Is It Worth it?

I have been asked many times. Is it worth it to be a missionary and go to another country. And being transparent, I have wondered at times. There are moments when life on the mission field gets you down (all the family gatherings that are missed, the frustration of trying to get things done in a developing country, and personally a couple of times when our children were going through very difficult things, and we were not there to stand with them, being robbed at gun point and knowing we are alive today because God intervened, and you get the point). Is it worth the sacrifice of serving as a missionary for eight plus years?

From a church perspective, is it worth the investment of doing and funding missions? As a denomination, is it worth it? It takes a lot of resources to keep all the various mission fields open. In the end, we answer the question by our actions. We can say that it is, but we prove it is by what we do.

But here is the thing…it really does not matter whether I think it is worth it or not. For that matter, it doesn’t matter what your church or the denomination thinks. What matters is what God has said, and that is easy to see and understand. All four gospels have it at the end. Theologians call it the “Great Commission.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 16:15 (NIV) He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Luke 24:46-49 (NIV) He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

John 20:21 (NIV) Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

And for good measure, I will add these words from Acts. Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Sure, seems that God wants us to get the point! Go make disciples everywhere! The early church got the message and did it, despite the sacrifices and persecutions they had to bear; but the question is…is it worth it to us? It is if being obedient to God is worth it! Of course, there is more. Jesus. In love, the Word became flesh. God became one of us to save us. Sounds like God was on a mission. And in John 3:16-17 these familiar words, (NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” God proved that it is worth it by the cost that God was willing to pay for our salvation! What is important to God has to be important to us.

Though there have been times when it has been hard, I want to be clear. I too re-soundly answer yes! Yes, it is worth it. The hardships are real, but the blessings by far outweigh those! Being a part of God’s will is a powerful and beautiful thing!

The Bible is full of God’s promises to us. That if we confess our sins, He will forgive us. If we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, He will save us. If we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, He will provide for us. No matter what or where, He will always be with us, and that he will someday come for us! God has truly given us many great and precious promises throughout Scripture.

Here is another promise that we as the church should let sink deep within our souls. It is a good one. It is a powerful one. It is one that should energize us to the mission before us. Matthew 16:18-19 (NIV) “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Did you get that? Evil cannot stop the church. Satan cannot stop the church. No one can stop the advancement of the church of the living Christ as we faithfully follow Him.

That is why the church is the hope of the world. Hope is not in a political party, not in a person, or in a humanitarian organization, but the church! Rather than bemoan the conditions of our world and all that we see going on that is not right, let us believe the promise Christ made and rise to the task of taking the gospel to everyone at every place. We are called to follow, and following means being on a mission. God has opened the door to many places for us as General Baptists. We are the not biggest denomination. We are not the richest denomination, but think about the places that God has CALLED us to (Saipan, Philippines, India, Jamaica, West Africa, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras). Amazing that God wants to use us in so many ways and places. So, what do you think? Is it worth being obedient to Christ?

I have been a General Baptist minister for over 30 years, and God captured my heart for Honduras a long time ago. I know that others have a passion and heart for other places. That is okay, in fact it is good. If we each are each obedient to the heavenly calling, then all the work that God has for us to do as General Baptists, will get done!

The church (the body of risen Christ) is and always has been the hope of the world plain and simple. Yes, other ministries are invaluable and much needed, but the church being the church is the hope. I have been blessed to work alongside some great servants of Christ in Honduras. My main responsibility for the last couple of years is church and leadership development. I can assure you that our Honduran pastors are committed to telling others about Jesus. They do not lack in intensity or in spirituality; they do lack in resources. They do not need someone to tell them what to do, rather it has been my pleasure to come alongside them, encourage them, and to raise and then provide resources for them that they would not have on their own. We in the U.S. are blessed not to have a bunch of stuff, but blessed in order to give.

One of the neat doors that God has opened for us is the Honduras Bible Institute (HBI). Our pastors longed to be better trained so that they could be more effective. HBI opened a little over two years ago with Pastor Miguel Ramirez being the lead instructor. I meet with Miguel all the time, but he is the main teacher because, in the end, Spanish is not my heart language. Miguel connects to the pastors and church leaders in ways that I never would. Miguel has been with the mission for over 15 years in other positions. He is a pastor, and he is a good teacher. Currently, we are averaging nearly 60 people in the classes of HBI out of our 11 churches in the north. Until Corona showed up we were planning our first graduation at the end of this year. Already, two young men have come out of HBI to pastor in our General Baptist works. As more and more churches are started, we will need qualified and trained leaders to be pastors, and Miguel and I believe that HBI will be pivotal in the future of General Baptists in Honduras.

To God’s glory, in 2019 the General Baptist Church of Honduras was officially formed and is recognized by the government of Honduras. This is a huge step in the future of the work here as the pastors and churches are moving forward and assuming more and more of the responsibility of the growth of the work. In 2019, three new churches formed (two in the north at Las Laureles and El Plan and one in the south at El Carrizo). 2020 has slowed some things down, but these churches and pastors, even in the midst of difficulties (much more severe than here in the States), have continued to be the light of Christ in their communities. It also looks like we will soon have a new work in El Progreso. It is exciting to be a part of what God is doing and what God is preparing to do in Honduras.

Is it worth it? Yes, it is on all levels!

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