Guidelines for Selecting Missionaries, Part 3

Introduction to Trinity Baptist Church's Missions Policy and Sermon Context

0:00 This Adult Sunday School class was held on September 10, 1989, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now, we do extend a very cordial welcome to those of you visiting with us. I have already seen a face or two that, to my knowledge, are new to me. And here in our adult class for the past, oh, let's see, this is number nine.

0:29 So, for eight weeks, we have been studying together the missions policy of Trinity Baptist Church. And just a little word of historical facts would be in order. From the very beginning of our existence, our formal existence in 1967, we have sought to have a missionary vision and concern and a biblical involvement in the work of missions. Missions being?

0:59 Missions being defined roughly as our part in fulfilling the commission of the Lord Jesus to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, particularly as that part relates to taking the gospel trans-culturally, trans-linguistically, at a distance somewhat removed from our own local assembly and the possibility of intimate, hands-on involvement in that work. And as the years...

1:29 As the years have passed, God has very kindly arranged circumstances and brought people into our lives that have driven us to seek his face and to seek light from his word as we have sought to implement a biblical missionary program. Then, in February of 1987, at our annual elders' retreat, as elders, we sought to articulate this policy in a condensed and structured form and now at the direction of my fellow elders, I'm leading you in a study of the fruit of that labor in 1987,

2:09 but which in reality was the fruition of some 20 years of actually being involved as a church in the work of missions. Now thus far, we've covered the first three categories of that policy and we'll complete the study of the fourth this morning with some, what I trust, will be very helpful applications. The first area of our concern was that of the identity and major tasks of missions. Secondly, the authorization and warrant for undertaking the work of missions.

2:44 Third category, the practice and policies of inter-church cooperation in the work of missions. And now this fourth category, which it has taken several weeks to cover, and rightly so, because it is so crucial. It is the area of the...

2:59 ...selection of those to serve as missionaries.

Review of Six Principles for Missionary Selection

3:03 The question we have kept before us is, who should be recognized by the church, sent and supported with its prayers and monetary support? And thus far, we've looked at six groups of scripture and under those groupings, we've come to these conclusions. Group number one, that only experienced men called and separated by God were able to do this work, men of proven gift and character and a modicum of experience in the work of the ministry. Group number two, only men who have a valid biblical commendation from a biblically functioning church.

3:46 Group number three, they should be well-trained men who are faithful, gifted, and able to teach. Group number four, they should be proven men, tested men, and not hastily or inflexibly assessed as to their fitness for the work. Group number five, they must be men with sufficient preaching gift to evangelize effectively and to edify the people of God with sustained profit. And then group number six, they must be men who are willing and able to adapt to the ways of the culture into which they enter,

Principle 7: Apprenticeship and Earned Stature (Scriptural Basis)

4:28 so as to give no unnecessary offense or raise no unnecessary barriers to the reception of their persons and their message. Now, this morning, we come to take up the last two groupings of texts dealing with the question of the selection of those to serve as missionaries. And our pattern will be exactly what it has been all the way through this study. We are looking into the scriptures.

4:58 We're seeking to extract certain principles. And then we want to see how those principles apply to the missions policy of Trinity Baptist Church in particular. And our seventh grouping of texts is this. And here I would urge you to open your Bibles and to follow as I read these passages, looking for the common denominator of the distinct contribution which these passages make to the question of the mission.

5:29 question who should be recognized sent and supported in the work of missions all right first of all acts chapter 13 this has been a passage we've looked at in several areas of this question but now we look particularly at verse 5 we have just had the record of how the lord said separate saul and barnabas unto me for the work where unto i have called them and we read in verse 4 so they being sent forth by the holy spirit that is saul and barnabas

6:09 went down to seleucia and from thence they sailed to cyprus and when they were at salamis they proclaimed the word of god in the synagogues of the jews and they had also john as their attendant and that john was not the apostle john but john mark they had john as their attendant they proclaimed the word of god john was their attendant now over to chapter

6:45 16 in the book of acts verse 1 speaking of the labors of the apostle paul he came also to derby and to lystra and behold a certain disciple was there named timothy the son of a jewess that believed but his father was a greek the same was well reported of by the brethren that were at lystra and iconium him would paul have to go forth with him and he took and circumcised him because of the jews that were in those parts for they all knew that his father was a greek the same was well reported of

7:26 him would Paul have to go forth with him and they took John as their attendant him would they have to go forth with them now Philippians chapter 2 verses 19 through 23 Philippians chapter 2 verses 19 through 23 but I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you that I may be of good comfort when I know your state for I have no man like-minded who will care truly for your

8:04 state for they all seek their own not the things of Jesus Christ but you know the proof of him that as a child serves a father so he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel as a child serves a father you so he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel him therefore I hope to send forth with so soon as I shall see how it will go with me and then over to first Timothy 4 and verse 12

8:45 first Timothy 4 and verse 12 with respect to this man Timothy Paul says let no man despise your youth but be thou an example to them that believe in word in manner of life in love in faith and purity be an example in word manner of life in love in faith and purity now over to second Timothy chapter 3 and verse 10 writing to this man Timothy who is called to be an example to them that believe in

9:29 he who is an example to their MacBook Paul could say but thou didst follow my teaching conduct purpose faith long-suffering love patience persecution sufferings what things befell me that Antioch at iconic drew on a period from Iconium at Lystra was still The thing that was bestowed upon me in this manner In other words it was had your say it was a great punishment Allah had given to me in order to understand that my nation had done so good Lord did deliver me in order to understand my nation had done so good but caught it what my father Balaam said didn't that tell us that we must forgive it that did not make sin and dough commit an William is not a big thing indeed God didn't follow my teaching and the greek verb for follow means not simply to follow as a disinterested observer like someone might sit here and follow my hand as i move it but it's of no consequence

10:14 to them or even to me but it means to follow with the mind to understand and then to make one's own so you followed timothy with a view to making your own my patterns of teaching conduct purpose faith etc now the question is what are the general principles illustrated in these historic incidents coupled with the exhortation of first timothy 4 12 we've read historical incidents and 1

Principle 7: Apprenticeship and Earned Stature (Explication and Application)

10:51 exhortation but there are some general principles illustrating a vital factor with reference to the question of who should we select to serve as missionaries do you think you see the answer out of these texts all right howard barnabas all right so both with regard to timothy and to john

11:33 mark there was a form of spiritual and ministerial apprenticeship before they were given independent tasks they first of all worked and learned under more experienced men all right someone else see perhaps a little different shading of the emphasis of these passages all right jonathan all right so they were not only put in a framework of apprenticeship but with regard to these men especially with respect to timothy it was ever

12:13 evident that he benefited from that apprenticeship now is there any contrast in the initial stages between timothy and john mark any contrast right jeff all right in that first experience in his apprenticeship he dropped his tools and or he pulled some muscles and he went back home to mama he left them he went not forth with them to the work so that later on when it's time to go forward forth on another missionary journey paul refuses to take john mark he feels that there has not been

12:58 sufficient time and evidence that he is a trustworthy man although as we saw last week later on paul was not bullheaded and stubborn in that matter but later on he says bring john mark for he is profitable to me for ministry all right someone think you see any other strand of emphasis in this grouping of texts that relates to the question of who should be recognized and sent forth to do the work of missions all right

13:30 norman i wish we had a mic by uh norm's mouth to catch his actual terms but what he was saying is that these men were humble men willing to take the place of serving and following they were not self-appointed mavericks ready to go out and declare themselves god's great gift to them and it was not just a navel drawing but like a real lock on the last knee by a bulldozer and a cast gloves now shinai's mission was not successful in the church and jordan was his greatest сожалению though those questions are a rather scary question but i welcome to you with this day jordan Bolt Thomas who came upon him from behind in his old church in wah viene go Immortality Chinese 다 do is written out an article in a sermon that he put forth here as a quote about the emperorмет Sinn esto gift to the world and to the church and to the cause of missions. Well, I think it's evident from these four contributions, I think there are four of you who have spoken,

14:16 that we're on target with the principle, and this is the way I have written it down, reflecting the mind of your own elders as we wrestled with this grouping of text. In answer to the question, who should be recognized, set apart, sent forth and supported by the church, the answer is, if possible, promising younger men should be chosen to work under older and more experienced men in order to gain helpful experience and earned stature as spiritual leaders. If possible, promising younger men,

15:01 Timothy was well reported of by all the brethren, he was a promising young man, should be chosen to work under older and more experienced men, Paul and Barnabas, in order to gain helpful experience and earned stature as a spiritual leader. Now, anytime you use the word earn in a system of grace, you better have good reason to use it. Because the whole scheme of salvation, salvation in Jesus Christ, utterly cuts across any concept of earning anything. It is a system of pure, unmixed grace.

15:46 Grace is God freely conferring out of the fullness of his own love and saving purpose, the opposite of what we deserved and that which we could never earn, did we live a million lives. But you see, to be a spiritual leader, one must earn stature and credibility. It cannot be forced upon people with a title reverend or missionary, much less by a degree, a THM or an MA or a BTH or any other combination of letters from the English or any other alphabet.

16:29 It is something that must be earned. And how much better to earn it in a, in a context where men who have already earned it, as it were filtered down their earned credibility to younger men who earn it under their scrutiny in the real labor of the ministry. Notice when Paul says to Timothy how his life was shaped and formed, he says, you fully followed not just my doctrine as I taught you in an academy or a seminary or a Bible school. He says, you have fully known, you fully followed, absorbed my teaching,

17:10 my manner of life, my faith, my love, my persecutions. Everything that I am became in the providence of God, the instrument of a divinely ordained relationship of spiritual modeling. Now, I know we are told in our day, don't follow men, follow the Lord. And there's an element of truth in that, in that, that ultimately Christ is our only perfect pattern.

17:39 But there's an awful lot of heresy in that statement, the way it's used because it denies the biblical doctrine of modeling. Be followers of me, even as I am of Christ. Mark them which so walk as you have us for an example, the apostle says to the Philippians. And so if it all possible in answer to the question, who should be marked out, recognized and sent.

18:10 If it all possible, promising younger men should be chosen to work under older and more experienced men in order to gain helpful experience and earned stature as spiritual leaders. Now, in showing how we're seeking to apply that to our own mission's policy. Do you see why? We sent...

18:35 Steve to the Philippines and placed him under the spiritual oversight originally of Pastor Brian Ellis, who had close to two decades of experience of labor as a missionary in the Philippines. You see why we did this. Here is part of the biblical rationale. Here was an older, proven, experienced man. Steve had spent a summer, or part of a summer, working with and under that man. We asked

19:05 for that man's frank assessment. Do you believe that Steve Hoffmeier has the spiritual caliber to minister in a cross-cultural, cross-linguistic framework? And when Brian Ellis sent back a report saying, yes, we have seen in Steve the ability to relate, to the Filipinos in their own culture. We have seen in him a servant's heart. We've seen the

19:34 indications that he has an ear for languages, for that's one of the great keys in being able to gain proficiency in another language, is to hear the linguistic distinctions. Some people who have no problem with the physical auditory system simply do not hear and pick up the subtle distinctions in a language, and for them it is very difficult. To ever become proficient in the spoken use of that language, because you cannot reproduce what you first of all do not hear. So there was an element of provenness before we ever sent Steve

20:11 forth. But even then, we sent him forth and placed him under the guidance and the further tutelage of Mr. Ellis, because we see this as a biblical principle. Do you see why now we have placed John Ellis in that language? Because we have placed him under the guidance and the further

20:28 tutelage of Jonathan Walker, under our brother John Ruther, for a period of time, undesignated, that he might in the context of working with a man with a few more years of ministerial experience, I believe a couple of more years chronological age, but a proven man who in a church planting endeavor has earned credibility, who has as the fruit of his labors a stable indigenous reformed baptist church as the fruit of his labors there in South Jersey. And a man who has earned our respect, though young enough to be the son of at least one of our elders,

21:12 yet he is respected as a peer in the ministry. He has manifested wisdom and grace and humility and those graces that we believe it is vital for Jonathan to be exposed to in a close, intimate ministerial context. He has proven sufficiently his ability to edify his own people, that he is, we regard, a competent critic of Jonathan's public ministry, so that we were able to place Jonathan in that situation with the confidence that there would be an outworking of these biblical principles. And then, I trust you see with renunciation,

21:56 renewed conviction why we insist that the training of men for the work of the ministry whether at home or abroad be carried on by working pastors we need to be able to say to the men upon whom we lay our hands you did fully follow our doctrine our faith our love our patience and to be able to make it stick not to have them say well where did you ever show patience with the sheep you hold up there in your ivory tower with your books and you drop down three times a week to dump a lecture on us in a classroom and up to your ivory tower you go i'm sorry i don't know what you're talking

22:39 about when the time comes for us to lay hands upon jonathan with all of our faults and sins we will yet be able to say jonathan you have fully known our doctrine our faith our patience our manner of life you see what i'm trying to say you see what i'm trying to say you see what i'm trying to say you see what i'm trying to say you see what i'm trying to say you see what i'm trying to say you see what i'm trying to say you see what i'm trying to say you see what i'm trying to say there is a biblical rationale behind what we're doing we're not just following our nose wherever it leads us some of us will go to heaven real quick turns up at the end we're seeking we're seeking to work out these biblical principles all right now we come to the final grouping of passages and i consulted with at least one other elder because we only had

Principle 8: Acknowledging God's Work in Abnormal Situations (Scriptural Basis)

23:19 seven seven of these principles in our original statement but as i went back to the scriptures and back to the drawing board it seemed to me that we needed an eighth to round it out into a more biblical form and i carried the conscience of at least one of my fellow elders i hope i carry the conscience of the rest of them but right now i have to let you know i'm only speaking for two of us that this ought to be included in our official policy statement and here are the two passages acts chapter 11 and remember now as i read them you're trying to lay hold of the principle of the law and the principle of the law and the principle of the law and the principle of the law and the principle of the law and the principle of the law that applies to the question who

23:59 should be recognized as a true servant of god in the work of missions acts chapter 11 verses 19 and following acts 11 verse 19 they therefore that were scattered abroad upon the tribulation that arose about stephen traveled as far as phoenicia and cyprus and antioch speaking the word None save only to Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them.

24:43 And a great number that believed turned unto the Lord. So here are some unnamed preachers who were part of that band of Christians that were scattered abroad after the tribulation arose subsequent to Stephen's death, spearheaded by Saul of Tarsus. And some of them waxed very bold in that they came to Antioch and preached unto Greeks or to Grecian Jews as well as to pure Jews. In other words, they took a very bold step.

25:21 And God confirmed that step with his own mightiness. He had mighty power. The hand of the Lord was with them. And as a result, a great number that believed turned unto the Lord.

25:32 So some unnamed preachers have great success in the work of this missionary endeavor precipitated by the persecution that arose against the church. Verse 22. And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem. And they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch, who, when he was...

25:54 And Barnabas came and had seen the grace of God was glad and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. And now tie that in with Acts chapter 18. Please turn to side two for the continuation of this message.

26:16 And now tie that in with Acts chapter 18.

26:21 And here you may have to dig a little bit to find the common denominator. But I think after, if you find it, you'll see it's there. And if...

26:28 If after I state it you're not convinced, then I have failed. Acts 18, verse 24. Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, and he was mighty in the scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John.

26:57 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately. And when he was minded to pass over into Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to receive him. And when he was come, he helped them much that had believed through grace.

27:26 Now what is... What is the principle underscored in these two rather strange incidents recorded in the book of Acts?

27:36 As it applies to this question, who should be recognized as a God-equipped, God-sent servant of Christ, doing the work of missions, proclaiming the gospel in new frontiers, with a view to making disciples and establishing churches? Do you see any common denominator? Do you see any common denominator in these two incidents?

28:02 All right, George. I think we're on the track. Mr. Gergeles has pointed out that here's someone possibly from outside our local assembly who obviously has a gift that is owned of God, and somehow we can't just dismiss that because the channel by which the gift was recognized

28:42 and brought into public exercise and public usefulness was not quite kosher. I think we're on the track there. Someone want to pursue that? We've got an exegetical bloodhound here that would like to track it down a little further.

28:56 All right? Phil?

29:04 All right. All right, but that really enters into that whole matter of inter-church cooperation, doesn't it? And that's why we use this passage. So we're back on that other heading, but here we want to see what are the principles that apply to who should be recognized.

29:21 And Mr. Gergeles is on the track. Someone want to follow through on that? Rich?

29:36 And they took them to the perfect one for perfecting. Mm-hmm. And they...

29:52 They sent out Barnabas, and they confirmed this work, and then they did one person, the two fellows who were from the Grecian Union, but with a pilot, and they were ordained. Okay. Okay, good. I think we're right on target, and it's a matter now of just how I worked it out and put it down on my notes, and I think this will pull those strands of thought together.

Principle 8: Acknowledging God's Work in Abnormal Situations (Explication)

30:21 What is the principle underscored in these two incidents as it applies to this fourth... ...great area of concern?

30:28 Who should be recognized and sent forth to do the work of missions? Here's the answer. While we ought to operate by the general and ordinary principles of the word in the recognition and sending of men, we must always be prepared to acknowledge the obvious working of God in abnormal situations.

30:56 While we ought... In other words, we are under obligation not to make God's exceptions our rule, but His rule our rule.

31:09 Our duty is determined by the principles and precepts and precedents of Scripture, not by what God may exceptionally own and bless that is contrary to the general principles, precepts, and precedents. While we ought to operate by the general...

31:28 and ordinary principles of the word in the recognition and sending of men, we must always be prepared to acknowledge the obvious working of God in abnormal situations. You see, the brethren in Jerusalem were neither skeptical nor gullible regarding what they heard about God's working in Antioch. They were neither skeptical nor gullible. nor gullible. When the report came to their ears, they didn't say, ah, we don't believe it.

32:03 Those people didn't go and preach to Grecian Jews with our approval, with our knowledge, with our consent. So there can be nothing to it. It's so highly irregular, God can't be in it. They didn't take a skeptical, closed-mind attitude, but neither were they gullible.

32:20 When the report came, they didn't say, hallelujah, revival's broken out. The Holy Ghost has come on some preachers and using them mightily. Oh, let's keep our hands off. We don't want to grieve or quench the Holy Ghost. They weren't gullible either. Neither skeptical to the point of writing

32:37 it off, nor gullible to the point of swallowing it. What did they do? They acted in an orderly way. They sent some discerning, trustworthy man up to look the thing over. And it's interesting,

32:49 after he looked it over, then he brought it into line. As one commissioned by the church in Jerusalem, he became the leader of the church. He became the leader of the church. He became the leading teacher. And then when he saw he had taken them as far as he could, he sent for Saul,

33:03 brought Saul, and they continued together, team teaching for the space of a year. And much people was added to the Lord. And so did God own their teaching in the maturation of the church, that in a Latinized word, the Christians or the disciples were first called Christianos, Christians there at Antioch, little Christs. Their speech, their pattern of life, their doctrine, their doctrine, their doctrine, their doctrine, their doctrine, their doctrine, their worship, everything was so full of Christ that they were called Christ ones, little Christs. They were called little Christs there at Antioch. So you see, there was the flexibility

33:40 that could react to an abnormal situation, not with carnal skepticism, nor with carnal gullibility. And likewise, with regard to Apollos. In a similar way, Priscilla and Aquila did not dismiss Apollos. They did not dismiss Apollos. They did not dismiss Apollos. They did not dismiss Apollos.

33:57 Because he had some irregularities in two areas. In his soteriology, in his understanding of the gospel, his understanding went only as far as the truth unfolded with the baptism of John, that the coming one was among them. He was Lamb of God, Son of God, who would bear away the sin of the world. But of the complete message of how the Lord Jesus had died and risen from the dead, and the Spirit had been sent forth.

34:27 And in the ascended Christ, everything a sinner needs for life and salvation is to be found. They made up that doctrinal deficiency, particularly in the area of his soteriology, his doctrine of salvation, and his ecclesiology. He was apparently an independent man. There's no indication that he was sent by the church, that any church was there to send him.

34:53 And there seems to be a hint in verse 27 that he's, out to act independently after he gets this new truth, if already he's been willing to go into synagogues and encounter skeptical Jews and reason with them and refute them out of the scriptures, and he does so eloquently and powerfully. It says, verse 27, And when he was minded to pass over into Achaia, the hint seems to be that he said, Look, I've got to go out now and give vent to this new truth that I've come to discover. However, they delayed him long enough for the brethren to encourage him and to write a proper letter of commendation indicating that he had become a part of the people of God,

35:38 was well instructed in the ways of God, and when he went out, he did not this time go out with limitations in his doctrinal or his ecclesiastical understanding. He went out in a kosher manner. So here again, you see, there was a willingness to, recognize the hand of God is upon this man. There may be some irregularities in his message and in his associations, but we're not going to write him off, but we're going to take him to ourselves.

36:07 Now, if Apollos had said, Who's this crazy woman? Thinks she's going to teach me?

36:13 Now, man, if you want to teach me, fine, but tell your woman to go on off and do the dishes and do some ironing. I mean, I'm not going to be taught by any woman. He was not only willing to be taken in and taught by a man, but by a man and a woman.

36:26 With the hedge, the ship of the man of God, exercised in a domestic situation, he was willing to learn from Basila and Aquila. And when he was minded to go forth, he didn't take the bit in his teeth and say, Look, God's hand was on me before. I have every reason to believe it will be on me even more now that I understand the way of God more perfectly. What need have I of any commendation from men?

36:49 I already have had the commendation of God. He didn't show that maverick, independent spirit that's so marked, so many in our day. I've got a vision from God. I've got a burden from God.

37:02 I've got a gift from God. I'm going to go out. Where is the church in all of this? Where is the commendation of God's people?

37:09 It's despised as a thing of no account. And that's wrong. That's unbiblical. But while we have established in further, in earlier groupings of our passages, the necessity of a valid commendation from the people of God, we never want to get to the place where we don't, we don't recognize God is not bound by his own principles of ordinary working and be sensitive to recognize irregularities and abnormalities and make gracious godly efforts to harness those irregularities and those abnormalities and to bring them into a state of biblical normalcy.

Clarification on Abnormal Situations and Personal History

37:53 And that way we will neither be on the one hand carnally skeptical nor carnally gullible. All right? Any question now on those last two principles that apply to the whole question of who should be recognized,

38:11 sent and supported? Yes, David?

38:28 Yes.

38:34 Yes, that's a good point that David has made, that it was a very unusual set of circumstances that scattered the people of God and any of the servants of God. And these men may have already been recognized as some kind of lay preachers in Jerusalem, for all we know. I mean, we can't build a big case on silence. And you had something more to say, David.

39:17 That's right. That's right. And there were some older men who recognized, and we didn't do it on our own. I have to correct that, David.

39:24 There were some older men who recognized the work of God's spirit in a few of us young men and took us under their wing and said, you boys need to get out in the street corner and preach. God's put fire in your bones. And it was under the tutelage of two older men in a mission. Now, it wasn't a duly constituted, biblically organized church, but it was under the tutelage of some literally white-haired men who for years had been praying for an outpouring of the spirit of God in that town up in Connecticut.

39:52 And when God laid hold of a few of us, we got booted out of the evangelical churches. What we had was too hot to handle because we had all been decisioned as kids. And now that God gave us the real thing, we knew all our friends were a bunch of phonies and we weren't too tactful in telling them that, you see. And when some of them had fathers who were deacons, and elders, and when we got pressed out of those evangelical churches, these two older men recognized God's hand was upon us and put their arms around us and drew us to themselves and then channeled that fire and that zeal and got us out on the street corner.

40:28 But it certainly wasn't a kosher church situation, though there was the recognition. We knew enough of our Bibles to respect the hoary head, the white hair. And these two men literally had a shock of white hair and were men at that time in their late 60s and early 70s. And we thank God for their influence in that area.

Application 1: Pray for Laborers

40:45 But there was a lot of irregularity and that's why I don't advocate my practice to others, though I derive much benefit from it. Thank you for reminding me of a little bit of my own history, David. Now, if I may, I want very quickly now in the time that remains, and I am going to make conscience about stopping on time, I want to make three very pointed practical applications in the light of what we have seen in these eight years eight groupings of text relative to the question who should be recognized and sent to do the work of missions. Because what we have studied ought to have a profoundly practical effect upon us.

41:25 And here are three of the areas in which I am convinced it should have such an effect. Number one, it ought to stir us afresh to cry to God to make and to send forth laborers. It ought to stir us afresh to cry to God to make and to send forth laborers. The need is not for carnal recruiting, but for spirit-wrought prayer that God would hear and answer and mold and shape such men who will be laborers effective in his harvest.

42:04 And just this past week, I was reminded of this so forcefully in preparing for my lectures in the academy. I had occasion to read and re-read sections in James Henley Thornwell's works, volume four, in which he is reviewing an article of another godly man with respect to the problem of raising up enough men for the Southern Presbyterian Church in the mid-1800s. And this is what this man Breckinridge says, whose article he's reviewing, and then Thornwell says, Breckinridge wrote, It is easy for us to multiply ministers of the gospel, but it is easy, impossible for us to multiply such as are called of God. This is the great truth

42:48 which men are ready to neglect and to deride. And the results of every attempt which we can make in disregard of it must always be disastrous. We may supplant a ministry called of God from all classes by a ministry raised up ourselves from a single class, but have we thereby added anything but a principle of disorderedness and order and element of disease? Seems to be that in some such way God's action in raising and sending forth preachers may be stimulated or is frequently increased.

43:26 Such schemes, to say the least, seem not so much directed to inquiries for such as God has called as to experiments which may ascertain if he has not called a multitude besides. Now, commenting on these words of Breckenridge, Thornwell writes, the practical lesson is that instead of sounding a trumpet and hunting in the highways and hedges for those whom God has called, instead of pressing on the consciences of boys to examine themselves with a view to be ascertained whether or not God has chosen them for the ministry, and this is but an aspect of the ministry, we should wait till God sends them to us

44:10 and then thoroughly, scrutinize their claims. We are to be earnest in prayer for an increase of laborers and when God answers us, he will make the answer plain to those who are sent and to us who pray. When we pray that the Lord will raise up laborers, Thornwell says God will make the answer plain to those who are sent and to us who pray. None have a right in the first instance to deal with the consciences of others, but God himself.

44:45 We may devote our children to the Lord as Hannah devoted the son of her prayers, but this should be a solemn, secret transaction between our own souls and the Almighty. He says parents may secretly play, Oh God, make my son a missionary. That's legitimate, but keep it in secret with God and leave with God to deal with that child and with God to bring that child to the place where it's evident that the hand of God is upon him. We are satisfied that the whole system of urging, as it is called, the claims of the ministry on the minds of the young is inconsistent with just and scriptural views of its nature and its duties.

45:28 The direction of our Savior was plain and pointed. Pray the Lord of the harvest. It was not to seek ministers here and there to persuade this man or that man to take the subject into serious consideration and certainly not to offer bribes to enter the sacred office. It was not in any wise to look to ourselves or depend upon man, but to pray the Lord of the harvest.

Application 2: Parental Duty in Character Molding

45:54 It is his privilege to provide laborers. It is our duty to ask for them. It is his prerogative to give them. Secondly, what we've considered ought to stir us to our parental duty in the character, molding of our children.

46:15 What we've heard about the kind of men God calls and equips and sends forth ought to stir us to our parental duty in the character, molding of our children. Timothy is the great example. He had a godly mother and grandmother who were molding that character so that as a relatively young man, he was brought by the grace of God to a place of tremendous spiritual, stature and many of those things that were but the fruit of patient parental influence when the spirit of God laid hold of them became a marvelous display of Christian graces. We must discipline their minds to think

47:00 how is someone going to adjust to all of the pressures of cross-cultural living if that person is thoughtless and inconsiderate? How can they apply themselves to the diligent pains of learning another language if they are mentally lazy? How can they work under older experienced men if they've not been taught the graces of humility and self-effacement in the presence of older and more mature people? How are they going to be willing to become all things to all men and give up the conveniences and the affluence and the toys of this culture and bury themselves in a life of constant,

47:42 constant self-denial if we don't bring them up lean? Bring them up not yielding to all of their itches and urges for this thing and that thing and the other thing. It is very unlikely that children who are smothered with things and whose whim becomes the parents' desire, it's doubtful that such children will become men who are willing, like Timothy, to seek nothing but the good of the souls of men in their adult years. And so we ought to be stirred by this as parents and grandparents and wherever we have an influence

48:22 upon our young ones to seek to mold the kind of character that will make possible men like this to be sent forth and at their side women who share the same spiritual perspectives. And then finally, it ought to stir us to biblical integrity in our practice as a church with respect to those whom we recognize, lay hands upon, send forth, and support in the work of missions. We've not always had the measure of light we now have. And God does not hold us accountable in the sense of being high-handed in disobedience when our light was more limited.

Application 3: Biblical Integrity in Church Practice

49:06 We look back and say there are certain things we've done in the past we would not do now. But we did them in faith with the light we had then. And we can only ask God now to forgive our sins of ignorance. But dear people, from this point on, if we do not act with integrity in the light of what we've seen in the Word of God, then the frown of God will be upon us.

49:29 And I pray, God, that grace will be given to us as a congregation and that you as the Lord's people will ask any questions that relate to these principles if you feel in any way that your elders are suggesting that a given man be recognized, set apart, and sent at the violation of any of these principles. Please come to us and entreat us. Pass on to us what you may see or know that we do not see or know. Because this responsibility is laid while primarily upon the leadership, not exclusively, because you, the people of God, have your Bibles.

50:09 And you have been instructed. And let us pray that we will act with biblical integrity in this matter of those whom we send forth to the work. Now, God willing, not next week, because we'll have Mr. Barker's report next week.

50:23 There's a change in plan since Wednesday. We had some pastoral concerns in Paradise, Pennsylvania. And Mr. Barker is there today, went down yesterday.

50:33 And then, God willing, in that following week, then two weeks from today, we'll take up the fifth pillar in our missionary policy, the question, did men work alone in the New Testament? Did they go out in teams or two by two? What is the pattern of companionship in the work of missions? Well, let's pray and ask the Lord to write these things upon our hearts.

50:58 Our Father, we do thank you for the privilege of opening up your word together. We thank you that we hold in our hands a book that is the sufficient rule of our faith and of our practice. Amen. Amen.

51:12 and then grace to walk in that light forgive us of sins of ignorance when we have acted hastily in that ignorance O Lord we thank you that in the blood of your son there is pardon and cleansing for all sin hear then our cry and O great Lord of the harvest raise up true laborers and give us eyes to see them to recognize them and then thrust them forth we pray in Jesus name Amen