How can I support missions? What can I do to be more intentional in my support of missions? How can I be a better “great commissioner” to the world?
These are common questions that believers ask themselves, and that churches ask themselves. How can we serve in missions? How can we support missions and missionaries? There are many answers that I could provide, but I think it best to focus on one primary answer to begin with.
Prayer.
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus says “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matt. 9:37-38 ESV)
There are two things to note here in this passage:
- The Lord of the Harvest.
There is a harvest available, and it is plentiful, and it is his harvest. Jesus is the Lord of the harvest, the One who is in charge. There are so many people in the world who need the saving grace of Christ, who need to experience the love of Christ. Those are the people of the harvest. The Lord’s harvest is plentiful and could produce so much good bounty. - The Laborers are Few.
While the harvest is plentiful, the workers are few. There is so much potential in the world, and so much possible fruit to harvest, but there are simply not enough workers and laborers to work the harvest.
So, we recognize the issue presented – the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. The unreached people groups of the world are great in number, but the missionaries and resources to support them are so few in comparison.
What do we do?
As I said before, there is much that we could do and there are many answers to that question. But there is one primary solution that Jesus gives us here in his Word.
Prayer.
“ … therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matt. 9:38 ESV)
Jesus tells us to pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest, and to pray that he would send out laborers. There are many in the world who are ready to receive the good news of the kingdom and the news of the saving grace of Christ. When we pray to the Lord of the harvest, we are accepting an invitation to participate in this great mission that God has orchestrated. When we accept that invitation, barriers are removed and hearts are opened.
Is the Lord calling you to be a laborer in his harvest?
Of course, all believers are called to be laborers in the Lord’s harvest in some way – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations … ” (Matt. 28:19 ESV) No believer is excluded from this command to make disciples. But there is a harvest available where there are few who are working to make disciples of those nations. Therefore, Jesus tells us to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out new workers.
Let us pray earnestly for these things! Let us pray that the Lord of the harvest will raise up, identify, call and equip new laborers to go into his harvest and share the love and light of Jesus Christ with those who are ready to receive it.
Many Blessings,
Catherine Rybicki, M.Div.
ACGC Missions Engagement
