Thoughts on missions
For those who do not know, Operation GO is a program in which Bible literature (usually Gospels of John) are distributed in a selected area for prayer and Gospel saturation. In this program, they look for persons of peace to open their homes, businesses, or by some other means to spread the Gospel, maybe primarily by hosting Bible studies. While the Gospels are distributed, they are asked questions, such as: 1. Would you like to attend a Bible study? 2. Would you like to have a Bible study in your home? 3. Can someone come back and visit you?
However interesting, I have heard that some would wish this to stop altogether and simply pass out Gospels and have faith that God will produce something out of it. I wonder though at the mentality of this and those who would agree, especially if they are the one's that are doing the projects. The first problem is: How are the U.S. Volunteers that not only pay to make this program happen by coming and paying for the Gospels but are also supporters of the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon, going to take it? There are always the questions: who is going to follow-up with this work...which is a very good question. So, now they will come (under this rumoured proposal), and mind you many are returns from previous years and simply pass out the Gospel. There is no need to work with a local Mexican church, to worry about the one that may wish to know more about Christ or know the way to salvation itself (because how many will be able to speak Spanish?), etc.
I think the bigger problem lies within their coined term "faith". The problem is that faith alone is not good. There must be works (James). We are not talking about salvation here because works does not produce salvation. But we are talking about what characteristics come along with our faith. When Moses’ parents knew that he was probably going to be killed what did they do? Yes, first, they had faith and knew that God was going to take care of them but they did not sit around hiding him in a house. What did Abraham do in the wilderness when the famine was upon them? He went down into Egypt. Think about the men of faith in the Bible. Did they just sit around doing nothing and while they waited on God? I think not. In the same, our faith is useless if we are not giving our all to God. I think at times we get to administrative (worldly) in our thinking and miss the whole mark. Then people jump in like the Emergent Church and swoop those who had a bad taste in their mouth to a watered down feel good teaching that reminds me of the 70’s, love and peace movement. Pray for those in leadership. I am only a minute person and only merely work along the side of these missionaries, but as a Southern Baptist, it truly concerns me as I see not only examples of this here as far as missions are concerned but also within the churches of the United States (here locally too). People are content with staying their aquariums, occasionally cleaning the scum off of the sides of the sides so that they can see out. Pray that we not only have faith but we back up our faith with our actions. Pray that we are not lazy but we are prudent and hard working in our endeavours.