Missionary Service Value Outline
Why Values Should Be Considered
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The Value of Missionary
Service
A Mission By Definition
The English words "mission and
missionary" are not
specifically recorded in the King James Version of the
Bible. By definition though, mission means: to send; as
persons sent somewhere to perform a stipulated service;
and a Christian missionary is someone engaged in, or
devoted to, the work of God, and of Jesus Christ, God's
Son.
If you were to ask a group of people
what missionary
service was, it might be surprising how many different
answers would be received. Essentially though, it
encompasses all the areas of ministry available to
Christians for the furtherance of God's plan for the
salvation of mankind.
Everything that has life, lives to contribute
to the life
of other things. In nature we see how the waters of a
river contribute their life-giving properties to the trees
and flowers along it's banks, and we enjoy the blessings
that result from their gift. True ministry for God is
comparatively the same. Ministry is the freewill offering
of our God-given talents and blessings to help people,
whenever, and wherever, possible.
Please note though, that ministry is
not just a "part" of
missionary work. It covers every aspect of life and service.
Once this is understood, it isn't difficult to comprehend
that whatever is done with ministry in mind is something
of great value for God, for our fellowman, and for
ourselves as well.
Why Values Should Be Considered
You might ask: " Why do we need
to consider the value
of missionary work? Doesn't everyone know that such
work is important?" To answer clearly: No, everyone
may not understand.
To explain this better there is an experience
told about
two ladies who were talking together one day. One said:
"...And my son is going to be a neurosurgeon... what about
yours?" The other replied: "...Well...uh, yes... mine is
going to be a...missionary..."
For the first son there was expressed
a great hope for
success in the field of medicine; but for the other, there
was almost an apology made. There are people who
sometimes feel a little embarassed speaking about relatives
who have decided to build a career in God's workplace.
But there's no need to feel this way.
If a low estimate is placed upon something,
there is a
tendency not to appreciate and support it as much as
things considered of great value. Some people have
expressed an attitude that seems to imply: "...if you
can't do anything else, you can always become a
missionary..."
Most people try to encourage their relatives
and friends
to make good career choices. To be a doctor, government
representative, or executive in business (careers that
usually bring prestige and a solid economic security),
have often been encouraged more than trying to help
them prepare for religious services.
Missionary work is a worthy vocation,
and needs to be
elevated to its rightful position in the world: a place of
dignity and respect. In reality, true missionary service
is not as easy as it may at first appear. Quality time and
effort should be invested to train responsible people for
this important work. Psalm 36:9 says:
For with thee is the fountain
of life:
in thy light shall we see light.
Wouldn't it be great to view the value
of missionary
services from God's perspective?
It is no secret that some people have
tried to enter God's
workforce with the thought that what they were about
to do was going to be easy. On the surface, watching
ministers speak in the pulpit, sharing the Gospel while
visiting in someone's home, or distributing Christ-centered
literature in local neighborhoods, for some doesn't appear
strenuous or difficult. But things viewed from this surface
level, don't always reveal what is underneath. Missionary
work is sometimes a difficult work; but it's also a great
blessing too.
Benefits From Missionary Service
You remember it was said near the beginning
of this
article that true missionary work is ministry, and that
ministry means the free offering of our talents and
blessings to others to assist and prepare them for life.
With these things in mind it isn't too difficult to see
really how everyone can benefit in some way from such
efforts.
The reason we are considering benefits
here is because in
God's work it may seem at times to a dedicated missionary
worker that people don't seem to be responding as well as
was hoped for; or that there are too many who seem not to
care about what is being done to help them, and maybe the
time spent for missionary work could be better invested in
another vocation.
Let's take a moment to consider what
the Lord through
His servant Paul, the Apostle, said:
Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye stedfast,
unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain
in the Lord.
I Corinthians 15:58.
If you want to be successful in God's
service always
remember this! Even if no one offers you a word of
encouragement, Jesus is keeping track of all that you
do for Him. Before we close let's review the Great
Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20:
All power is given unto
me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with
you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Jesus will bestow blessings and benefits
that far outweigh
all the effort that's being expended. And nothing is lost
when its carried out in love for Him.
