An Imperfect Illustration

People ask us all the time why we’re trying to go to Thailand and help plant churches. They ask what we’re going to be doing. They want to know what is prompting us to go and try to work with people who are struggling to get by. Why should they support us to go to the other side of the world and care for people there? Why would we want to leave the comfort of the States? 

Andrea’s dad gave her some advice once. He told her, “Never become a missionary. Unless God tells you to. Then you’d better do it.” For quite a few years now she (we) had followed his first piece of advice. But now, the second piece has kind of overshadowed. We can’t “not go”.

Of the 16,749 people groups in the world, 6,929 of these are considered to be unreached. They are considered "unreached" when the gospel has not broken into their culture and language. They do not know Jesus, there is no church among them, and if there are believers, they have no opportunity to become growing disciples of Jesus, unless someone from the outside comes into their culture with the gospel. We’re not talking about going to convert the heathen masses. We’re talking about bringing the light and love of Christ to a people that hasn’t had the opportunity to experience for themselves that light and that love. We’re hoping to go to a part of the world that is less than 0.16% Christian. We’re hoping to be the hands and feet and eyes and ears of Jesus to unreached people. 

A new friend in this venture put together a video explaining this. He calls it “An Imperfect Illustration”. I’ve listed the link below. Take a minute, it’s worth watching.

http://thai5.info/?p=3643

“Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, ‘Here I am. Send me.’” Isaiah 6:8, NLT.