The Journey Begins

A critical priority

SEEING THE NEED and the opportunity is a powerful incentive for would-be missionaries. As one man from the midwestern wheat belt told us: “I heard about a mission field that was ripe for harvest, and didn’t want to see it go to rot.”

That was Christ’s priority too, in John chapter 4, when he told the disciples to “lift up their eyes.” His words in verse 35 were both an admonition and a command. That was our calling verse, and the guiding principle of our ministry philosophy.

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. (John 4:35-37)

In war, truth is the first casualty. And in this great spiritual battle, deception is our enemy’s greatest weapon. The devil would have us believe he has Jesus Christ on the run. The opposite is true. And in publishing the Lord’s victories, we plan to blow away the fog of war.

Our priority is to deliver truth from the front lines. Our stories will be more than a wakeup call. They will leave no lingering doubts about the progress of the battle. Our days are evil, but our spirits must not crumble, for we are on the victory side.

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:14-16)

We will share the rewards with our fellow conquerors as we work together with Christ:

I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. (John 4:38)

Paul said,

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:6-9)

The Lord of the Harvest had only one prayer request for us:

The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. (Luke 10:2)

Inspiration through joy

With a mission statement of “winning those who will win the lost,” we are inviting everyone to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

The tableau of the woman at the well and her delight in bringing her sheaves back from the nearby town of Sychar depicts our ministry in a way nothing else can.

Just as Jesus used the Samaritan woman to inspire his disciples to lead people to the Savior, we will also show our readers through the lives of missionaries the happiness they can experience from seeing souls saved and lives changed.

Like Paul, whose instant response was, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6) the response of the newly saved woman was immediate. She wanted to tell others. The disciples saw her joy depicted in a living tableau that moved them to action and led to the salvation of many.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:6)

Secular work may feed a man’s body, “for his mouth craveth it of him,” (Proverbs 16:26) but spiritual work satisfies and satiates our souls.

Opportunities to co-labor are endless. They include preaching, teaching, signing for the deaf, working in medical missions, local soul-winning, and local church ministries, printing, ministering to missionaries, and more.

Our readers will walk through God’s harvest fields, seeing the sheaves as Jesus sees them, and, as they surrender to serve, will experience the joy of seeing the lost come safely home.