By now most of you have heard about John Allen Chau, a Christian who attempted to evangelize the Sentineleze people with the Gospel, but was martyred.
Much has been written about his actions (I personally feel not going with a team or doing proper planning was a mistake) but the coverage of his death reveals an interesting truth.
Our mission fields have become safe
In early days of missions, there was a danger whenever a missionary traveled to the field:
- There was a great possibility of dying on the long journey by sea to the field
- There often wasn’t a possibility of furlough…missionaries were known to bring their caskets with them on the first voyage
- The people wouldn’t be as open to the Gospel
- And without modern medicine many died on the field because of sickness
Today however I can text my parents every morning, and live in a mission field where people love to read tracts!
Please understand I’m incredibly grateful for the advances that have made it easier to reach the lost with the Gospel. But this also sometimes can make missions “too easy”
- It’s easy to begin relying on our own wisdom or strength
- It’s easy to never really exercise faith
- It’s easy to neglect the disciplines of daily Bible study and prayer
- It’s easy to stay where it’s “comfortable” ministry wise
The answer isn’t taking risks like John Chau did, but using our safe mission field for God’s glory by taking steps of faith as He leads.
Because Missions is never meant to be safe.
Johnhwilburn.org 