Our church is affiliated with a denomination of churches known as the Christian and Missionary Alliance, a fellowship of churches started by A.B. Simpson over 100 years ago. One of the driving passions of the Alliance is the emphasis on missionary work all around the world. As I understand it, we prepare, send, and support the most missionaries per capita than any other denomination. Missions is in our DNA. Indeed, it’s our middle name! We want to do more than our part to see the Great Commission fulfilled.
With that in mind, I’ve been reading a lot of great biographies and autobiographies about missionaries lately. It’s remarkable to see the way that God used ordinary people like you and me in tremendous ways for His glory and for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom. It’s interesting to discover that each missionary is so different from any other. But the Lord put to use their individual talents, skills, and gifts for their own particular challenges. God sovereignly employed both their strengths and weaknesses in various ways to shine the brilliant glory of His gospel.
So I’m going to begin a regular series of blog posts entitled the “Missionary Moment,” as an attempt to deisplay God’s greatness through the life of a particular missionary. I’ll write a little something about the life and ministry of David Brainerd, missionary to the North American Indians in the 18th century. Another post will be written about the Scottish missionary John Paton, who God used to bring the natives of the New Hebrides Islands (South Sea) to Christ. I’ll also write about other missionaries such as Jim Elliott, as well as the others that served with him in Ecuador. We’ll consider the lives of Adinoram and Ann Judson, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, and many others.
Please tune in to the “Missionary Moment” from time to time to be encouraged and blessed to hear true stories about heroes of our Christian faith. I welcome your thoughts, as well as suggestions for other missionaries. I’ll begin the first “Missionary Moment” installment next week. May God raise up a whole new breed of faithful missionary heroes.