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"For if I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the Gospel."
(1 Corinthians 9:16-18)
I am writing this devotion in advance of today's date. If all goes according to plan, my wife Ashley and I should be in Thailand today. We will be working with one of our great friends in the ministry, Finny Matthews, with AIM. I have known Finny for many years and appreciate his love for the Lord and the ministry God has entrusted to him, especially in hard places. He has a burden for the persecuted church. While we are in Thailand for the next few days, we will have an opportunity to minister to pastors and their wives, some of whom come from very hard places. What a joy it is to be in Thailand and speak to these devoted pastors. Ashley is excited to speak to the pastors' wives and encourage them.
The Apostle Paul is my hero in the faith. I love his life and ministry and seek to follow in his footsteps in serving our Lord. I do not worship the beloved Apostle because I worship Christ alone. I do, however, seek to conduct my life and ministry in a way that is honoring and pleasing to Christ, even as Paul did in the first century.
Like Paul, we are presenting the Gospel of Jesus without charge to these precious pastors and their families. You may ask, "Do you really go to foreign fields and serve in those settings without any financial gain?" Yes, that is exactly the case. God has blessed me with a job, and I am grateful. What a blessing it is to serve, give, and bless others, especially these saints. To go and share the Gospel and encourage these persecuted men of God and their families—wow, what a privilege and blessing it is!
In 1997, while I was a professor at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC, I made a commitment to God to go overseas on a mission trip at least once a year. For the most part, except for during the Covid lockdowns, I have been able to do that. I love going on mission trips! It is a blessing to bless others, and I truly believe I get more out of the experience than anyone.
If you want a life-changing experience, then go on an international mission trip. It will challenge and bless you in powerful ways. I do not think it is something you need to pray about, whether you should go on a mission trip or not. The answer is yes; you should go! Now, pray and ask God where and how.
May the Lord bless you as you use the gifts and talents you have for the furtherance of the good news that Jesus saves!
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