Sulad Jhun Cardeinte
“…He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.” Acts 19:9,10
By experience, I have learned that the best we can offer in the mission field is not enough to meet the needs of the people we are working in. Cross-cultural ideas alone cannot finish our mission! The first thing we must do is not to learn the cross-cultural ideas but to empty our self so that the Holy Spirit will use us. Our examples we exerted are not even safe guide unless moment by moment we are asking the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us.
I remember a strategy of the humanitarian workers in Thailand. They were supposed to be missionaries working in a certain Christian denomination. But they had been drinking alcohol whenever invited by the villagers. Sometimes a missionary lower the standards to accommodate or sometimes even compromise a little bit. We try to weaken the gospel standards to gain baptism. Thus, we are producing lukewarm members of the church.
Is Caring Enough?
To care people is a nice thing but our work does not stop right there. I could still remember my personal experience in my first mission field in one of the mission school in Philippines. I got a partner ahead of me for about 5 months in the mission field. It was a pioneering work. People were so prejudice about hearing God’s word. Many months passed, after a routine of caring for the sick villagers, helping the needy and the likes, I could sense that we already won their confidence, so that we were really glad about it. But my partner had always warned me not to talk about Jesus and the Bible, so I did. We just introduce gospel songs for the children and some stories that have moral lessons.
One day, when my partner was left alone in our cottage, a group of mothers- our good supporters in the village asked me about the Sabbath and about our Christian lifestyle, as they always observe us having unique differences with them. I remember my partner’s words but it seems there was somebody that prompts my heart to communicate the truth to them. Sensing the rare opportunity, so I told them about how a true Christian should walk as Jesus did as our perfect example. Mothers were nodded in approval while hearing my side concerning our faith.
I’m so happy as I went back to the cottage. I feel that I was unburden that day. So excited to relate my fresh experience to my older partner, I told everything to him. But I felt so disappointed as he replied angrily. He asked me why I told those things to them. Warning me that if somebody would ask me again concerning our faith, I will just tell them we just follow what our parents have believed.
Is that how we represent the Savior? Is that how we accomplish our mission? Our mission is to make disciples by proclaiming God’s Word. Caring must followed by teaching and after this equipping. Sad picture can be seen in many humanitarian organization today which ended their services to caring. They don’t have real program that equip the members. The result, though they are gathering many people, they are not actually growing.
Is it a very sad thing to hear we stay long in the field, just waste our effort, time and money doing social works. Helping them for their stomach but neglecting the saving purpose, to fulfill the great commission. We are gospel worker not a social worker. Meeting three areas in the village namely; health, agriculture and education are important in fact the government is also trying to do something to at least uplift the life of the people. But this must not be our main concentration or else we don’t have any difference from the humanitarian upliftment program. Let us look at the reasons why Jesus feed the 5,000 people recorded in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6: 32-44, Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-12;
1. The crowds followed him- “But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.” Mark 6:33, (see Matt.14:13, Luke 9:11, John 6:2)
2. Remote place- “As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place…” Matt. 14:15 (see Mark 6:35, Luke 9:12
3. Already very late- “…and it’s already very late.” Mark 6:35 (see Matt. 14:15, Luke 9:12)
The feeding of 4,000 people revealed the similar reasons;
1. The crowds have been with Jesus-“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. Matt.15:32.
2. They are hungry and may collapse on the way- “I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” Matt. 15:32, Mark 8:3
3. Some came from a far place- Mark 8:3
They are hungry but what makes them hungry. Is it because they were doing business or hearing the word of God? The record implies that Jesus, His disciples, and the people had been without either food or rest during the entire day. The disciples could see no solution to the problem but to dismiss the people. But the “compassion” of Jesus (see v. 34) extended to their physical well-being as well as to their spiritual.
There are a lot of Missionary program today which offers too material rather than spiritual. In the sense that their concentration is more focus on health, agricultural and educational. The record in Acts gives as an idea of our job description as gospel proclaimer,“…He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.” Acts 19:9,10. The reason why everyone who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of God because everyday the Apostle Paul devoted his time for an intensive program of public evangelism. The Apostle Paul conducted lectures, but his lecture was not on health, agriculture and education. A lot of effort he exerted were basically focus on proclaiming the gospel.
It is a sad fact that there are missionaries today who don’t know even how to conduct Bible study, because they don’t have the basic training. The reason is that their concentration is focus on humanitarian program. As the Apostle was wise to “…took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.” Acts 19:9. So it is wise for us to conduct a serious effort, equipping our missionaries of the word of God, so that the near villages will hear the word of God.
It is a responsibility of the outreach movement to check out whether their missionaries are thorough equipped and knows how to impart the gospel.
We must be involved in expanding the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. The problem we faced is not just how to improve them but most important is how to evangelize them. Or else they see no difference from that of other social organization.
A true missionary is conscious that he has a heavy responsibility to present the truth. I appreciate those movement that are reaching the unreach which give special “how to give Bible study” training. As I have notice that there are movements today that excludes this most important training. How could they impart God’s word when they are not equip to the things they need?
The pen of inspiration says, “in a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers.”9T 19. We must take note that we are not the light but we are just bringing the light. We are not the truth but we are just carriers of truth. They couldn’t see the truth we bear unless we are going to share what we have. It wouldn’t be appropriate to say our presence in the mission field is enough. As it is “Now, just now, is the time to obey the commission, “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” Matthew 28:20. Those who do this work must have a ready knowledge of the Scriptures. “It is written” is to be their weapon of defense. God has given us light on His word, that we may give this light to our fellow men.” CT 540.
In reality, doing social works alone will benefit their stomach but not their heart. We must reach their heart by letting the truth shine out.
It is not bad to do social work. Caring the sick, providing them food and clothing, educating them, and etc. But if we forget our mission-tasks that would be another story. Our goal why we invest our time, effort and money is to spread the everlasting goodnews of Jesus.
Let us remember our accountability towards God. He placed the burden of on our shoulders to declare the truth. It is not enough to do social works! The gospel must be proclaimed. In the whole Asia alone we have thousands of villages just remain unreached. So how come you will be stagnated in the so-called social development and upliftment program. “ All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.” John 9:4. We need to ask the Holy Spirit’s guidance that we may do the right thing God wants us to do.
God bless.
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