Missions Costs A Lot
The work of missions is a work that involves spending on a regular basis. People’s lives, people’s skills, people’s money and their relationships are being spent consistently in an attempt to take the Gospel to the unreached. The Mission is a worthy one, one that is worth all our lives and resources combined. There is no cost that can be used to quantify the value of Discipling one soul, talk less an entire community, tribe or nation. However, many people have remained spectators in all the action that this mission requires. Why should you become a missions supporter?
A lot of people feel they don’t qualify to be missionaries or don’t feel like they are called to be, they feel the call of a missionary is a very complex one and do not feel qualified. While this article can help you know that you do not need a special call to become a missionary, it is obvious that we cannot all be missionaries. Some people have to send those who go – that is the way God designed it.
The Missionary Needs a Team of Supporters
The missionary who leaves his home, family and culture shouldn’t be left to fend for his needs. Soldiers are not responsible for their welfare. Even though when mission agencies insist on the capacity of the missionary to connect with individuals and raise partners who will support them, it sounds as though they are being told to take care of their needs, but that is not what it means. The individual is required to build a team of supporters who will join him or her in the mission by being responsible for their welfare supply while they focus on making disciples. It is just like asking someone to hold the rope around you while you go into the well to rescue some fallen fellow. Without the person holding the rope, the rescuer will also end up needing help.
If some individuals have chosen to respond to the call made by Jesus for all of us to “go make disciples of all nations”, then the responsibility is on all the rest of us to ensure that such an individual lacks nothing. It sounds like a moral responsibility, but it is much more than that, it is a Kingdom obligation.
Making Disciples is a Long term process
In most cases, when a missionary gets to a new location, what is needed is more than just their food and clothing. Let me paint a little picture. Imagine a couple arrives in a community without the Gospel and with several needs, one of the first ways to get the attention of the community is to begin to respond to one of their needs. It is only common sense that to show them that you really care about their spiritual need of salvation, you need to show some care for their physical need of water, healthcare, education or some form of development. It is called Community Development, and it costs so much money. The missionary may have had enough support to feed himself and his family, but what about support to make that borehole to solve their water problems, start that school to educate their children or the equipment to teach local irrigation to the farmers so they are able to maximize agriculture?
These are all some of the support needs of missions, and it is not just a one time funding project in most cases, it take a while to get it sustainable. All through this, the missionary is requiring support, and it is in the process that the Gospel gets presented to the community and they accept. Now there is need to produce discipleship materials either in print or in audio… and the list goes on and on. What am I saying? Missionaries need consistent support because the work requires it.
Whose money will do the work?
When we know all of these, the question becomes, who will send the money? Sadly not the IMF, not the World Bank, not the United Nations… no, it is the Church. And by the Church, I don’t mean the buildings, I mean the individuals who make up the Body of Christ. God has entrusted with you with resources, and His work demands resources.
It will surprise many to know that majority of missions support globally does not come from large congregations or heavy donations from very wealthy people. They come from small sized and generous donations from ordinary people who naturally would not consider themselves wealthy enough to support missions. But it seems that is how God loves it. Using rather weak things to accomplish great things.
So it is people like you, who may only be able to give the equivalent of a few dollars or a few Thousand Naira consistently who actually make the work of missions progress.
You will be investing in eternity
What may look like a little sacrifice on your side will actually be one of your most significant investments, because this is not one with probably or earthly returns, it is one with guaranteed eternal returns. Even if there were no direct returns, the mere fact that we have the privilege of using our resources to honor the King by expanding His Kingdom should give us so much joy. After all, He is the owner and giver or all the resources.
Today, I invite you to one of the most significant things you can every use your resources to do – support missions. There is so much that God is doing around you that requires support, and God is counting in His children to whom He has entrusted resources. It may look small in your hands, but send it out and be amazed at what God will do with it.
If you are considering starting today to support missions, we invite you to join us in expanding God’s Kingdom in North Eastern Nigeria and the countries of the Central African Region by joining our 2kPartner Club – a group of individuals who support missions with N2,000 (Two Thousand Naira) monthly. Join the support network here