A Word about Healthy Missions from Romans 15

Today I want share a word about Healthy Missions as I comment on Romans 15:14-33.

When people in the USA are asked to support missions, they often wonder what missionaries do.  It reminds me of a “Peanuts” cartoon I once read.

In this cartoon, Lucy asks Charlie Brown, “Why are we here on earth?” Charlie replied, “To make other people happy.”  Lucy replied, “Then why are they here?”

Paul was the first Christian foreign missionary and he set the example for all of us to follow in ministry.  In fact, he was bold enough to say, at times, “Follow my example and do what I do as I follow Jesus.” We can see from Paul’s letter to the Romans what missionaries do and what healthy missions is all about.  Let’s look at Romans 15:14-33.

First, Healthy Missions is Taking the Gospel Where it has Never Gone Before:

In verses 20 and 21, Paul said,

. . . and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, 21 but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”

In the First Century most people had never heard The Gospel. The Gospel was first preached to the Jews but God also wanted the Gentiles to hear it as well.  As we know, the Great Commission commands the church to make disciples of all nations (peoples). And Acts 1:8 tells us, the Church must go to all corners of the earth and all peoples and Paul's three Missionary Journeys show that he was obedient to the command of God to go.

Even today most people overseas have never heard the Gospel. There are 7 billion people in the world; there are probably less than 1 billion believers.  Almost 2 billion people around the world live in areas where access to the Gospel is denied by governments or societal institutions and Islam is spreading rapidly through Europe, and it is also making inroads in some parts of the US and Canada.

The sad fact is that many of our neighbors have never heard, either. At least a quarter of a billion people lost people live in North America. 

For example, a North American missionary, whose name is Norm,  serves in Charleston, WV.  He serves where the Appalachian Mountains meets the inner city and he works with people who are fourth generation welfare recipients.  Not only did their moms have children by two or three boyfriends, but so did their grandmothers and even their great-grandmothers!  This culture does not know that pornography, cohabitation before marriage, and gambling are wrong and self-destructive!

As hard as it may be to believe, Alabama, the buckle of the Bible belt, is also a mission field.  Over 40% of our population are not members of a local church and over 90% of the residents of multiple housing units (mobile home parks and apartment complexes) are unchurched. 

The key issue with missions is taking the Gospel to people who have never had access to it before. As an example of this, a colleague of mine rode his motorcycle from Montgomery, AL to Sturgis, SD to participate in an outreach to bikers at the Sturgis Bike Rally.  Over 1,300 people made professions of faith!

Second, Healthy Missions is Working Yourself out of A Job:

What do I mean by this? Let’s read verses 22-25:

This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints.

As we can see in the Book of Acts and also in this passage, Paul did not intend to homestead in any one place. His calling was not to pastor a single church, but to start many and his method was to begin a work, train up local leaders, and then pass the baton to them. 2 Timothy 2:2 is a perfect summary of his methodology: “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also”.

When his work was done in a place, he followed God’s leading to another field to start a new work all over again or to reinforce a work he had started on a previous ministry. A battery company who was vendor to my dad when he was a heavy truck maintenance supervisor has a slogan Paul would agree with. They are “Always Starting Something.”  Their logo is a feisty little boy with a black eye!

This is a key difference between missionaries and local church pastors. Missionaries don’t want to foster dependence upon them, because they are outsiders. Missionaries want new churches and ministries to mature and develop and they know that the best way to grow the Kingdom of God is through multiplying ministries, congregations, and churches with local leadership guiding the way after they have been trained up.

Missiologist Dr. Jim Slack has taught the 1 X 2 X 3 Rule:  In the same amount of time it takes to bring one new person into an existing church, you can bring two people into a new unit or class in an existing church.  In the same amount of time, you can bring three people into a new church. In fact, the Methodist Church spread widely in Colonial America because of the work of the Circuit Riders, who ranged wider and wider across the frontier, starting new classes and churches.  This came at a great cost; however, few lived past their 40th birthday

God’s Kingdom needs missionaries AND pastors. Someone must start new works: these are missionaries! Someone must stay and see that they become completely mature: these are pastors and church staff members! Fortunately, according to  Ephesians 4:11-16, God calls people out to do both!

Third, Healthy Missions Uses Multiple Techniques in Ministry:

Missionaries share the Gospel with the unreached in many different ways. Paul gave several examples in our focus passage for today. For example:

In verses 14-16, Paul said he ministered through writing:

I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  

 

Paul was one of the most prolific Biblical writers. He wrote at least thirteen New Testament books, and many other letters. He tackled many difficult theological issues. He wrote both occasionally and intentionally. For example, the Epistles to the Corinthians are like the game show “Jeopardy;” we have his answers, but we have to figure out the questions.

The ministry of writing is vital because the written word can often be more expressive and definitive. Also, the written word remains, when spoken word leaves. After all, how many of us remember last week's sermon?

The written word can go places we cannot, like prison, other countries, soldiers in combat zones and other places people cannot go themselves. It has been said that John 3:16 inscribed on a pencil and sent into a country that is closed to the Gospel is better than all the eloquent sermons never heard. Indeed, I knew one Muslim in West Africa who was converted simply by reading the Bible. No one had witnessed or preached to him at the time of his decision for Christ.

How do missionaries imitate Paul in this? They translate the Bible into local languages. They produce and distribute literature. They produce videos and movies, like the Jesus Film. Increasingly, they use social media like Facebook, Twitter, and text messaging.

In verses 18-20, Paul said he ministered through speaking:

For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel . . . 

Speaking really is the primary mode of doing ministry. Missionaries speak to preach, teach, and witness. Missionaries speak to comfort and to encourage. The spoken word is almost always available and it requires no special equipment. That is why Paul told Timothy to be ready to preach the Gospel, in season and out  . . .

How did Paul use speech in his ministry? He preached to and he taught both Jews and Gentiles and he told the complete Gospel of Jesus as Savior and Lord. In fact, he once preached so long that a boy fell out of window . . . but that may be an extreme example!

 Missionaries also imitate Paul in using the spoken word. They tell their personal story, which has great power.  No one can argue with what Christ has done in your life. They also use special techniques to reach illiterate people, such as Chronological Bible Storying. In addition, they tell the story of missions to church members to challenge them to continue to support the Great Commission by giving, praying, sending, and going.

In verses 22-24, Paul said he ministered through his physical presence:

This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 

Paul knew what missionaries today know, that there is power in physical presence that can’t be experienced in any other way. In this age of call centers, people still like doing business in person, and Jesus came to earth in person to seek us out and to be with us. Also, God sent the Holy Spirit to be present personally in our lives. There is power in presence!

Why is there is power in presence? It allows you to see a person's reality and empathize. It also allows demonstrates your interest in a physical way through the comfort of a touch. Sometimes being present is all that you can do!

Paul's example is instructive for us. He took three missionary journeys and he visited new fields and he visited old fields. He was willing to go where he was needed. He was like the TV Character Paladin whose motto was “Have gun, Will Travel.” Paul had the Gospel and he would travel!

How do missionaries imitate Paul in being present? They go where the people are like when they use four-wheel drive trucks to reach people in the African rainy season. They live the way local people do. They eat same food, and they wear the same clothing. They learn local language and customs; they may even take a local name. 

They also live out Christian lives before non-believers. For example, Muslim marriage relationships are often arranged and very businesslike.  It is a powerful witness to live out a Christian marriage in a Muslim culture, since a Christian marriage represents the relationship between Christ and the church.

In verses 26-28, Paul said that also he ministered by meeting human needs:

For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. 

The situation in Jerusalem at this time was grim. The Christians were hated by the Jews and the Romans had just labeled the Church as an outlaw religion. Many believers were lower class and were often poor or slaves.

In response to this need, Paul mobilized the love of the brethren. He helped the believers in Europe to realize their debt to Jerusalem church. He instructed them on how to take a collection and then send it by way Paul and a delegation, and thereby, the church on the mission field ministered to human needs.

Today, missionaries realize that Jesus did not come the earth to merely heal the sick. He came to seek and save that which was lost.  While He was on Earth, however, He could not help being benevolent Himself and show His love to people through meeting their human needs.  Missionaries follow in His footsteps as Paul did. They help with housing needs. They help with hunger needs. They help with medical needs. As an an example, at one time, the International Mission Board ran a dental clinic in West Africa that served a population of 800,000.

Finally, Healthy Missions is Bathed in Prayer:

Without a doubt, Paul Believed In Prayer:

Paul prayed for all people (Titus 1:8).

Paul prayed for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2).

Paul prayed for believers (Philippians1:9/Colossians 1:9).

In fact, Paul prayed without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Paul also wanted people to pray for him as we see here in Romans 15:30-33:

I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Missionaries today also believe in prayer. They pray before they engage in ministry, during ministry, and after ministry. Prayer efforts, like prayer walking play a major part in the strategies of missionaries in the USA as well as overseas. Missionaries often wait until their birthdays to make major decisions, because they know many people are praying for them on that day. 

As I have already mentioned, prayer walking is a tremendous ministry. Graham Kendrick calls this “Praying on site with insight!” It really does enlighten and inform our prayer when we see the sights, hear the sounds, taste the tastes, and yes, even smell the smells!

Commonly people say, “All I can do is pray.” In truth, sometimes the best thing you can do is pray as you bring people and situations to Throne of Grace and to the very presence of God Himself!

Conclusion:   

A pastor I knew called Paul a “Full Gospel” preacher, but he didn’t mean in a denominational sense. Paul was a full gospel preacher as he shared the Gospel with his words, his actions, his prayers, and his life. Our missionaries follow his pattern even today, because Paul was the very model of healthy missions!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt