“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

When Jesus gave the church the commission to be His witnesses to the whole world it would have seemed to be an impossible task. Think about it. There was no quick means of travel such as we have. There was no technology such as we enjoy today. There were no telephones, telegraphs, radios, televisions, DVD’s, etc.

Yet, the Bible Christians fully believed that it could be done and set out to do it. The amazing story unfolds in the book of Acts. They filled Jerusalem with the doctrine of Christ and were accused of turning the world upside down.

It would have never been accomplished without a commitment to the commission. There was a decision to believe that Christ’s command was His enablement. They went everywhere preaching the gospel.

Every local church has been given a direct command to tell the whole world about salvation through Christ. At Shawnee Baptist Church and Shawnee Baptist College, we are committed to missions at home and around the world, through our giving (now supporting over 130 missionaries on a monthly basis), through our praying, through our sending (several families out of our church now on the mission field and on deputation), through training and preparing the growing group of young people at Shawnee Baptist College for the mission field, through chapels and church planting in Metro Louisville, and through the multiple local soul-winning programs of our church.

WHY IS IT OUR RESPONSIBILITY?

1. It Is a Matter of Obedience to God and His Word

Christ told us to go and that should be enough… We go personally at some level (local, home or foreign). We send others through our giving. I have often used some application of the principle behind a little poem to help motivate me to obedience… “If everyone gave just like me, what kind of missions program would ours be?”

2. It Is a Matter of Need

There is a world going to a real hell. Over 90% of those proclaiming the Gospel are living in the United States of America where only 6% of the world’s population is located. That leaves less than 10% of all the other preachers and missionaries to cover the entire rest of the world. Our 300 to 400 thousand are doing pretty good with the 90%. The 6,700,000,000 are in a desperate situation that is unknown to them because there are so few to tell them.

3. It Is a Matter of Being Practical 

Not only does God want us to be obedient in getting the Gospel to the world and not only is the need so tremendously overwhelming, but missions through the local church is
the most practical way for every individual to have part in reaching the whole world.

I can’t stay at home and win souls here and at the same time go into various foreign countries, but through a program of supporting missionaries through my church, I can be vitally involved in both. Every member cannot buy radio time to get the Gospel message to our own Samaria but every member can have a small part in helping the church to buy that time. Every person is not called to every ministry of the church geared to reaching their community, but every member can have part through their giving and praying.

Faithful, active participation with our time, tithes and talents through our local church and its involvement in mission outreach to our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost part of the earth will result in being blessed and obedient disciples.

ARE YOU A MISSIONARY OR A MISSION FIELD?

Everyone is one or the other. If you are unsaved you are a mission field. If you are not sure of your salvation you should settle that today. If I can be of help contact our office today.

If you are saved you are a missionary. Like it or not when you were reconciled to God you were given the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18) “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” You may be a poor missionary or a good missionary but you are a missionary.