Our Missions World, Spring, 2000

Week of Prayer for North American Missions

As we saw in the first article, God began sending missionaries immediately after humans chose to disobey Him. The second article showed us that the NAMB helps complete God’s Mission faster and more efficiently. This article teaches about the need to support On Mission missionaries.

On Mission Christians try to be like Jesus in our lives and actions. Jesus shows On Mission believers to send out and support missionaries.

In Luke 10 (CEV) Jesus sent out 72 missionaries in teams of two. Look at what he told them to do. In verse 1 Jesus sent them to prepare for His coming. This is still the job he tells every believer to do.

In verses 2-4 he instructs these On Mission missionaries to pray for harvesters (more missionaries). Then he teaches them to go in faith because the believers will take care of them. We saw in the second article that working together to support missionaries is best.

In verses 5-7, Jesus sent them into homes to meet needs and preach the Kingdom of God. Becoming part of the Kingdom required belief in Jesus and repentance from sin. This is the same evangelistic message that is in all evangelistic missions.

Finally, in verses 17-20, Jesus warned the missionaries. He said to speak in the Lord’s name and stay focused on evangelism. Satan works hard to take evangelism out of missions.

On Mission Christians can support missionaries because we know the Bible teaches us to do so. We also see every believer should meet needs and introduce others to Jesus.

In Acts 13:1-3 the Holy Spirit told the church in Antioch to "Appoint Barnabbas and Saul to do the work for which I have chosen them."

The church prayed and fasted for these two new missionaries. "Then everyone sent them on their way (CEV)." The rest of the book of Acts is the story of their missions work.

Willie Alexander is an NAMB student evangelism missionary working at Alabama A&M in Huntsville Alabama.

He suggests three ways for ethnic congregations to get involved in campus ministry:

"First, there is always the ministry of prayer. I often get cards or notes that say they prayed for me. That is always a big boost to me.

Second, they can be involved by giving sacrificially.

Third they need to volunteer. The career missionaries need help to get the work done.

If they are near a campus they need to be involved in campus missions. Contact the campus minister. Go to the student affairs office or contact the local director of missions to find out how to minister on campus. A number of our churches help with food for our meetings, school supplies for students and others even adopt a dorm."

A career missionary still needs help. Churches can be a big help if they will volunteer to serve.

Every Christian has the job of a missionary. Some Christians have been called by God to be career missionaries. "I try to expose students to a variety of missions options so they can see ways that God can give them direction to serve. All of us are called to share God’s word.

I like to understand the difference in the career missionary and our missionary responsibility with the story of the Gadarean demoniac. When he got saved he wanted to go fulltime with Jesus. But God told him to go home and help others where he lived and worked. God has called some as career missionaries. Others he has sent home to help them know the Lord."

When a person begins to enjoy ministry more than their secular job they may be on the way to becoming a career missionary. Many Christians serve as excellent full-time missionaries on their secular jobs.

Pray for a student center facility on our campus and other campuses.

Pray for freshman in transition to life on campus and openness to the gospel.

Pray for students to make commitments to summer missions.

On Mission Christians need to support NAMB missionaries with our money, prayers, and volunteer work. The next article will show us how the money is raised to support God’s mission through missions and missionaries.

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