving up time or money, we’re joining God’s work in unreached places when we do. Make an effort to find out what God is doing outside your world. You might be surprised by what He asks of you.