I recently watched a movie about the life of William Carey, called Candle in the Dark. It was excellent. I knew he had made great sacrifices to take the gospel to India, but never realized all he went through.
He was a cobbler in England, who lived from 1761 to 1834 -- an era when the Protestant church didn't believe that Christians had a responsibility to take the gospel to the nations. But he saw it differently. He wrote a booklet that made the case from Scripture that the disciples of Christ have a responsibility to reach other nations for Christ. He taught that in order to reach other nations for Christ, we need to cooperate, organize ourselves, and plan strategically.
He would not simply sit back in his own comfort zone, and wait for God, in His sovereignty, to get the gospel out to the nations. He said, “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” His motto was: Begin with prayer, asking God to do great things in your own life and in the lives of others. Then act on those prayers, attempting great things for God as you expect great things from Him.
And he practiced what he preached. He became the first Protestant missionary, leaving his homeland with his wife and children to take the gospel to India. Although he lost his wife and one child, who succumbed to deadly diseases, he remained obedient to the Lord. During his forty years in India, he translated the Bible into many Indian languages, printed Bibles, and established schools, as well as a college that offered theological training. He also helped bring about the abolition of Sati, the traditional Indian practice of burning widows on their husbands' funeral pyres.
There is still so much work to be done today to complete the Great Commission of Jesus, who commanded His disciples to "make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." (Mt 28:19). America was once the greatest missionary-sending nation on earth. Yet sadly today many Americans spend more money on their pets than they do on missions.
There are a few, a remnant, who are passionate about taking the gospel to the nations. They understand that we need to cooperate, organize ourselves, and plan strategically for these ventures to do so. If you are not presently involved, let me encourage you to pray and ask the Lord how He wants to use you.
I encourage you to pick up a copy of this "Candle in the Dark" movie online, and watch it. You won't be disappointed, and the Lord may use it to give you a fresh passion for fulfilling the Great Commission.
We should all be involved in making disciples among the people around us. But regarding foreign missions, some are called to go, others are called to give, and still others to pray. Ask the Lord what your role is in this exciting end times harvest.
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). His words will be fulfilled. Will you be a part of it? Will you be a candle in the dark?
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.
