From the Heart

The Mission and Those Who Are Called to Carry It Out Throughout Our World

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14 (ESV)
 

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’” Mark 16:15 (ESV)

This passage in Matthew occurs at the end of a section where Jesus is responding to His disciples’ question, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” After some specifics, He concludes His answer with “this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Jesus is saying the objective of the kingdom, HIS KINGDOM, is that everyone would have an opportunity to hear the Gospel: the truth and love of Jesus Christ. If we are in anyway unsure that this is our mission as the church, we need look no further than to Mark 16:15, when after Jesus’ resurrection, He commands His followers, THE CHURCH, to “go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

So how do we accomplish this?  First, it is our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ to openly share the gospel with those who do not know and have a relationship with Him. We are to do this in our daily context, but we are also to encourage and support the spread of the gospel to all the nations in all the world.  While we may be given opportunities to meet others from amongst the nations here in Tallahassee, or we may have opportunities to travel to the nations for work or on short-term mission trips, the greatest means we have to reach the nations is the sending, supporting, and encouragement of those who have been called to be missionaries; those who have given their lives to go and live amongst the nations for the purpose of spreading the gospel to peoples and groups who would otherwise not have an opportunity to hear the gospel.

Thomasville Road Baptist Church has had a long tradition of sending and supporting missionaries. Currently we have multiple families that have been called out of our church for this purpose and we have many other missionaries that we have partnered with and support all over the world. Many of these have seen their ministries directly effected by our world’s current circumstances. Missionaries have been displaced or are restricted in movement, thus cutting them off from the people God has called them to. They have seen behaviors change which drastically affects normal forms of interaction and sometimes the ability to share the gospel due to these changes.

I have been able to have contact with most of the missionaries connected to Thomasville Road Baptist Church. All are well as of now, but they do lament the loss of access to their people groups in many cases and greatly covet our prayers at this time.   

Now more than ever is a time to be reminded of their sacrifice, but even more their mission: “to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel.”  Please take some time right now to come together as the church to lift up our missionaries and other missionaries throughout the world.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, first we thank You for entrusting us with the gospel. May we forever be good stewards to and willing vessels of the sharing of Your love and truth with our world. We also thank You for the sacrifice of those specifically called to share the gospel among the nations across our world. We pray now for their safety and protection, but more importantly we pray for their continued effectiveness in reaching those for Jesus Christ to which You have called them. We pray for the hearts of those You have called them to love and minister. Lord, we also pray that even in their physical absence in many places, that they will return to see that You were still at work and Your word, “living and active”, was still being forwarded.  May Your gospel be known amongst all the nations. Amen