UNDERSTANDING MISSIONS (6)

The Life of a Missionary (2)

MUST BE A MAN UNDER AUTHORITY (2)


"Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch" Acts 11:25-26


In our last edition, I proposed that for a missionary to effectively discharge his duties free from errors and frequent intimidations, he must submit himself to the authority of an elder to whom he is accountable and responsible. And the leader in turn ensures he properly monitored him so that he could escape the wrath and snare of the devil. Wiersbe rightly put this,   "Beware of teachers who will not put themselves under authority. They were vain talkers. What they said impressed people, but it had no content or substance". (Kindly refer to the last edition for further reading)


Barely had Paul's ministry started that he is been faced with incessant death threats}}p. In Damascus, he narrowly escaped through basket: "...his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall." Acts 9:25. 


He escaped to Jerusalem and because of fear of his past life, he was hardly welcome by the Church until Barnabas presented him to the them (Acts 9: 27). And how long could he fared among them? "He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus." Acts 9:29-30. 


The incessant threats to the life of a new missionary could send anyone into reclusion. Paul reclined into his maternal home to engage in 'play it safe' ministry. His activities and ministry became unknown until his 'father' picked him up again and brought him to the place of reviving his vigour and strength for the journey (Acts 11: 25-26). 


Undoubtedly, anything ranging from loneliness, persistent sickness or death of children and wife, family pressures, financial demands, incessant threats to life, unacceptable and slow progress in ministry among the locals, and so on could deflate the intrinsic strength of a missionary. Many have bowed to the pressures of these cankerworm that they have surrendered their ministerial territory entirely. 


The ministry of a spiritual father (spiritual authority) like Barnabas becomes inevitable to sustain the passion of the dying and weakling missionary. Therefore, a missionary can be literally assured that there is an eye watching and hands supporting him and as such, he has nothing to fear. 


The point is this, as a missionary engage himself in raising, building and following up on his converts. He needs somebody to follow him up too so that his passion and strength can be reignited. 


Peter Abdul-Razaq, OLAYINKA 

Living Grace Christian Missions, Ilara.

WhatsApp (+229)94139130

Mobile no. +2348066540987, +2347084504532

peterrazaq@yahoo.com

Twitter & Instagram: @peterrazaq

Linkedin: Revd. Peter OLAYINKA

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