Thoughts From Romans 10 - Part 2

  How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Rom. 10:14-17

         Being a big Keith Green fan, near the end of his life he stated that according to the Great Commission we've all been sent. Therefore, don't ask God or listen for a call to go be missionaries, rather listen for a call not to go or stay. Some of his mentors tried to calm him down a little telling him that if everyone went, who would support them? I'm not sure his response but he probably would have said, "God", or maybe, "the people that God told to stay."

        The other side of this is the Baptist Church which would say wait for the Macedonian call like Paul got. They would say missionaries are called to the mission field and their support of this would probably be verse 15.

      My take would probably be somewhere between the two. I do believe we are all sent to the mission field, but that mission field doesn't have to be overseas. It can be your school, your neighborhood, your place of work. I don't think you need to hear from the Lord in order to go on a short-term mission trip. We have already heard from Him in the Great Commission. Just go! If God wants you not to go, He will give you CoVid or stop you in some other way. While you're over there, maybe your burden for the people will be so great that you will want to go permanently. Maybe not.

       I had an interesting experience happen to me back in the mid 90's. I wrestled with Keith Green's words and wondered if I should leave America and be a medical missionary. A pregnant woman came in my office and told me "God gave me a dream about you. You are standing at a sink scrubbing your hands and an angel is standing by me (the patient), and he is telling me (the patient), 'Tell Dr. Koerten...' and then the dream would end." On her post-partum visit, she was eager to tell me, "I know what the Angel wants me to say! I had another dream, and he told me (the patient), 'Tell Dr. Koerten... to stay'. Does that make any sense?" Whether you believe Keith Green was right or not, I had my call to stay.