Missionary Heroes
Where have they gone? In reading an inspiring post entitled, "Has Anybody Seen Our Missionary Heroes?" Dr. David Sills laments about the lack of modern-day missionary heroes. He kind of has a point. He writes:
CT Studd
Lottie Moon
Amy Carmichael
Jim Elliot
A.B. Simpson
I dream of being one of these dudes someday... Maybe it's just my ego, I've gotta keep that in check, ya know?! You might think that also means we've gotta serve overseas. Well, maybe/maybe not. Maybe we will go or maybe you don't have to serve overseas to be a mobilizer hero the enemy hates.
What about you, who are your favorites?
Has anybody seen our missionary heroes? Has anyone heard a dynamic, riveting missions sermon lately? Who can name ten contemporary, outstanding missionary role models under fifty? Where have they gone? Why are they so scarce?
Some of my missionary heroes from the past include
CT Studd
Lottie Moon
Amy Carmichael
Jim Elliot
A.B. Simpson
I dream of being one of these dudes someday... Maybe it's just my ego, I've gotta keep that in check, ya know?! You might think that also means we've gotta serve overseas. Well, maybe/maybe not. Maybe we will go or maybe you don't have to serve overseas to be a mobilizer hero the enemy hates.
What about you, who are your favorites?
This entry was posted by Josh Mann, on
Saturday, March 8, 2008.
WEIGH IN.
I don't think that you need to serve overseas to be a hero of missions. Maybe its to make as much as you can to give as much as you can, maybe its to encorage and enable others to go and serve. It doesn't need to be you doing the "mission work."
I am excited to know 3 young couples currently (that we graduated with) that are/or will be within the next 6 months serving overseas. (in some AMAZING locations) I am sure that there are more young people.
The key is for our churches to be celebrating and bringing these missionaries into speak. Our church is having one of these young families this coming Sunday.
One final thought: Some of the biggest and greatest missionaries may be people we never hear about. For instance, they may be in creative access countries where they can't just come home and share their slides on Sunday Evenings.
I didn't mean for this to turn into a post itself. Sorry. This is a hot topic for me. I too want to be one of the heros. However God may chose to use me.
Dude I couldn't agree more. One on the fact that we can make a significant difference here, AND, that some of the greatest missionaries will never be recognized in this life. My goal is to make a difference, I'm trying to lose my need to get credit for it, ya know?
Hi Josh, I found your blog today and have really enjoyed reading it. I was really interested by this post...but don't really know what to say about it I guess...
I too want to be known as one of those heroes...but I just can't be at this time. The world is changing in so many ways and there is some amazing work being done, but like Chris said...a lot of what is being done can't be publicized or shone in the same light that it was 100 or 50 years ago. We work with some amazing people here who have gone through hell and back to continue to be a light in a very dark place...it doesn't result in a church building being established or being able to count hands raised at a meeting...people loose their heads for choosing the ways of Jesus here. So things have to be publicized differently.
Some amazing things are happening and I have no doubt that in 50 or 100 years people will hear about what has been done in our generation - the lives you and Becca have poured into, the things Chris and Katie are giving their best to, Kurbis and Bethany in Sudan, us going to villages here in A-stan...I think it takes time for these things to be reflected sometimes.
It is fun to read the things you are working through in these days...please don't give up on our generation! Please don't give up on people like yourself and Chris preparing those to go out on the field and for those of us who are out here already.
Hi Josh, I found your blog today and have really enjoyed reading it. I was really interested by this post...but don't really know what to say about it I guess...
I too want to be known as one of those heroes...but I just can't be at this time. The world is changing in so many ways and there is some amazing work being done, but like Chris said...a lot of what is being done can't be publicized or shone in the same light that it was 100 or 50 years ago. We work with some amazing people here who have gone through hell and back to continue to be a light in a very dark place...it doesn't result in a church building being established or being able to count hands raised at a meeting...people loose their heads for choosing the ways of Jesus here. So things have to be publicized differently.
Some amazing things are happening and I have no doubt that in 50 or 100 years people will hear about what has been done in our generation - the lives you and Becca have poured into, the things Chris and Katie are giving their best to, Kurbis and Bethany in Sudan, us going to villages here in A-stan...I think it takes time for these things to be reflected sometimes.
It is fun to read the things you are working through in these days...please don't give up on our generation! Please don't give up on people like yourself and Chris preparing those to go out on the field and for those of us who are out here already.
WEIGH IN