Tuesday night Kim and I watched a documentary on Netflix that chronicled the mission work of a large evangelical group. The documentary centered around missions to a specific region of Africa. Neither of us were really sure what the point of the documentary would be or from what bias it would be presented.
As it turns out, the missionaries (mostly young, white Americans) were depicted as adventure-seeking, selfie-snapping Westerners attempting to spread their values to people struggling to simply survive. Within the span of an hour I was fighting a range of emotions and thoughts over what I saw:
"How dare these arrogant kids go spend a few months in Africa with people who are poor, hungry and dying and think they are making a difference. Their motive, though perhaps subconscious, is to make themselves feel good."
"These kids should be worrying about meeting the African's physical needs over a sustained period of time. The missionaries should suffer more for these people rather than just talk to them for a few months." *
"The audacity of these kids to speak with such divine authority, as if they are God's mouthpiece."
"The Africans that have adopted the missionaries faith are just doing so because they know no better, think it will improve their physical needs, or because of a thousand other non-Christ-centric reasons."
"How does God deal with those that haven't heard the gospel? How can they judged for something they don't know?"
Let's set aside how self-righteous and sinful some of my thoughts were. Similarly, let's not mention how easy it was for me, sitting in my comfy bed with my cold A/C and a full belly, to critique people who are certainly going without and doing with less for God.
We paused the documentary and talked about how we were feeling. In that moment of discussion (and the days that followed) God moved me from a place of confusion and doubt to a place of peace. Truths that came to mind in the moment and in the days since:
God is God and will accomplish what He wants. God doesn't need missionaries (or me) for anything. Isaiah 64:6
God is constant and unchanging. He's always been. Hebrews 13:8, Numbers 23:19, James 1:17, Psalm 90:2, Revelation 22:13
God and truth exist outside of me and outside of my interpretation of them. My inability to understand the what, why or how of God and His creation has no bearing on anything. Truth remains so even when I question it while watching a documentary. I believe that as a child of God I will be given enough knowledge and understanding to secure my salvation and to prevent me from turning away. Beyond that, I have no guarantee to know things. Romans 9:20-21
Missionaries are flawed, sinful human beings. Motives can be pure and execution flawed. The inverse is also possible. Because we are imperfect, our attempts to evangelize will be imperfect. Thankfully God accomplishes His purpose through us despite our brokenness, faults and misguided efforts.
Missions are essential. The bible is clear on this; missions are not optional. Some are called to global missions but all are called to spread the news of the gospel. Without people hearing they can't know the truth. Oh how I don't want that to be so. It doesn't seem right or fair. I wish I could find evidence to the counter in the bible - but I can't. I resolve to feel burdened for the lost, both next door and abroad. Romans 10:10-17, Romans 1:18
God continues to do a work in me. Moving me past doubt and allowing me to trust. He's given me enough clarity to love Him more than last week. His grace is sufficient.
* A good friend and I were talking about this today (6/19). He brought up a great point about short-term missions being a benefit to the missionary. Seeing extreme poverty and need can be an eye opening experience. It can strip away all of the things you seek for comfort and happiness. It can have a profound impact on the way you view your own need for a savior. God uses missions to change the evangelized and the evangelist.
Isaiah 64:6 NIV: All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Hebrews 13:8 ESV: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Numbers 23:19 ESV: God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
James 1:17 ESV: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Psalm 90:2 ESV: Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Revelation 22:13 ESV: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
Romans 9:20-21 ESV: But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
Romans 10:10-17 ESV: For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 1:18 ESV: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
