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But the Lord directs his steps."
~Proverbs 16:9~
Return to the home page | "A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps." ~Proverbs 16:9~ | |
 Who are the Cottrills? Read our latest newsletter See our most recent pictures Current prayer requests Read our blog - Finding direction Contact the Cottrills |  Should we still be sending Canadian missionaries overseas? Why are we spending all this money to send Canadian missionaries overseas, when a person from within the country could do the job just as well? Some authors and speakers have questioned the dollars spent on sending Western missionaries overseas. Flights, furloughs, language training, vaccinations - these are all things that someone from within the country would not have to worry about. Money concerns aside, someone from within the culture or from a similar culture can often do a far better job reaching people than those of us from the West, which is culturally often the odd man out. This is an excellent reality check for many who thought that North American missionaries were the answer to the world's problems. "I can go as a missionary wherever I want, and people ought to be pretty thankful that I was willing to make the sacrifice!" The fact of the matter is that in many places a Canadian (or American or . . . fill in the blank) is not the best person for the job. We need to swallow our pride and realize that often a poor farmer with no shoes can share that Gospel with someone far more effectively than you or I, with all of our education and resources. So is the day of the Canadian missionary over? Is the torch being passed on to the 2/3 world (sometimes called the 3rd world or non-western world)? I believe that something far more exciting is happening. This is a day when, more than ever, the church in the West is becoming a true partner with the vibrant churches around the world. We need each other! The Bible is an international book, and God is an international God, and this is being evidenced more and more as the years go by. The time has come to support our brothers and sisters around the world as never before, and to send more of our own workers as never before. Here are some reasons why Canadian missionaries must continue to be sent: ~ Just as 2/3 world workers can often do the job better, so Canadians can sometimes do the job better. There are places we can go that others can't, and things that we can more easily do. ~ In many places of the world, there are simply not enough workers. Consider a place like Mexico City, where there is a church doing an excellent job of reaching out, but the job is huge and the workers are few. Consider cultures that have no believers in them at all - there are so many unreached that we all must use all our resources to reach them. ~ There are places where Canadians are not wanted, but there are other places where the national church would love to have some help. ~ The command of Christ to "Go" is not limited to churches in certain nations and cultures. ~ Churches that grow are churches that are sending missionaries. Missionaries (ideally) do more than touch the lives of people overseas. They provide a window into the world for the people back home to see the world, to see the need. They inspire, they motivate. They are middlemen in a partnership that is vital to the work. Even those who desire to see money raised for national workers must have those who travel between cultures to share the need. ~ The Church is universal. Nationalism is not something that should limit us. We are all brothers and sisters, and as such should show love and respect for one another, and be partners in the work. Let me in closing suggest a few things to think about as we make tough decisions in the strategy of world missions: * Send the best person for the job - no, it's not always someone from your culture. Then again, it just might be you! But if someone from within the country can do the job just as well or better, encourage them, don't try to go where you're not needed! * Go where God is calling you - God is our head strategist. Where does He want you to be? Prayer, discussion, and a serious look at the need are all parts of finding God's will in this area. * Think partnership - Don't think only about how your denomination, mission agency or church can reach the world. Think also about how all Christians worldwide can reach the world. How does your organization fit into the big picture? * Let's give sacrificially of our time, talents and treasure - The battle will always require sacrifice. We need more of every kind of worker, old, young, Western, non-Western, family, single, mechanic, scholar; the world can be reached in our lifetime. Let's try to identify an destroy the excuses we all use that may be holding us back. * Think humility - Let's serve God and one another in humility. Pride can bind traditions and prejudices and stubbornness around our necks that will hinder the task. Some verses to consider: Romans 12:1-2 Galations 3:26-28 1Corinthians 15:58 Matthew 28:18-20 -> Return to F.A.Q. Index | Right click on this page and add it to your bookmarks or favorites! Canada and Mexico:  Read the latest news found by Google. The OneLook Word of the Day is: This is a word that has been searched for an unusual number of times today at OneLook.com |
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