The Bad News About the Good News

What do you think is the top priority mission that Jesus Christ gave to the Church? After completing His own mission on earth, he told His disciples exactly what our mission is. Just before he ascended into heaven, he told them: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Mat 28:18-20)

So the mission is clear: go and make disciples of all the nations. Has that happened yet?

Well, Jesus said,"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Mat 24:14). From this we know that the end will come after the mission is completed. And since the end has not come, we still have work to do.

The apostle Paul said, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent?" (Rom 10:13-15). You see, it's simple: Without a preacher being sent, the people will not hear the good news of Jesus. Without hearing the good news, they will not be able to believe in Him. And without believing in Him, they will not be able to call on His name and be saved! It all begins with a preacher being sent.

Those of us who understand the times we live in right now are acutely aware that we live in the last days, and Jesus is coming soon. And there's a lot of work to do. Yet at this crucial moment in history, denominations are "laying off" missionaries in order to make budget. Many missionaries are returning home from the field because they simply do not have the financial support they need to stay and complete the mission. This is amazing! Is God broke? Is God in heaven saying, "Well, I guess my people can't complete the mission I gave them, because all the resources I had for them have been exhausted. I never expected it to cost so much, and I didn't realize we would have this global economic crisis. Oh well! Let's downsize the church. And if anyone is going to be laid off, it'll be the missionaries. Send the missionaries home."

A couple years ago, Ron Hutchcraft delivered an excellent message called "The Bad News about the Good News." It speaks right to this discussion.

God's resources never run dry. Jesus has so ordained it that those being sent need others to send them. He said, "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." (Luk 6:38)

Have you considered giving financially to someone who has been sent to those who have not heard, so they can call on the name of the Lord and be saved? It's an eternal investment.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.