The Lord has been challenging me in the last few months, but specifically this past week, to have a heart for the nations. As I read scripture, I see God through His prophets call the nations to Himself. But God is not just calling nations to Himself. He calls His disciples to have a heart for the nations... to go to the ends of the earth with the gospel. He calls ALL His disciples, not just missionaries. I hear a lot of people say "I have a heart for the world". It is easy to say that. But do we? What does a heart for the nations look like? I have been prayerfully asking myself that question the last few days.
Today at church, a missionary family from the center of Mexico came and shared. They said that in their city of over 300,000 less than 5% of the people are disciples of Christ. The other 95 % are very religious, but don't know Jesus. They kept on saying how they had a need for leaders to disciple people so they can plant a church. It breaks my heart and it angers me to hear that Satan is using religion to blind hundreds of thousands of people to the light of the gospel. It makes me want to do something.
Last night, all of us guys were sitting in a coffee shop, and one of us posed the question, "what are your goals for the next 5 years?" I really hadn't thought to deeply about it. But as I examined my heart, I realized pretty quickly the direction I want to be moving in. And I believe I am moving in it. I think there are 2 kinds of Christians. Goers and Senders. (John Piper expounds on this) The goers go and the senders send. Being a missionary kid in China for 3 years, I know there is a Goer in my blood. I believe God used that experience to give me a passion for the nations, specifically the people groups that have never heard about Jesus. But for the next 5 years, I really believe my role is to be a sender. And I want to grow in that... a lot. I think daily prayer for the salvation of people groups, the ministry of church planters, and perseverance of church leaders is something I really want to start doing. I want to start cultivating a heart for the nations here in Ohio. Now, it is easy to have good intentions. It is hard to put the intentions into action.
So ask yourself. If you are a sender, what are you doing to send? Are you praying for friends overseas? Are you giving to missions? Are you learning about the needs of the persecuted church? Are you committed to a specific people group? These are questions I have been asking myself. And they are very convicting questions, because most of my answers have been, no. Psalm 2:8 says "Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession." Are we asking? Do we desire this?
Whenever I think about the global church, I get wicked fired up. I have a hunch I will be overseas one day, but now, at least until I am 26, I am here with Off The Wall Ministry.
I just pray that the American Church will have a heart for the nations, and remember our brothers and sisters that are being persecuted, slandered, and martyred for the faith that we (the American Church) are so often ashamed of. May we have the boldness of the believers who are being martyred in the streets of of North Korea. here. Let us take back our faith from the American Dream. Let us make our brothers and sisters all over the world proud by our testimony for Christ. But most of all, let us live worthy of the calling we have received, so when we enter glory, Jesus says "well done, my good and faithful servant". That is my prayer.
JN
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