What if the path of Christ leads to danger and discomfort?
A missionary friend of mine Steve McKeown sent this email to me, thought you might enjoy. And to see the difference between the gospel of health, wealth and happiness compared to the Gospel of sacrifice, obedience and suffering.
Peace, if not safety
What if the path of Christ leads to danger and discomfort?
When the apostle Paul thought about the resurrection of those who die in Christ, he wrote, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Those words have comforted the saints throughout history as they have faced persecution and death. Missionary Timothy McKeown wrote recently about the three missionaries held hostage in Columbia. His letter, like Paul's to the Ephesians, reminds us not to fear the suffering that can glorify God:
I am a missionary in Colombia, South America. As you might expect, I receive lots of questions and comments related to security and safety on the field. Someone once said that "the safest place to be is in the center of God's will," and I frequently hear this expression in missionary circles within Colombia as well as from some of our supporters.
However, after studying Scripture and ministering in this context for many years, I have felt compelled to modify this saying for my own use: "The most fulfilling, joyful, and peaceful place to be is in the center of God's will." But it is not necessarily the safest.
It seems to me that the Bible is full of examples of God's people often-not occasionally-being placed in unsafe, uncomfortable, and dangerous situations. Take the life of the Apostle Paul. He was shipwrecked at least twice, almost drowned, unjustly imprisoned for much of his Christian life. He received multiple floggings almost to the point of death, was stoned and left for dead once, mobbed and let down over the wall in a basket at night. He was afflicted by a bothersome "thorn in the flesh" and was even bitten by a poisonous snake while trying to dry out by a campfire after a shipwreck! And if you accept the extrabiblical accounts, he was eventually and unjustly beheaded.
And then there is the case of our Lord Jesus, who was betrayed by his own disciple, taunted, ridiculed, beaten, and nailed to a cross on our behalf.
I was present at a missionary meeting held within days of the release of the two missionaries who were kidnapped in Colombia about 10 years ago and held for some 60 days. The main message that these two brothers in Christ communicated to us after having read the whole Spanish New Testament to each other over and over again (five times if I remember correctly) during their captivity was the overwhelming amount of danger and suffering experienced by God's people in the Bible. They expressed "surprise" at the way this "new" message jumped out over and over to them during their captivity. And these men were neither novice missionaries nor new Christians.
I often hear people pray for my safety and that of my family despite the fact that I have repeatedly asked that they not focus so much on our "safety" but on our "faithfulness" in whatever circumstances our Sovereign God might call us to minister. Most prayers in Scripture focus not on the personal safety and benefit of believers but on the power, majesty, testimony, and victory of God over his-and, of course, our-enemies.
I do not advocate foolish and irresponsible "risk taking." In fact, I encourage and insist that all missionaries for whom I am responsible receive training in personal security if at all possible, and that they take the issues of personal security and safety very seriously. However, biblical reality dictates that there are, indeed, times in which God will lead us into the valley of the shadow of death, where our prayer needs to be for faithfulness as reflections of his light and saltiness in this needy world.
I pray this prayer for faithfulness for the three New Tribes Missionary hostages, their mission, their leadership, their families, and for those who advise them. In my heart I hope and pray that Mark, Dave, and Rick are alive and well, but much more than that-that they and their families will remain faithful in all circumstances to our Commander in Chief.
As a Vietnam veteran, I know firsthand the anguish of the friends, families, and supporters of those listed as MIA (missing in action). I want to salute publicly these missionaries and their faithfulness to our wonderful Lord. They have ministered to a world of believers through their faithful testimony.
And I want to urge my fellow Christians to use extreme caution in allowing the infectious and deadly "health, wealth, prosperity, and personal comfort gospel" to become our motivator in seeking his will for our earthly lives. The Lord calls us to obedience in spite of the "costs"-not to personal comfort and safety! Oh, how I pray for the Lord of the Harvest to raise up more laborers to go into his fields no matter what the personal costs might be.
Mr. McKeown is a missionary with Mission to the World.
Peace, if not safety
What if the path of Christ leads to danger and discomfort?
When the apostle Paul thought about the resurrection of those who die in Christ, he wrote, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Those words have comforted the saints throughout history as they have faced persecution and death. Missionary Timothy McKeown wrote recently about the three missionaries held hostage in Columbia. His letter, like Paul's to the Ephesians, reminds us not to fear the suffering that can glorify God:
I am a missionary in Colombia, South America. As you might expect, I receive lots of questions and comments related to security and safety on the field. Someone once said that "the safest place to be is in the center of God's will," and I frequently hear this expression in missionary circles within Colombia as well as from some of our supporters.
However, after studying Scripture and ministering in this context for many years, I have felt compelled to modify this saying for my own use: "The most fulfilling, joyful, and peaceful place to be is in the center of God's will." But it is not necessarily the safest.
It seems to me that the Bible is full of examples of God's people often-not occasionally-being placed in unsafe, uncomfortable, and dangerous situations. Take the life of the Apostle Paul. He was shipwrecked at least twice, almost drowned, unjustly imprisoned for much of his Christian life. He received multiple floggings almost to the point of death, was stoned and left for dead once, mobbed and let down over the wall in a basket at night. He was afflicted by a bothersome "thorn in the flesh" and was even bitten by a poisonous snake while trying to dry out by a campfire after a shipwreck! And if you accept the extrabiblical accounts, he was eventually and unjustly beheaded.
And then there is the case of our Lord Jesus, who was betrayed by his own disciple, taunted, ridiculed, beaten, and nailed to a cross on our behalf.
I was present at a missionary meeting held within days of the release of the two missionaries who were kidnapped in Colombia about 10 years ago and held for some 60 days. The main message that these two brothers in Christ communicated to us after having read the whole Spanish New Testament to each other over and over again (five times if I remember correctly) during their captivity was the overwhelming amount of danger and suffering experienced by God's people in the Bible. They expressed "surprise" at the way this "new" message jumped out over and over to them during their captivity. And these men were neither novice missionaries nor new Christians.
I often hear people pray for my safety and that of my family despite the fact that I have repeatedly asked that they not focus so much on our "safety" but on our "faithfulness" in whatever circumstances our Sovereign God might call us to minister. Most prayers in Scripture focus not on the personal safety and benefit of believers but on the power, majesty, testimony, and victory of God over his-and, of course, our-enemies.
I do not advocate foolish and irresponsible "risk taking." In fact, I encourage and insist that all missionaries for whom I am responsible receive training in personal security if at all possible, and that they take the issues of personal security and safety very seriously. However, biblical reality dictates that there are, indeed, times in which God will lead us into the valley of the shadow of death, where our prayer needs to be for faithfulness as reflections of his light and saltiness in this needy world.
I pray this prayer for faithfulness for the three New Tribes Missionary hostages, their mission, their leadership, their families, and for those who advise them. In my heart I hope and pray that Mark, Dave, and Rick are alive and well, but much more than that-that they and their families will remain faithful in all circumstances to our Commander in Chief.
As a Vietnam veteran, I know firsthand the anguish of the friends, families, and supporters of those listed as MIA (missing in action). I want to salute publicly these missionaries and their faithfulness to our wonderful Lord. They have ministered to a world of believers through their faithful testimony.
And I want to urge my fellow Christians to use extreme caution in allowing the infectious and deadly "health, wealth, prosperity, and personal comfort gospel" to become our motivator in seeking his will for our earthly lives. The Lord calls us to obedience in spite of the "costs"-not to personal comfort and safety! Oh, how I pray for the Lord of the Harvest to raise up more laborers to go into his fields no matter what the personal costs might be.
Mr. McKeown is a missionary with Mission to the World.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Scott R. Newman on
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Yes very true and North Korea is one of a few countries that have outlawed Christianity and will imprison or even kill Christians with impunity if caught. I know only a few who are there underground who are there under great persecution while preaching and teaching the Gospel. Is is through their sacrifice and obedience that will lay the foundation of Christ in those dangerous places where Jesus the Christ is not yet known. They are the pioneers or the Green berets and Navy Squids of the Gospel who are setting the way for the rest of the army to go in after hearts have been softened in order for the Holy Spirit to open many doors for them to bring the Kindom of God to a very dark and dangerous place. The are the front liners of the Gospel.
I will be speaking for a week at a summer camp to kids in the 4th, 5th and 6th graders about global missions about how God's Word is impacting the nations and what our role is back home. The way its done now in terms as recruiting and mobilizing others to get more involved in going is to get to them while their still young. The issues we are dealing with that hinders the older christians are many. One is debt. You cannot go or be involved with a missionary organization such as Wycliffe or Campus Crusade for Christ or Pioneers or YWAM (Youth With a Mission) or Cominad if you are in debt. Another issue that hinders most of us from going to the global mission field is sin, usually sexual sin. Can't tell you how many wanna be missionaries who have been refused to partake in this high calling who are stopped because of sin, sexual sin such as pornography, fornication as well as alcoholism and drugs and cigarettes. Another issue that hinders most men is divorce and what comes with that is child support payments. But debt is the #1 reason why we are prohibited in fulfilling the mandate of global missions. So for this next week I'm taking my 6 year old son and my 5 year old daughter to help me speak to these young children about the necessity of what it really means to follow Christ, not just for the many blessings He gives us, but to sow a seed upon them about what He calls us to do to bring the light of Christ to those who languish in darkness. To pierce the darkness with the love of God through the washing and cleansing of HIs powerful word and to live sacrificially as our Lord and Savior has demonstrated His great love for us as He also left the comforts of heaven to come to this earth as the suffering saviour to reconcile us by the innocent blood that was poured out on calvary. I will be staying over at the camp for four days as the "missions" speaker to get them mission minded of the Great Commission and what that means.
The Great Commission is not for those who create a more better way of life by digging them wells for clean water to drink, but to give them water that they will never thirst again. Missionaries are not called to give those who are hungry food, but to give them food that would fill their spirit so that they will never hunger again. Helping these hungry and thirsty people with social activism is good by itself but what good is it if they die with a full stomach and still go to hell. Can one minister the Gospel effectively to a people who are hungered? American thinking believes it is not so, one must first fill the belly first in order for them to accept the Gospel of Christ. Not true, first you would have to continue to feed them from their own land and remember there are millions of orphans who need to eat. The Bible makes no mention of feeding their bellies first or creating wells for them to drink from first. Madonna and Brad Pitt does that. We are commanded only to preach the Gospel in season and out of season and preach the simple Gospel of peace. God deems us in HIs Word that they are commanded to turn from their wicked ways, to stop worshipping idols formed by wood, to seek His face, repent and turn from their sins, humble themselves under the mighty hand of Christ the exalted and resurrected one and after that HE WILL HEAL THEIR LAND! Why I love Wycliffe for there is no evangelism, very little social service activities..Only giving them the greatest gift one can have....GOD'S WORD in their own language of understanding. We should in our churches be cultivating those in the pews to determine if God is calling someone to the Global mission fields. There I bet is always one out of a 100 people who are called, just like there is one who is called to be a drummer, a piano player, someone who is called as an exhorter, praise and worshipper, one who is called as an usher, church secretary, deacon, ministers, reverend's...But if there is noone who comes as a missionary that speaks personally about his or her experiences complete with pics and videos how does one even know if their called unless seeds our sown, and others will water (pastor) and God always does the increase.
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Permalink Reply by Tara Robinson on
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Can we all really say we would be willing to truly endure in this way. We read about it we talk about but what if it did happen to you. You know Scott I have to really question my self would I be able to stand this kind of suffering for him who suffered so much for me deep thought deep question really. I know if we can't handle the things that's happening in the world today guess what how can we say we can suffer and endure the way Paul and Jesus did. God truly help us to see this is real live and in color and one day what we read about and see on the news will be staring us Americans in the face and as children of God can we really endure. God bless.
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Permalink Reply by Evangelist Altha Fugett on
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We all have our different callings, I am confronted as well about security and safeness when I go into prisons and on deathrow, there is risk there, none that I can imagine this missionary goes through, however the risks are there.
God's grace is sufficient to supply ALL our needs, and ones that are called to specific fields have no fear of that field, for the spirit of fear is not of God.
how many truly called to visit the sick in the nursing homes, hospitals... stopped because of the swine flu, the chosen ? none
How many called to the streets right here in our urban areas in the States, stop because of the dangers that exist? the chosen? none
We are many called with many gifts for one purpose, to spread the Gospel, how many called to preach a better life in Christ stop because naysayers, the chosen? none
Whatever your calling is, if you are chosen, persecution will come, especially from the deadliest weapon of all, the tongue
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"Faithfulness" rather than "Safety" should be our
focus. "Commitment" rather than "Comfort."
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Tara I feel you and these are the questions that I and my wife deal with daily on this walk. Can we endure suffering, uncomfortableness, isolation, danger, etc, for the continuing work of Christ? I was asked at this juvenile facility where I go to minister to these thugged out youngins and one day I decided to speak about global missions to criminals...LOL I thought what 'da heck, maybe they will listen... And to my surprise they were very interested, more so than most pastors I try to speak to about it They asked me this question, "Mr. Newman, aren't you afraid to take your wife and kids in dangerous places in the world? You can get killed!" This is the same young man who had 3 bullets in his body. One bullet was in his right cheek of his behind and the other was in his left thigh and one bullet was lodged just inches from his heart and he's asking me if I'm scared to preach the Gospel of Christ in remote areas of the world. I told him, "I would be more frightened to sell drugs on the streets of Orlando that breaks every law and command of God than me going to preach deliverance, hope and the free gift of salvation to those who are heavy laden and burdened by generational sin".
I believe the most faithful and safest place to be in is in God's Will and God will never send you to a place that comes with heavy sorrows. We serve a good God correct? He only sends those who are gifted to go to those areas of the world with that type of anointing. We aren't going to N. Korea for we have small children and only those who don't are called to go. Usually those who are single and have high faith go to those areas of the world where great persecution is occurring.
Where we are going in the next 2 or 3 years long term for at least 10-15 years is PNG (Papua New Guinea) which for the most part is not as dangerous as it used to be. At one time in PNG they were head hunters and cannibals. But because of early missionaries who suffered greatly and sacrificed health, wealth and happiness to the point of losing wives and children from many diseases but still forged ahead has now made it more acceptable for us to go to finish the tast and complete the project. However my wife and I may have to send our small children away at a boarding school that may be 6-8 hours away for school that Wycliffe teachers and dorm parents will mainly be our children's "parents" away while we do the work that we are assigned to do. That in of itself is part of the suffering and sacrifice in going. But we have already counted the cost while we are preparing for this exciting journey and adventure for the Lord and my children will experience something that others can only imagine and what it will do for our black children will be...PRICELESS....
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Scott my boss, was a missionary overseas, in South America, they were interpreters, that would learn the Aztec Indians languages, dialects... and translate the word of God into their language. They took both their two small toddler children.
I know your calling will be a blessing to your family as a whole. They faced many dangers as well, however we know that in doing God's will, HE will take care of you.
It's funny how this man who did all this, gawks at me ministering in prisons, we are God's peculiar people
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It's funny how this man who did all this, gawks at me ministering in prisons, we are God's peculiar people
Now that's funny....LOL It was through prison ministy that God led me to Global missions.
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Isa 6:8 "And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me."
Mat 16:25 "For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it".
Years ago during my travels as a salesman, I was at a home of a middle aged black woman. As we were chit chatting she told me that one night, late night as she was sleeping she was awakened by a call in the middle of the night from her long lost sister whom she hadn't heard of in years. She was surprised and also excited to have finally heard from her. Her sister was exuberant and told her that she was in love. She was so in love as she told her sister that she never knew this kind of love ever existed. She went on and on about her new found love and just felt the need to call her sister so late in the evening to share in the greatest love she has ever known. Her sister while still rubbing her eyes from the nights sleep began to feel her sisters love through the phone as if she herself was all emotionally involved in knowing how much in love and happy her sister was in finding this new love in her life.
She asked her long lost sister, "Tell me the name of this new love of yours?" "Who is he that has captured her heart so?" Her sister responded, "HIs name is CRACK!" And immediately the phone went dead never to hear from her sister again.
Its amazing what people will give up their very lives and souls for. Some will give up their lives for crack, alcohol, cigarettes, prostitution, a man who is abusive to them and will stay in that marriage until the body bag drapes and covers their nakedness. I know men who have given up their lives, their very lives for criminal activity and will sell drugs knowingly that most who do are either dead or spending all of their lives in the belly of the beast. I know many young adults and adults who take many risks with their bodies who have sex with the opposite sex or the same sex knowing that the plaques are out there that can literally steal their lives all for the sake of a release. I know many who are involved in the many gangs who cause rampant destruction to themselves, their neighbors as well as their communities. I know many black men and black women who have no issues nor problems who at the drop of a dime will leave america, the comforts of America with rifles in hand to kill and be killed in an Iraq war that has never been defined nor justified to have bullets flying all around their very heads and will die if need be for Bush's oil. How many souls were lost in the Iraq war as of this very date? And I've seen countless pastors lay hands on those who go to war for protection of their pew member's son or daughter to come home safely as he/she is called to kill the enemy overseas, amazes me.
All the countless and wasted lives that has been snuffed out from homicide, murder, aids, war, depravity, homosexual lifestyles, bad and destructive and abusive marriages, suicides, heart attacks and strokes, diabetes which comes from stuffing bad food in our proverbial gluttonous mouths, prescription pills, etc, etc, this year alone and not one of those who have left this earth ever considered whether God CALLED THEM TO THAT KIND OF LIFE OF DEPRAVITY but did it anyway, simply amazes me.
But a loving and faithful God can lovingly call us to join Him in leaving this way of life, to be used mightily and powerfully to affect and to impact the Kingdom of God to bring hope, deliverance and the free gift of salvation to a lost and dying world and we all of a sudden need to get deep and to say, "well I'm not called". But I am called to Hawaii to get my comfortable flesh stimulated or called even to go to Jamaica and like Stella to get her groove on with dangling crosses glistening in the moonlight.
And that's why I choose to go into the many prisons to determine who God is calling to the mission fields of those nations that are dangerous to preach the Good News of Jesus the Christ. At least I know already that if a young black boy can put his life on the line for green paper and drugs, surely if he was saved he would lay down HIs life for His REDEEMER. Its just a switch. The Apostle Paul was once on a journey to kill believers, and after Christ illuminated his life, Saul became Paul and layed down his very life for his friend.
Is the slave greater than the master?
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Meet one of my brothers Nate whom I had the pleasure of meeting at a missions conference in Tampa who's booth was right next to mine.
http://going.imb.org/2to3yr/journeyman.asp
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