WAYS TO GO
On May 25, 1961, John F. Kennedy addressed the United States Congress on "Urgent National Needs" and declared:
I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade [1960s] is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish... [And] in a very real sense, it will not be one man going to the Moon—if we make this judgment affirmatively, it will be an entire nation. For all of us must work to put him there.
On July 16th, 1969 Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy. Nearly a decade had disappeared between the day Kennedy made his declaration to the determined hour of launch. One can only imagine the many interruptions to travel plans that spanned nearly a decade of work. However, the task demanded constantly pushing the envelope. There were workers to be trained, tests to be run, strategies to stage, money to be allocated, losses to learn from, creativity to be fostered, and pivots to enact.
Along the journey there were 100’s of ways to make impact in the mission. The space race was the culmination of over 25 billion dollars, the skills and dedication of nearly 300,000 technicians, and the solemn but certainly risk filled pledge of a president. A faint echo compared to Jesus’ pledge and the labor of the church over the pages of history.
And yet, for all that impact and effort, one thing remained. In the end, the mission still demanded that three men climb aboard the space shuttle and ‘Go!’ No previous activity would substitute for this necessity. The waiting was over! This moon-landing mission required that men ‘go!’ No substitute could mitigate this demand. This reality was unmistakable among all who understood the task.
We too have been addressed on “Urgent Eternal Needs,” by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Himself, Jesus Christ. Jesus declared, “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations!” (Matthew 28:19).
101) Go Overseas. At the end of the day, we want to challenge you to go. Go for a summer and pray about a lifetime. If we want to see the world reached, we need people to go.
Greg and Sarah* were your average college students (*names changed for security purposes). They attended a well-known university and worked towards solid degrees like every other student. But something rocked their world and changed their plans.
They attended a summer training program where they learned about God’s mission to reach the world, unreached peoples, praying for the nations, and welcoming international students. God used this summer to further grow their heart for God’s mission, and to knit their own hearts closer together.
Greg and Sarah ended up getting married, and once they graduated, they desired to serve in a ministry that strategically welcomed international students on their campus. They did not see this as a long-term plan, but it was a time for development because they desired to see if the Lord would have them go. After serving with this ministry for a year, they connected with a mission agency that they wanted to go with, but knew they needed more development, and a healthy local church to be sent long-term. They worked as mobilizers for this organization for three years with their sights set on going long-term to the Muslim world.
After years of being patient, and getting the appropriate training, Greg and Sarah took a vision trip overseas to Central Asia, to see where the Lord would have them serve. They came back from this trip, and prayerfully decided on where the Lord would have them.
Today, they are in the final stages of preparation to go long-term to central Asia. Their goal is to faithfully serve overseas, among unreached people, for as long as the Lord will allow them.
Listen to what Sarah said about the journey: [getting quote]
When Greg and Sarah began growing their heart for the world, they did not know where they would end up long term, but they knew they wanted to take obedient steps of faith, out of their love for God, every step along the way. What would it look like for you to take a step of faith this year or this summer?
We recognize that you may not know how to go. A great place to start is MissionAgency.org. Let The Traveling Team help you find a good fit!
Go Make Disciples
Someone had to board the shuttle to step onto the moon, and someone will have to board a plane to step into the unreached. The journey will be long. It will likely demand from you, that which you never expected. It may require a long-term address change. You can be certain that you will be personally changed! If not you, then who? And remember you don’t go alone... You could change two words of the John F. Kennedy quote to read,
“But in a very real sense, it will not be one man going to the nations—if we make this judgment affirmatively, it will be the entire church. For all must work to put him there.”
