Missionaries in the Mission of God Pt. 1

What is a missionary? Join us for a compelling exploration of the biblical foundation of missionary work with our Director, Elbert Smith. With his extensive experience at the International Mission Board and the Tom Elliff Center for Missions, Elbert unpacks the profound mission of God and how the role of a missionary falls into it. Together, we challenge the common misconception that every believer is a missionary, diving deep into scriptural insights and the Apostle Paul's pioneering New Testament journeys, which serve as a historical framework for spreading the gospel in unreached places.

Our discussion takes a fresh look at the Christian role in missions, tracing the evolution of the Great Commission from its early interpretation as an apostolic mandate to its current understanding as a call for all believers. We examine how figures like Philip in Acts demonstrate that anyone, regardless of title, can contribute to the gospel's reach. Elbert sheds light on the diverse roles and gifts within the church, drawing distinctions between capital A Apostles and those sent out as missionaries. Concluding with a reflection on living missionally, we encourage listeners to integrate their unique roles and circumstances into God's grand plan. 

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:24

Welcome everybody. Today's episode of the From Every Nation podcast. We're so glad you're joining us today. I have with me co-hosting Albert Smith and we're really excited to start a new series with you all going over talking about who is a missionary, what do missionaries do, and talking through a biblical basis for the topic. So in case you haven't listened to our interview with Albert and Kay, I'm going to give him an opportunity to just introduce himself really quick and talk to you all about his background and mission work and then we're going to dive on in.

Speaker 2 1:06

Kyle. It's great to be back at Oklahoma Baptist University for Kay and me because that's where we met and, after pastoring for a number of years and then 30 years with the International Mission Board, dr Tom Melliff and Dr Heath Thomas asked us to come back on campus. So we're here directing the Tom Melliff Center for Missions and just really enjoying being back on campus.

The broad work in the mission of God

Speaker 1 1:26

Great. If you haven't listened to it, make sure you go and listen to our episode with Elbert and Kay as we walk through just kind of their story and how the Lord's used them throughout the years. So let's dive in then, elbert, and talk about who and what is a missionary and kind of the biblical basis for it. Because I think when I grew up going to church, we would have missions weekends and we'd bring in missionaries and they'd be church planters to remote parts of the world and it'd be really exciting to sit and listen and talk to them and you knew distinctly they did something different than the rest of us at church sitting down and listening to them. But as we got older I started to hear well, everybody's a missionary, everything is missions work, everything is missions, and so there's this idea that is permeated society. So I think that's essentially what we're going to talk about and address. And so what are your thoughts on that and kind of where should we start in handling this idea of who and what is a missionary?

Speaker 2 2:42

Great question, kyle, and I think a lot of people have that same idea. Because the truth is, if we start talking about here's what Paul did in the book of Acts, I think it's going to come across as a real shock to somebody. But where's the care for the planet? Look at his specific church planting. On any one of the journeys somebody's going to say, yeah, but where was he ministering to the poor? And so they have these questions and I think you're exactly right.

Speaker 2 3:14

It helps us to go back and think that through. I think it's good to realize that what God's up to is really big. I like to call that the mission of God. Actually, it came into Protestant language in the middle of the last century and then at the end of the last century and even, like you were mentioning, even more recently for some evangelicals, it became part of our vocabulary to talk about the mission of God. And of course, god's mission is really big.

Biblical basis for a traditional missionary role

Speaker 2 3:50

If we go back to the Old Testament, looking at the works of God, god created, god provides water for the plants and food for the animals. Those are all called his works in the Old Testament, and so God's doing all of those things. God cares about justice, it's one of his works in the Old Testament, and so God's doing all of those things God cares about. Justice, it's one of his works in the Old Testament, and so justice ministries are part of the works of God. You go on, and caring for orphans and widows is something that God cares about, and those would be part of the works of God. And so again, starting in the middle of the last century, different believers started calling that the mission of God. They sometimes would use the Latin term missio dei. But the whole point is is all of those are what God's up to, and so I'm very comfortable saying that if Christians are involved in those things in a biblical way, that they're part of what God's doing, that they're joining in the works of God, or if we want to say they are a part of the mission of God, then you can go on to say if they're part of the mission of God, then they are living missionally, and many would say evangelism is a part of that. And so if I'm sharing the gospel with my brother or sister in my family, with my aunt or uncle, with my neighbor or my classmate at school, then I am participating in what God's plans are, in God's mission. I'm living missionally and so the mission of God is this really broad topic.

Biblical basis: Capitol Apostles vs apostle

Speaker 2 5:32

But now let's stop and say is there some biblical basis for what you described was the old time idea of missionary? When the missionaries came in, you knew they were going to be talking about places in the world where the gospel wasn't, and they were going to be talking about sharing the gospel and planting churches and that common understanding. Is there some reason why we used to think of that as missionary? And I think there's a very, very good biblical reason. We've already hinted at it and that is when we said what did Paul do on his first journey? Oh yeah, he went to where the gospel wasn't. He did evangelism and discipleship and there were churches planted. What did Paul do on his second journey? He went where the gospel wasn't. He did evangelism and discipleship and churches were planted. What did Paul? Well, I think you get the idea. So some would say Pauline missions, Pauline missionary task would be what we see Paul doing in the New Testament. And then I remember that the preface to the Baptist faith and message or the preface to the Chicago Statement on Inerrancy both say that the norm for Southern Baptists or the norm for evangelicals is for both faith and practice. It's Scripture. So our norm for practice is Scripture. So is there such a thing as a missionary and what they do biblically, which is how you phrased the question earlier.

Speaker 2 7:16

I like it that there are four times, once in Matthew, mark and Luke, and then the fourth time in Acts, chapter one, where the New Testament lists 12 apostles. And they are so specific that the book of Revelation says there are going to be 12 of them listed in heaven. So that's a closed set, that's a group that we're not going to be a part of. They have all died. Even if your name's John, even if your name's Andrew, you're not one of those guys. And so there's in Scripture the 12 apostles, if we want to call them that, or some like to refer to them as the capital A apostles. But then there's this fascinating verse Anytime you're reading carefully through Acts, you get to chapter 14.

Speaker 2 8:11

And it's as clear as it can be Acts, chapter 14, verse 14 says when the apostles Barnabas and Paul Huh, barnabas. Let me go back to Acts 1. Where was Barnabas? Let me go back to Luke. Where was Barnabas? Mark or Matthew's Gospels, where was Barnabas? Oh yeah, he's not on the list, and so Acts 14, 14,.

Speaker 2 8:41

Of course we hold Scripture to be a perfect treasure, without error, and so it clearly names Barnabas and he calls him apostle. So clearly the New Testament requires us to have some definition for apostle that's beyond the 12. And so I like what my friend Don Dent says Apostles Today in the title of one of his books. So the whole point being is, the New Testament talks about well, let's stop using the Greek word apostle and let's translate it sent out ones. So sent out ones was used to describe the 12, but it clearly includes more than the 12. Now, I really like that, and I think it helps us to see that in the New Testament that was not just the 12. That group is closed. The 12 apostles, they're unique. They'll stay unique till heaven. They're the ones who were writing scripture, they're the ones who had a different kind of apostolic authority.

Speaker 2 9:52

But I think, actually, the New Testament points to Barnabas, perhaps Paul. I say perhaps, because I think maybe he was the one who replaced Judas, but that's a whole other podcast. But so the Barnabas, for sure, perhaps Paul, are a category of sent out ones. Well, what did they do in the New Testament? Well, we've already described first, second and third journeys of Paul.

Speaker 2 10:20

Paul's called a sent out one, an apostle, more than anyone else in the New Testament, and so what better person to get the New Testament's picture story, narrative about what an apostle does Not a definition, but lots of clear pictures. I think of Romans 15 where he says my goal is to go where the gospel's, not. I don't want to plant on someone else's foundation, and so those who haven't heard that's who I want to speak to. So I find that as the idea of a group called sent out ones, or, if you will, the Latin word that became English missionaries sent out ones. Now, please hear, we are saying that you can do all the things involved in the mission of God and be living missionally if you do it with eternity in focus from a biblical perspective.

The Great Commission

Speaker 2 11:17

But I do think even beyond that, I'm convinced that the Great Commission is given to every single Christian.

Speaker 2 11:28

I happen to agree with some commentaries that say it's possible that when Paul wrote about 500 who saw Jesus at one time, it's possible that the New Testament tells us absolutely nothing about that, but for a long time now, many Christians have believed that that could have been what was happening at the last chapter of Matthew and that the giving of the Great Commission was to a larger group than just the 11.

Speaker 2 11:56

For sure, the 11 were there. It tells us the 11 were there, but it tells us that some were doubting. Well, I think, after Thomas declared my Lord and my God, if doubting Thomas is now saying my Lord and my God, I think we have good reason to think the 11 aren't doubting, which I think points to the fact that very likely that was the 500. Now, it's not required that you say that that was the 500, but it sure gets exciting to me if the biggest group that saw the risen Lord heard the Great Commission. But whichever angle you come at, many, many, I think most Southern Baptists would agree today, most evangelicals would agree today, that the Great Commission was given to all Christians and go ahead.

Speaker 1 12:48

Oh yeah, it's interesting that today I was reading William Carey's biography and he lived in a time where it was common belief that only the capital A 12 apostles were to fulfill the great commission, and that they did that in their lifespan and therefore the great commission was fulfilled. Nobody needed to go, nobody needed to share, and it was essentially in the power and ability of the Lord to do that if he wanted. And so it's very what you're talking about just immediately challenges that thought process. If those 500 were there and the Great Commission was given not just to the 12 apostles but to everybody there just immediately. Of course that's not how we view the Great Commission today, but there was a period of history where that's what we thought was true.

Phillip's example of missional living

Speaker 2 13:54

Exactly, and of course, he was going along with. Most of the reformers held views somewhat similar to that. Luther was very clear and held that position. But look at how the Holy Spirit stirred William Carey's heart and he just became overwhelmed with the lostness of the planet, and God prompted him to attempt great things for God, to use his quote. And so I think you're exactly right that there are just a lot of different angles, and there are still people today who think that the Great Commission was given to the Twelve and we respect their right to go to Scripture. But I think we all agree there are other options. There are other options. There are other possibilities.

Speaker 2 14:36

I like to look at two people in Acts as examples of how people who may not be apostles, missionaries, sent out ones let's use that word may not be sent out, ones called as missionaries, and yet they have a part in the Great Commission. And that would be Acts, chapter 8, with Philip, because I love how Philip didn't decide I think I'm going to leave Jerusalem. No, no, he was involved in a persecution against the church, and so he was forced out of Jerusalem for his religious beliefs and ended up in Samaria. Oh, that sounds like a lot of refugees today. Or people who are in the military and find out they're going to a new place. Or a recent graduate of OBU whose best job opportunity is from New York City or from Seattle. All kinds of different reasons where Christians who haven't sensed that God's calling them to be missionaries, but they find that life scatters them. I'm using that word intentionally, because Jesus talked about in Matthew, chapter 13, the parable of the wheat and tares. He talked about the son of man scatters seed, which are the sons and daughters of the kingdom, and so people find themselves scattered. And Philip's this example. Life happened and he was in a place where he just started using his gift because he was an evangelist, we're told later, and one of his gifts he was a servant. We know he was part of those who served the church, but later we're told he was an one of his gifts he was a servant. We know he was part of those who served the church, but later we're told he was an evangelist. And so he starts evangelizing. And then they send Peter and John and there's a church planted among the Samaritans. There's a great revival among the Samaritans.

Speaker 2 16:31

He didn't stay there, he didn't move his family permanently there. Matter of fact, an angel says you're supposed to leave here and go to a desert road. And he finds himself on a desert road with a caravan and the Lord says go up to that chariot. And actually it's non-missionary, non-full-time missionary Philip who shares with Ethiopian eunuch. And there are Christians around the world today who say that that's when the gospel got to Ethiopia, in the middle of Africa. And so we have this non-missionary starting churches in Samaria, missionary starting churches in Samaria, sharing the gospel with someone who then started churches in Ethiopia, we believe. And then the end of the chapter says he found himself in Caesarea Years later, in the story of Acts, paul comes to Caesarea and stays at Philip's house.

Speaker 2 17:42

As far as Scripture's record, he's been there for a number of years and it tells us he's been raising four godly daughters. Wow, what a picture of every Christian. Their vocation is not missionary. Their vocation is not moving my family and settling where the gospel's not. But either God tells me to go for a short trip oh yeah, that sounds like the volunteer trip at your church, that sounds like a go trip here at OBU or life happens and for a while you're working in a different place, you find yourself scattered, and every believer can be a part of the Great Commission.

The gift of apostleship

Speaker 2 18:31

Whereas Paul, the day he was saved actually we find out later on in Acts 26, paul was apostled, sent out by Jesus Christ, saying your place in the kingdom is to be taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. And so for sent out ones to settle down, that probably would be disobedience on their part. God still tells people like Abraham leave your homeland, leave your family and go to the place I'm going to show you. And the world is filled with those workers who are taking the gospel where it's not. So that's what we would mean. So missionary would mean you're doing the things that Paul did. Living missionally would mean you're living with eternity in focus, being a part of all of the mission of God.

Speaker 1 19:33

That's great. Can you wrap up this episode for us by quickly discussing 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 and how they pertain to our conversation today?

Speaker 2 19:45

My own view is that 1 Corinthians 12 would not be best understood to be capital A Apostles. There were Apostles. In Corinth, paul writes about a number of people who call themselves apostles, but here he's not talking about false apostles or super apostles that are negative. He's talking about people who are actually gifted by God as sent out ones. I think that refers to modern day missionaries and I love it because he says all are not missionaries, are they? All are not sent out ones, are they? All are not apostles, are they? And I think it's a beautiful passage. But I will say that a lot of people I respect think that 1 Corinthians 12 is talking about the capital A apostles. The same thing with Ephesians, chapter 4.

Speaker 2 20:44

I find Ephesians, chapter 4, names apostles, evangelists, prophets, pastor-teachers, as gifts to the church who are, in addition to doing their gifting. They're supposed to equip others in the church and it seems to me that that most naturally makes sense to be Barnabas kind of small a apostles. And if that's the case, what I like to say to the students in the Tom Ellis Center for Missions? I like to remind them that part of their job is to take the gospel where it's not, but it's also to encourage and equip the body of Christ. Those who are gifted evangelists aren't supposed to just share with the lost, they're to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Those who are pastor teachers are not supposed to just teach God's word, they're supposed to be equipping the saints for the work of ministry.

Speaker 2 21:41

And so I love those two passages. I think they would indicate that not everyone is a sent-out-one missionary, vocational person who is sent by God to go where the gospel's. Not Everyone participates in the Great Commission but not everyone's that kind of missionary, and that he still gives gifted, sent out ones to the body of Christ to equip the saints, to be able to know how to better reach other ethnicities, to be able to know how to start the second church in their town, how they are equipping the saints. So great verses to think about. There's not quite as much agreement on that. For instance, the Acts 14 about Barnabas is kind of crystal clear. There's a little discussion about Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12.

Speaker 1 22:29

So, as we wrap up, and I think about the different things we've been saying, there's a big difference between a specific and a generic call, generic being, we have all received the command of Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations Specific, in that we are all led by the Holy Spirit to fulfill that command differently. Some are going to fulfill that through their specific call in their life to do ministry and the mission of God here at home, while others are going to live out their specific calling as those sent out by the Holy Spirit to take the gospel to the nations, which I'm sure we're going to talk a lot more about all this in future episodes. So thanks for hanging out with me today, elbert, and we'll pick this up again next time. Thanks for listening to this episode.

Speaker 1 23:16

The Tom Ellef Center for Missions exists to equip the next generation of missionaries at Oklahoma Baptist University. Regardless of your major, you can come to OBU, get a world-class Christian education and get equipped to take the gospel to the nations. Our prayer is to send students from the local church through OBU to the world with the gospel. For more information about us or the Ellef Center Scholarship, follow the link in our description and come visit us at OBU.