Where Is The Risk?

I have read a few books concerning the persecution of believers down through the ages. None of them have been quite as compelling as Richard Wurmbrand's account of imprisonment & torture under communism in Romania. Brother Wurmbrand became the founder of Voice of the Martyrs - a ministry that serves the persecuted church around the world. Books like these remind me that what the church in America experiences is not the norm for the church in other nations.

I have another book among my collection that talks about 21st Century martyrs among Southern Baptist missionaries. It is amazing to consider that with more than 18,000 missionaries who have served with the IMB throughout its almost 160 year history, that so few have met unnatural and violent deaths. Fewer than 90 have been killed, mostly in accidents. Only 29 have been murdered, many in the course of a robbery or shooting that had nothing to do with their Christian witness. Regardless of how these individuals left this earth, there always seems to be some "well meaning" person who asks: "Why do missionaries go to dangerous places?"

For someone who has friends that serve in different areas around the world, I will try to answer that question. Here's some of those reasons:

#1 - God has called them to go!!!
Somewhere along the way we have lost the concept of God's command to His followers to take this gospel into the world. The "taking" of the gospel into "all nations" is a command for every believer. The "where?" is a matter of calling.

#2 - The world is a dangerous place!!!
We ask this question as if America is the only safe place to share the gospel. Let me remind you that pastors, missionaries, and other believers lose their life in this country as well. If we stop going to dangerous places to share the light of the gospel then we will eventually stop sharing in this country as well.

#3 - They desire to see God glorified in the earth!!!
Every short-term & long-term missionary understand that God is to be made known among the nations. They have looked into Revelation and discovered that every tribe and tongue is glorifying God around the throne. That will only take place in heaven after it takes place in the earth.

When are we going to recapture the urgency of the gospel? This is a message that is worth carrying into the WHOLE world and Jesus is someone worth abandoning ourselves to. The Apostle Paul said in Acts 20:24, 21:14: "...none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself...For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." It's one thing to sing "I have decided to follow Jesus" and quite another thing to live it out. It's one thing to call Him Lord, and quite another to follow Him as Lord.

This past Sunday I made a statement to our church: "We need to stop dressing up and playing church. The time has come to WAKE UP and BE the church!!!"

WAKE UP and see a world in need.
WAKE UP and see a God to glorify.
WAKE UP and see a message to be shared.

I know it's "risky" but it's the essence of the gospel.