Is Missions Worth it?

by Jim Plueddemann (General Director for SIM)
Go to the Christian Missions Home Page who host this article

It’s not easy to keep a church enthusiastic about world missions. Even churches with a history of being missionary minded can grow lukewarm. And the most committed churches are only one generation from losing their vision.

Sadly, some congregations have lost their vision for the world. Some assume that missions reflects the colonialist era and is irrelevant to modern church-goers. Often, people are caught up in their own needs. Others feel they should first solve the problems in their own country. Some suggest we should send money instead of missionaries.

Maybe you find yourself asking, “Is promoting missions worth the effort?”

In some churches, the missions budget is the first to be cut when there is a crunch. It’s hard to find people who are committed to pray for missions, and even fewer are willing to go and serve in other cultures. So is it worth it to continue the battle?

YES! Let me give you three reasons:

1. World missions is important to God.

God has no higher priority than that we teach people of all nations to sing a new song to Him. The Psalmist cries out:

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Publish his glorious acts throughout the earth.
O nations of the world,
confess that God alone is glorious and strong.
Tell the nations that Jehovah reigns” (Ps. 96 TLB)

If the church agendas reflected God’s priorities, missions would be the last item cut from the budget. If we want the Lord God to bless our church, we do things important to Him.

2. The task is far from finished

As least 4 billion people have not been born again into God’s family, and half of those have little chance of hearing His good news. And there are millions of people who call themselves Christians but who are weak in their faith.

We praise the Lord for the significant growth of the Church around the world. But we have not fulfilled Christ’s urgent command to make disciples in all the nations.

3. There is another world coming.

A church with a passion for world missions is a church that is willing to sacrifice, and sacrifice is seldom comfortable. We believe that Jesus is the only hope for the nations. We believe that life is short in comparison to eternity, and what we do for the cause of Christ will last forever.

We daily praise the Lord for churches whose members are faithful world Christians. But are you longing for a revival of passion for world missions in your church?

We need churches with a vision for God’s world. We need missionaries who are willing to obey God’s urgent command. The task of rekindling the vision will always be difficult, but it is worth it! Nothing is more important.

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CONTINUE WITH THE ADVENTURE