This morning we heard a good report from Daniel Frerot about his planned mission to Strasbourg, France. It is encouraging to know of the faith and dedication of such young families. Since we have just heard his goals for this work, I wanted to use the time tonight to complement our theme for today concerning missions.

Difference elders and preachers make. I recently read an article on missions which gave a correlation between a church’s activities in mission work to the role of elders and ministers. (The Christian Chronicle, October 1999.) It was a simple correlation---the more messages the minister presented on missions the more the church was involved with mission work. The fewer the messages on missions the fewer the missions. If no sermons per year were presented, there was only a 21% involvement in missions; 1-3 sermons per year, 47%; 4-6 sermons, 40%, 7 plus, 100%. I was embarrassed because I have preached so little on this theme. Yet, I know many missionaries and know the value of their work as well as the work of ministers at home.

Congregations with elders had a higher involvement in missions (51% compared to only 21% where no elders existed). If one elder was appointed to handle foreign mission work, there was a 69% involvement; with only 36% if no elder was appointed.

Clearly, the interest of elders and ministers affected the involvement of the church as a whole in foreign mission work. Interestingly, the attitude of our nation toward other nations also is reflected in the church. If our country pursues an attitude of isolationism, the church follows that pattern of thought. If we seek to open up trade and relationships with foreign countries, the church generally reflects that position. The church can never pursue a "foreign policy" of isolationism. After WW II, their was a heightened interest in mission work because our soldiers saw firsthand the spiritual need in other countries. These soldiers became missionaries after the war. Jimmie Lovell asked, "Can good come from evil?" (Gospel Broadcast, 1950 missionary issue.) The answer is yes. From the evils of a war came a surge of missionary activity. Soldiers taught many while they were in service. The war scattered the missionaries just like the persecution did in Jerusalem after the establishment of the church. (Acts 8:1.)

One other introductory point that is important. Interest in foreign mission work increases the growth of the local church; it does not diminish it. The more American Christians are involved in mission trips, medical missions, short-term evangelistic work, the more evangelistic work will be accomplished at home. The two go hand-in-hand.

Today we have over six billion people alive. This number may be as many as have ever lived in all previous generations! Isn’t that astounding? We have 50% of all people who have ever lived now alive in our generation. It took from the beginning of time to 1800 to reach the first billion in population. Then another billion during the next 130 years (1930); only 13 years were required to reach another billion (1974-1987)---the 5th billion. The next 13 years saw another billion added.

I have an interesting publication dated, October 15, 1953, entitled Gospel Broadcast, The National Christian Weekly. This issue was devoted to missionary activity among churches of Christ around the world. It was published by Eugene Smith of Dallas, TX. It includes brief reports of mission work in the various nations of the world. Near the end of the publication, this chart of known missionary work by churches of Christ was given: 1700---none known; 1800---two nations; 1900---six countries; 1920---nine nations; 1940---fifteen nations; 1953---about 50 nations.

Similarly, the Gospel Advocate devoted an issue to mission work in October 1, 1987. The April, 1999, issue of The Christian Chronicle gave a good report of world missions. It stated that the churches of Christ have a strong presence in about 50 nations; some presence in 95 to 100 other nations; with about 50 countries with no presence. Bill McDonough, in Keynoter, Sept. 1995, wrote that "for the first time since the 1960s there are more than 1000 full time missionaries serving outside the USA and tens of thousands of native workers.

The Christian Chronicle, June 2000, entitled their center spread sheet, "Shapers of a Century." Various writers presented an outstanding missionary of the 20th century. We know great missionaries from the first century. Among them are Paul, Silas, Luke, Timothy, and Titus. Allow me to present some outstanding twentieth century missionaries.

Otis Gatewood (1911-1999), was first a missionary to New Mexico and Utah. Following WW II, he pioneered evangelistic work in Germary, Austria, and Iron Curtain countries. He helped spread the Gospel in 55 nations. I heard him once as a chapel speaker at IBC, Florence, AL. Most of those nations in Eastern Europe where he once preached in great danger are now open to evangelism.

Cline Paden (1925-present), was a missionary to Italy, Denmark, and served as Director of Sunset School of Preaching. At Sunset International Bible Institute, they have trained more than 600 long-term missionaries and 1000 missionary apprentices.

J. M. McCaleb (1861-1953), was the first missionary sent out directly by churches of Christ, rather than through a missionary society. He entered Japan in 1892 and remained there for 50 years. The Zoshigawa church which was established in 1907 continues to this day. He is the author of several mission books and a popular song, "The Gospel Is For All."

George Gurganus (1916-1999), served also in Japan beginning in 1950. After he returned to the states, he taught in Freed Hardeman and Harding Graduate School. Realizing his own lack of missionary skills, he researched missions methods and received a doctorate from Pennsylvania State University.

J. C. Bailey (1903-present) started many congregations in Canada and northern America. In 1924, realizing that Canadians could easily enter India, he and his wife, Myrtle, moved there. While raising ten children, they spread the Gospel in that nation. Today, there are thousands of churches of Christ due to his efforts.

The Huffard families. (From "Missionaries Are Made in the Home," Gospel Advocate, October 1, 1987, 598, by Evertt Huffard.) "On the wall of the missions lab at Freed-Hardeman College (now FHU) hangs a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Huffard. They have been honored with an endowed scholarship to a deserving student of missions each year in their memory. Under this picture a short notation is made about their lives. The following statement is printed, ‘From their children and grandchildren, along with their spouses, have come 415 years of special service in the church; 213 years of pulpit preaching; 70 years of foreign mission work; 132 years in Christian education.’"

Others named were Wendell Broom, a missionary to Nigeria, Sibera and other countries; George Benson, pioneer in China and president of Harding University; Howard Norton, missionary to Brazil; Parker Henderson, long-term missionary to Thailand. Of course, there are many others. God knows them all.

You might think that making a mission statement is presumptuous, but it is very important. Many have lost their vision and do not participate in world missions. If this emphasis today is going to be meaningful, we need something that is practical for everyone. There is something for everyone to do. Here is the best that I could find.

"I can give a prescription that will bring revival---

revival to any church, or community, or any city on earth.

First: Let a few Christians get thoroughly right with

God. If this is not done, the rest will come to nothing.

Second: Let them bind themselves together to pray

for revival until God opens the windows of heaven and

comes down.

Third: Let them put themselves at the disposal of

God for His use as He sees fit in winning others to Christ.

That is all. I have given this prescription around

the world . . . and in no instance has it failed.

It cannot fail."

R. A. Torrey

This seems like an oversimplification. But think about the churches and mission efforts that have failed. Usually, one or more of the above will have been neglected.

In addition to the normal challenges of being a minister, missionaries have special challenges. Some overcome these more easily than others. But missionaries are few in number for good reason. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

1. Separation from families. A local minister can choose to live as close or as far away from his family as he desires. Some will not live more than a few hundred miles away. Going overseas necessarily means that you will be many hundreds, even thousands, of miles away.

Brother David Underwood, our missions teacher at IBC, related a touching story about his experience in Nigeria. He received a phone call, one that was unclear due to static. He understood enough to know that something serious had occurred back home. One of his parents had died. He would not be able to arrive in time for the service; the cost was prohibitive. He stayed on the mission field and wept over his loss.

Even today with e-mail, cell phones, and more funds to travel, yet the separation from your families exist.

2. Missionary society or no central planning. One of the greatest difficulties concerns the lack of world mission planning. We have many going off on their own with little knowledge of what others are doing in the same country. Foreign preachers are receiving salaries from many different sources. There are problems with having a central world missions planning (Missionary Society), but there are many problems with the present accepted method as well.

If you do mission work, you must raise your own salary and work fund. Often this must be done from several churches because so many churches are too small to fully support the missionary alone. Because they send small amounts, the churches often will drop your support if the harvest does not come soon. Missionaries often have a decrease in salary; they often do not get even cost of living raises that American ministers expect to receive.

3. Little recognition for foreign workers

"A missionary was returning to America after a lifetime of service abroad. He shared the flight home with an actress who was met at the airport by throngs of people, flashing cameras, and bouquets of roses. When the crowd thinned, the missionary stood alone with no one to greet him. Just once, he thought, I’d like to be welcomed home like that. Then the Lord said, My child, you are not yet home."

Most missionaries never seek glory or recognition. They would, however, enjoy some word of appreciation for the language they mastered, the culture they learned, and the daily burden they carried for the welfare of new churches.

Here are three reasons why we should minister to our returning missionaries: 1) Ambassadors should be brought home with dignity and grace. 2) Missionaries are members of our family. Jesus promised one hundred fold mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters if we followed him. 3) Our children are watching. They will note how we care for our missionaries. They are wise enough to see the value we place on their work. (Resources, "Honor To Whom Honor," Bob Waldron, executive director, vol. 1, July 2000.)

4. Culture shock leaving and returning!

Most missionaries have had some instructions on culture shock leaving your present surroundings and going to a foreign culture, but very few receive any help on returning home. If you stay away for a few years, re-entry can be trying. Your familiar culture is no longer familiar. The two most cited problems are: 1) Your expectations are different. When you leave, you expect difficulties overcoming cultural differences. But when you return, you are not prepared for reverse culture shock. There often is little interest in what you have been doing by American Christians. They will listen for a few minutes and then start talking about the Dallas Cowboys again. 2) A sense of loss. In a study of 288 returning missionaries, L. A. Moore discovered that the second most difficult problem listed was "nostalgia and homesickness" for the mission field. The skills of the missionary may be underutilized and there may be a loss of some degree of independence. (Resources, "Coming Home," Joanna Waldron Dittemore.)

I knew of a missionary who kept wearing the native clothing of the mission field. He may not have had the money to buy new clothing, but he probably just felt more comfortable wearing it. It made him feel "at home."