Dedication Minus the Casket

A couple of weeks ago I was privileged to teach a class in the Iowa Ministry Network School of Ministry, better known as ISOM. The class was, "Introduction to Assemblies of God World Missions."

While preparing for the class,  I was reading in the text about some of the history of World Missions as well as remembering some other sources I've read over the years.
Then during the class we all got a chuckle when we talked about the methodology of some of the early leaders. I think our favorite was Charles the Great or better known as Charlemagne. He was a missionary "of sorts" about 800 years after Christ. His favorite method for evangelism was the sword. I guess he figured it was the quickest way to get his point across……..

I also remembered reading about the Moravians. There are known accounts of Moravians selling themselves into slavery so they could take the Gospel to places they couldn’t get to through conventional means. There were some accounts of Moravians allowing themselves to be exposed to leprosy so they move into the leper colonies and evangelize. To be Moravian meant to be a Missionary. While I don't think we need to expose ourselves to disease or sell ourselves into slavery, it would do us well to have the same desperation as the Moravians when it comes to taking the Good News to the "ends of the earth."

It is also documented in the History of Missions that many of our early Missionary fathers and mothers would pack their belongings in caskets. The truth is that many died on the Mission field or buried their children and spouses there. It was a time of short life expectancies in many parts of the world. And the conditions many of our Missionaries faced only made their lives shorter.

My concern for the class was that when we talked about these kinds of things - the Moravians and packing their belongings in their caskets - we would begin to compare our Missionaries of today with those of a hundred or several hundred years ago. Personally, I don't see a difference in the commitment of today's Missionaries compared to what I’ve read about M’s from the past.

Over the past 20 years, as I've served as a Missions Pastor, served as the State Missions Director for the Iowa Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God, and I've become great friends with literally hundreds of Missionaries. I've had opportunity to spend time with many, talk to many on the phone and correspond with many via e-mail and even snail mail. To be honest, I've never met an M that didn’t make me question my own dedication to the task. In my mind there is no difference in the commitment it takes for our M’s today than it took for M’s several decades ago. Both groups are committed to taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth no matter the cost.

Times have changed. Fortunately, methods have changed as well. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that conversion by the sword isn't effective….as if it ever was. I love J. Philip Hogan's slogan, "Anchored to the Rock but geared to the times."
When I'm asked about modern day heroes, I point to our Missionaries. I pray for them often and do everything I can to assist them in their important ministry of taking the Good News of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.

The dedication it takes to do the job is the same today as it was a hundred years ago…….…….just minus the casket.

Always in Pursuit!