We're on a mission from God.

John Piper asks and answers the following intriguing question: Is the unique biblical task of the church's missionary enterprise

1. to win as many individuals to Christ as possible before He returns, or
2. to win some individuals (i.e., plant a church) among all the peoples of the earth before He returns?

How would you respond?

As a hint, I offer the following texts: Rev 5:9-10; Gen 12:1-3; Ps 67:1-3; Rom 15:18-21.

Let me suggest that this is an important question and one that ought to drive our missions & evangelism efforts and resource allocations.

Not only am I convinced of my answer, I'm also convinced that sometimes the other option is used to justify efforts toward the alternative.

In other words, I'm convinced that the mission really is some from every tribe, tongue, people, and ethnicity. I'm also convinced that some believe it's the first option (as many as possible), but will try to validate resource allocation to the seemingly more difficult missions work by speaking to the great (numerical) fruitfulness in a foreign land.

In other words, "Send your missions money here (with me), because I can get you a better ROI (Return on Investment). Why send it where there aren't droves of people professing faith in Jesus?"

The answer may well have to do with the difficulty of walking an unpaved road, but a road leading to those without the Gospel.

“I only want men who will go where the road is not paved.”
~ Dr. David Livingstone, missionary in Africa

“I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, 'Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.'”
~ Paul, apostle to the ethnicities (Rom 15:20-21)

• For John Piper's answer and explanation, read "The Tension Between Domestic Ministries and Frontier Missions" at the 1988 Western Seminary Missions Conference.

To get anything of value, you have to sacrifice.

In a sermon from Matthew 10:16-31, John Piper suggests 6 costs and 10 blessings of frontier* missions.

6 Costs of Frontier Missions:

1. The cost of being arrested by authorities. (10:16-18)
2. The cost of family betrayal. (10:21)
3. The cost of being hated by all. (10:22)
4. The cost of being persecuted and driven out of town. (10:23)
5. The cost of being maligned. (10:25b)
6. The cost of being killed. (10:28)

"For two thousand years, thousands of missionaries—unnamed people of whom the world is not worthy—have counted this cost and put their lives at risk to reach the lost with the only message of salvation in the world. And the reason they could do this is because the blessings so outweigh the costs."

10 Blessings of Frontier Missions:

1. The blessing of being sent by Christ. (10:16)
2. The blessing of being given words by the Spirit of God. (10:19-20)
3. The blessing of experiencing God’s fatherly care. (10:20b)
4. The blessing of salvation at the end of it all. (10:22b)
5. The blessing of knowing that the Son of Man is coming in judgment and mercy. (10:23b)
6. The blessing of belonging to Jesus’ household. (10:25b)
7. The blessing of knowing that the truth will triumph. (10:26)
8. The blessing of having an immortal soul. (10:28)
9. The blessing of having a heavenly Father who sovereignly rules the smallest details of life. (10:29)
10. The blessing of being valued by God. (10:31)

• Listen, download, or read the entire sermon here.

*"Frontier missions is crossing a culture to plant the church where the gospel has not already taken root. This is the mandate that is still valid for us today. The job is not done. And the word of our risen king Jesus is binding on us today as much as when he first gave it."

Troops are ready for inspection, sir.

At Providence Church last night Mike Gendron taught, challenging us with the question, "Is Christ's Last Command Our First Concern?"

It was a great reminder of the priority of the Great Commission, as well as some excellent practical applications. (Cf. Mike Gendron's article on Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries website: Making Christ's Last Command Our First Concern.)

It also got me thinking about a wedding I did the previous week and my citation of God's command to "be fruitful and multiply." (Gen 1:28; 9:7)

I think sometimes missed in that is the focus and rationale for such a command. It's not merely that God wants a populated planet and enjoys seeing lots of babies. This is a command that God gives to His people. The expectation is that hearers will not only have kids, but will do what God commands and disciple them unto godliness.

Thus, I submit to you that the command to "be fruitful and multiply" is really a Great Commission verse. You help fulfill the Great Commission of "making disciples" (Matt 28:18-20) by having children in whom you cultivate Christlikeness. God is obeyed and God is glorified.

Sadly, I think followers of false religions understand this better than we do. Evangelicals* tend to have a birth rate significantly below that of Muslims, Roman Catholics, etc. For those of us particularly concerned about the rising influence of Islam in this country, self included, the fact that they are "taking ground" without having to resort to war or the shedding of blood shows just how shrewd a threat followers of the religion of non-peace really are.

The solution is not to pick up guns or have more babies. The solution is to make more disciples, as God enables, including being fruitful and multiplying to that end.

• See also Gunny's somewhat lighthearted encouragement to pursue par or better with regard to family size: Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three.

*I'm not sure if the term "evangelical" really has much meaningful significance anymore, but that's another show, as Donahue would would say.

A vacation from my problems ... you bet I will.

Dave Ramsey addresses short-term missions trips while still in debt. Of great value is the distinction he makes between two kinds of mission trips. (HT Oilcan)

No "Christian Vacations" While You Get Out Of Debt

Billy asks if you can still go on mission trips while you’re on Baby Step 2. Dave says there are two types of mission trips: Christian vacations and true mission trips.

QUESTION: Billy asks if you can still go on mission trips while you’re on Baby Step 2. Dave says there are two types of mission trips: Christian vacations and true mission trips.

ANSWER: Well, Billy, there are two kinds of missions trips. There are missions trips that are Christian vacations. And everybody wants to go on a mission trip, and it’s a little Christian vacation, and we feel like we did something good, so we don’t feel too guilty for going on vacation. But it’s vacation. And it’s vacation with a Bible. I know that because I’ve watched my brothers and sisters in Christ do that for years. And no, you’re not going on that kind of a mission trip when you’re in debt. Get yourself straightened up, kiddo.

The second kind of mission trip is you have a strong enough walk with God that you are 1000% sure He’s telling you that this is something you’re supposed to do. Dude, I’m not getting in the way of that. Go do it. But this doesn’t need to be some little cute thing on the beaches, and we’re going to go down and minister to the crabs. No. Sorry.

To the victor go the spoils.

In light of this Resurrection Sunday, I commend the following piece by Peter J. Leithart: "It Really Happened." (HT Ron)

Here's a portion to pique your interest:

"If it really happened, then we've got a load of work, because not everyone has heard the news that God has conquered death. Jesus is King and Lord, and He sends us out to announce that He rules. He establishes the church to be the first form and bearer of His kingdom. He intends to overcome all evil and sin, all injustice and wickedness, and calls us in the power of His resurrection to share in His war against all that damages His good creation."

I see dead people.

David Sitton* makes a distinction between "unevangelized" and "unreached" (emphasis mine throughout the quotation below).

There’s an important difference between unevangelized and unreached peoples.

Unevangelized people are unconverted individuals in places where there are established churches. Unreached peoples are those that live in regions where there are no churches and no access to the evangelical gospel in their culture.

And to answer your question about the present trend; 96% of the missionary work force is still laboring in unevangelized, but not truly unreached regions. Here it is again – 9 out of 10 Christian missionaries that go cross-cultural are still going to reached places!

Here’s still another way to say it – Something like 90% of all “ministers” worldwide are concentrating on only 2% of the world’s population! We are massively overly evangelizing places where the gospel is already well planted! I believe that we need a substantial strategic redeployment of the missionary workforce to the areas where there is still no access to the evangelical gospel.

I've long been averse to the "everyone's a missionary" verbiage, even though everyone should be doing his/her evangelistic part to get THE mission accomplished. Like John Piper, I reserve that term for those who leave their homeland & family to cross a culture and relocate to an area needing the Gospel.

I'm not necessarily saying only those going to unreached peoples should be considered or labeled "missionaries," but I wonder if Paul would:

"I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation" (Romans 15:20, ESV)

Either way, we could sure use some more who are willing to see (spiritually) dead people and set out to reach the unreached, which is much more difficult by far.

*President of To Every Tribe Ministries, while being interviewed by Alex Chediak. (HT Justin Taylor)

Adventure ... Excitement ... A jedi craves not these things.

The following are 10 distinctives of "Great Commission* Keepers" over the past 200 years, according to Luis Palau. They were given at a leadership conference in Washington, DC in 1988.

If you're interested in missions or church leadership, see how you measure up.

1. Passion for those apart from Christ
2. Christ-centered message (not diluted with social issues, or hung up on political agendas or political correctness)
3. Holiness in every area of life ~ Don't play games with God. Admit, confess, and repent of sin, striving not to do it anymore.
4. Boldness to try new methods ~ So what if we fail every so often? The important thing is that we are making an attempt.
5. Willingness to endure criticism
6. Commitment to a local church ~ This is the group that knows you, loves you, and seeks to help you.
7. Love for the whole Body of Christ ~ Seek the unity that is found through Jesus Christ and don't care who gets the credit.
8. Sacrificial financial giving ~ This is a basic realization that life does not consist of accumulating more toys and things. It is a realization that everything we have belongs to God.
9. Serious about private prayer ~ Personal devotions are not just reading the Bible, but they are talking and listening to the still small voice of God.
10. Faithfulness to the end

*The Great Commission ~ Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV)

I fear you are underestimating the sneakiness, sir.

Previously, I had written about Christian population growth and the obligation to be fruitful and multiply.

I'm even more convinced in that area and in our need to be more diligent in our evangelistic efforts where Muslims are concerned.

Watch this video clip about the world's changing demographics. (HT Gary Son) If it doesn't shiver your timbers, perhaps nothing will.

This should be particularly troubling to those who understand the essence of democracy ... majority rule.

See this? This is this. This ain't something else. This is this.

Early on in my Christian life I was made aware of the words of Jesus in Acts 1:8, even memorizing it.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Like many, I was taught that my Judea was College Station, my Judea was Texas, my Samaria was the US, and the end of the earth was ... well, the end of the earth.

But is that a valid interpretation/application?

But, what if Jesus simply means for His witnesses to carry the gospel message from Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and then all over the earth?

In other words, what if my we're actually carrying out that last bit by evangelizing in Texas, or wherever you happen to be, presuming it's not Jerusalem, Judea, or Samaria?

*Some good comments motivated this cogitation: Should churches rethink their evangelization strategy, particularly with a MUCH greater emphasis on the places where the gospel has yet to be (i.e., the end of the earth)?