Fervent Prayer: World Missions
Mercy Hill leadership believes that one of the core functions of the Church is to be involved in the ministries of world missions.
Some Christians might say, “Why should we be involved in ministries overseas when there are plenty of people that need to hear the Gospel and be saved right here in the United States!?”
While that is most certainly true there is both mandate and model from Scripture that we are to be involved in taking the Gospel to the people of all nations. It is quite clear from God’s story in Scripture from the Old Testament to the New that he desires to forgive, redeem, adopt, and sanctify people from all the nations he has created so that we all may worship him as our Lord and King.
Indeed, this is the picture we see in John’s vision of the future that he recorded in the book of Revelation. The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before the Lamb and state “for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,” (Revelation 5:9 ESV).
A little later John sees those who have come out of the great tribulation:
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"(Revelation 7:9-10,ESV)
What a wonderful picture of celebration and exultation from God’s mosaic, people from thousands of different and varied cultures and languages worshipping their Creator, their Savior, their Redeemer!
So it seems that God will most definitely accomplish this in the culmination of all things. So why do we need to be involved then? This reminds me of the story of William Carey. He was a lay Baptist pastor in 18th century England who went on to become known as the “Father of Modern Missions”. It was believed by most in the Church at that time that the Great Commission was only a command to the apostles and that those in other “heathen” nations were of no concern to them.
When Carey presented the idea of going abroad with the Gospel to a group of pastors, one of them replied, “Young man, sit down. When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine.” Yes, God is certainly sovereign and He will accomplish His will. The question is, will we be obedient to follow His commands to make disciples of all nations and be used as instruments in His hands?
Along with Paul we must ask:
"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"(Romans 10:14-15, ESV)
With this in mind, we pray:
Lord, we pray that you use the people at Mercy Hill Church to help bring the good news of our Savior Jesus Christ to people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. We pray that you show us how to partner with our brothers and sisters in the church around the world to bring the Gospel to their nations. We ask that you give wisdom, strength, and endurance to the missionaries that we support around the world. We pray that you continue to raise up people among the body at Mercy Hill to be part of your mission to reach “people for your name” among the nations. Finally, we pray that you help Mercy Hill to reach people from other nations who live amongst us here in our own communities. Amen.
