A Heart for Missions

This summer my heart was changed forever. I know how dramatic that sounds, but I truly mean it! In December of 2016, I was sitting in a service at Raider Church when I heard the voice of Jesus for one of the first times in my life. The church service was teaching us about the importance of having a heart for missions. I always knew what "missions" meant in the church world, but there is a difference between knowing what it means and experiencing actually having a heart for missions. At the end of the church service there was a call for anybody who would be interested in going on a mission trip to Thailand. I had the desire to go on a mission trip for a long time, but I never thought I would be so excited about an opportunity to go share Jesus in Asia (mainly because of my picky appetite against Asian food... ha). A few months later I was on a loooong flight headed to Thailand, having no clue what in the world to expect.

My journey for developing a heart for missions was only beginning as I spent 10 days on the other side of the world. It wasn't really until I got back in the states that I experienced the most change. I remember reflecting on my time in Thailand and thinking "there has to be more that comes out of this." When I got back I had experienced a serious and heavy depression. I would wake up crying for no reason, the basic things in my life that brought me joy seemed kinda "blah," and everything just sucked. I was so frustrated with how I was feeling and I remember asking Jesus, "why would you take me to Thailand if you knew this is how I would feel when I got back home?" It didn't make sense to me. After several weeks of suffering deep sadness I had a huge realization. I was feeling that way because my heart was actually broken for God's children. Thinking about the lack and need for Jesus in Thailand made me sick. I was (and still am) longing for the beautiful Thai people to come to know the Lord like I had. I so desire them to experience a life set apart from fear. A life of peace and joy. A life of being completely and wholly loved by the King of Kings.

Having my heart broken for the nations is what truly began the cultivation of my heart for missions. I found myself constantly going to the Lord with the same prayer, "Jesus let them know You and love You. Send Your people to them so that they know who You are."

So, why is it important to have a heart for missions? I have tried and tried to come up with the perfect answer, but the only answer that's really needed is found in scripture.

"For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

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?"

Romans 10:13-14

It's literally RIGHT THERE. If the people of God don't have a heart for missions, how are the lost people ever going to hear the good news of Jesus? It is our job to take the gospel to the nations. To ensure that every ear has heard the name of Jesus. To lead as many people as possible into a lifestyle of freedom in Christ.

Here are five important steps in cultivating a heart for mission work and the lost people:

1. Understanding what "missions" means

I think the reason there is such a strong lack in the mission field is because there is a huge misconception about what it means and looks like. Being a missionary is a daily choice. You do not have to travel across the world to share the name of Jesus. The lost people in your family, friend group, work place, school, and city need Jesus as much as the lost people in third world countries. Start there. If you want a heart for missions start with being a missionary in your own territory.

2. Understanding of the gospel

The whole point of sharing the name of Jesus is so that people may understand His love for them. We share the gospel so that people may receive hope and know that they are forgiven. It is so important to fully grasp what the gospel is and why it's so freakin awesome. If you do not first experience the goodness of the gospel how are you going to go share it?

3. Knowledge of needs

When I think about the world as a whole I get a bit overwhelmed thinking about all of the spiritual and physical needs of the people. There are HUGE regions that have never even heard the name of Jesus. It's so so so important to know the exact needs (whether that be physical, geographical, or whatever else) so that you can know how to best serve.

4. Prayerful Action

Prayer is an essential foundation of every Christian. Through prayer, we can see miracles happen. Literally! There have been many times in the past half year where I have found myself sooo frustrated, thinking I should be doing so much more to help progress His kingdom. During those times, I found that the only thing I can do is pray. Pray and then act.

5. Knowing God's heart for you

The biggest "job" we have when sharing the gospel is to ensure that people know God's heart for them. To ensure that people know they are so loved by the God of the universe. To ensure that people feel valued, cherished, and known. Before we can tell others about God's heart for them, we must first understand His heart for ourselves.

Here are more of my favorite bible verses on missions:

Matthew 28:19-20

Acts 1:8

Acts 13:47

Mark 16:15

Mark 13:10