Go, Send, or Disobey (or why "Am I called to go" is the wrong question)

My pastor, J.D. Greer, posted a blog today featuring a video that moved me so much I wanted to make it available on my blog as well (see below). The video features the song "Tears of the Saints" by Leeland as well as some moving quotes by (one of my favorite preachers/teachers/authors) John Piper. The impetus of the video is to demonstrate why a commitment to world missions is crucial for Christians.

One of the challenges I have received while attending Southeastern is to re-evaluate the question that many Christians, myself included, are inclined to ask when faced with the Great Commission. That question is generally posed as "Am I called to be a missionary? Am I called to go?" The short answer to this is "Yes!" You are. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are called to be a missionary. Jesus is clear that this is His desire for each of His disciples (Matthew 24:14, 28:19; Mark 13:10, 16:15; Luke 24:47,48; Acts 13:47, just to name a few). The question, rather, ought to be posed "Am I called to stay? Is God asking me not to go?"

This is a hard question to ask, don't misunderstand me! I know that life as a full time missionary to an unreached people group is fraught with peril and many, if not most, of the comforts of a private American life are absent. But what more important calling could you receive? What a blessing it is to be allowed by God to take part in His plan of redemption for His creation who have rejected Him?

In Paul outlines our purpose and role:

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

So, therefore, we are to go, to send, or to live in disobedience to God's Word. Please do not get me wrong, God will save those whom He has predestined to save (; ; ; ; ; again, just to name a few). We cannot derail God's plan! We can neither save anyone nor hinder salvation from reaching anyone. We are not that powerful. God is the sole author and decider of salvation. But what we can do is miss out on the blessing that God is offering us by allowing us to take part in His gift of grace through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus the Christ, who allowed for the remission of sins through the spilling of His sinless blood. Missions is not an obligation, but a gift. May we obey God's call to fulfill the Great Commission!