What does your church do regarding missions?
Emphasis on Missions
Discussion in 'Polls Forum' started by FriendofSpurgeon, Feb 25, 2005.
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Very strong emphasis
78.9% -
Yes
10.5% -
Average
5.3% -
Poorly
5.3% -
Not at all
0 vote(s)0.0%
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FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Not enough options.
Of course, what would you expect from an anti-missions Baptist? :D -
FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
I've never heard of an anti-missions Baptist. Is that you or is that normative of the Primitive Baptists?
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It was a joke.
That's the name we were given way back when by the Missionary Baptists because we were against what they were doing.
Missions in the classic sense, yes, most Primitive Baptists are against them, but "mission" in the sole sense of preaching the good news of salvation to God's people, wherever they may be, we are wholeheartedly in favor of that.
In such instances, we are all missionaries when someone asks us about God or our church and we tell them. -
FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Wow. I grew up Baptist (PK and MK) and never knew of any Baptist group who was against missions.
Why are PBs against missions? -
It depends on how you define the word "missions".
Here is an excerpt from the Black Rock Address decribing one cause (Missions) for the split between Missionary and Primitive Baptists.
The point should be well made for you within the quote though. -
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FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
I'm sorry. I just don't get it.
Is the first concern about the mission agencies' expenses being too high, and that enough money does not get to the actual missionary?
Is the second concern about "missions work" being something other than actually spreading the Gospel?
If those are indeed the two concerns, I would agee with you. However, it seems that these are concerns, not reasons for not being involved in missions.
If I misread the actual reasons, please be more specific and let me know.
It seems that churches should have some written guidelines and/or principles in how/which/where missionaries are supported. I know that in our own church, we do have such guidelines (listed below).
1. We support our own members who are called into Missions work .
2. We support first those who are directly involved with evangelistic work, directly involved with leading people to Christ and involving them in a local church.
3. We support first those who are developing indigenous church planters in Latin America, because this is our most natural sphere of influence.
4. We support first those who are developing indigenous church planters in other nations. -
The big objection can be summed up in 2 words...Mission Boards.
They are an extra-biblical establishment which takes the place in authoritative matters of the church.
Also, remember, that this Address was written almost 200 years ago, so we could probably assume that the goings-on were a little different than now.
As for me, I believe that a man should go where God leads him, not where a Board of Directors sends him. Just like Jonah, God sent him to where he needed to be and he went, eventually. When he went the other direction God punished him. If God wants a minister to go someplace he will either go or be punished.
I also firmly believe that God will provide for that man to go where God sends him.
Many of our preachers will go to an out of town meeting not knowing if they will even get their gass money re-paid. They go on faith. I think a man ought to be willing to do as such.
Anyway, mission boards are not biblical, so that's why we don't like that aspect.
The other aspect is that most missionaries today, along with the major religions, believe they are saving souls and saving people from hell by preaching them the word. Primitive Baptists do not believe the written or spoken words have that power. We do not believe that anyone can be saved eternally through the preaching of the gospel.
Anytime a minister goes anywhere to preach he is, in a sense, doing missionary work. He's going to where God's people are gathered in order to hear His word preached.
Wherever God's people are, and have a zeal for the truth, there should be someone to go and preach to them if there is none available to them.
Foreign missions kind of remind me of international aid. If you want to help people, you should start at home. There are so many people here who want to hear the gospel and just aren't in a locality near to hear it. Add that into keeping those people in the church that we already have and you really wouldn't have time for much other missionary work. But, still, the gospel shuld be available to all who want to hear it, no matter where they are.
I've probably not done justice in explaining our position, but it's late and I worked late today, and I'm tired. Perhaps there are some other PBs who can put words for our position together better than I can right now.