A thought to start the week...

...as I reflect on Brett's Sunday School lesson and series that has begun, I thought I'd encourage some further thought about evangelism and missionary work. I hope this quote, from RC Sproul, will get your brain working in the right direction this week.

Stay tuned for some follow-up from Dave Stimers' final sermon ....

From RC Sproul:

In the modern church we make a distinction between the "professional missionary" and the "layman." The distinction is between paid missionaries and volunteers, between "full-time" hired employees and rank-and-file church members. Sadly, it has come to mean that the paid professionals are responsible to do the missions task. The layperson's job is to pray for the missionary, give tithes to the missionary, and in other ways encourage the missionary. The missionaries are the players; the rest of us are cheerleaders.

God teaches us otherwise. Of course there is a special place for the paid professional. However, the biblical definition of a missionary has nothing to do with salary. A missionary is not simply "one who is paid." In biblical terms a missionary is "one who is sent." Here is the crux of the matter. We are all sent. It is our calling to be witnesses. Every Christian must get in the game. There are no cheerleaders--only players.

Be sure to check back soon!!