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 The Father of Modern Missions – William Carey
And The Great Commission
Towards the end of 1786, twenty-five year old shoemaker William Carey, accompanied by another minister went to a meeting of ministers at Northampton, England where
towards the end, the two men were told to propose a question for general discussion. Carey pleaded many excuses, until he finally gave in and asked, “Whether the
command given to the apostles to ‘teach all nations,’ was not obligatory on all succeeding ministers to the end of the world, seeing that the accompanying promise
was of equal extent?” The ministers were not impressed with his question or his observation!
Within two years, William Carey read a publication by Jonathan Edward, A Humble Attempt To Promote Explicit Agreement and Visible Union of God’s People in Extraordinary Prayer for the Revival of Religion and the Advancement of Christ’s Kingdom on Earth (1747). The second work (a pamphlet) was by Andrew Fuller, entitled The Gospel Worthy of all Acceptation (1785) which led to the ministers of the Northamptonshire Association in England holding a monthly prayer meeting for the unreached people of the earth. Carey came to the conclusion that, “If it be the whole duty of all men, where the Gospel comes to believe unto salvation, then it is the duty of those who are entrusted with the Gospel to endeavour to make it known among all nations for the obedience of faith.” On 2 October 1792, at the first available meeting of ministers at Kettering, England, a plan had been prepared ‘for the purpose of forming a society for propagating the Gospel among the heathen.’ The Society and its motto were: ‘Expect great things from God – Attempt great things for God’ inspired by the verses from Isaiah 54:2-3 in the Authorised Version of the Holy Bible. Thus, the Baptist Missionary Society was founded and William Carey on sailing for India in June 1793 became the ‘Father of Modern Missions.’ He had told his friends and fellow ministers that he expected them to “hold the ropes” – in prayer and finances and Andrew Fuller became the first secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society. Used by permission from: How to Plan, Prepare and Successfully Complete Your Short-Term Mission by Mathew Backholer. The Great Commission The Great Commission is to go into all the world and preach the gospel - to spread the good news, that Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, took the punishment that we deserved and after three days rose again! He came to ‘seek and to save the lost’ and let us not forget that ‘there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.’ We must all repent of our sins, forsake them and follow Jesus Christ, giving 100% of ourselves unreservedly to Him. The Great Commission is the Church's Responsibility - our responsibility, my responsibility, your responsibility! Let us never forget that on the Judgment Day when we stand before Christ, we will not only be judged by what we said and did, but by what we did not say and did not do! ‘To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin’ (James 4:17). Short-Term mission book: Short-Term Missions, A Christian Guide by Mathew Backholer. Books: Short-Term Missions, A Christian Guide Go How Christianity Made the Modern World Go The Exodus Evidence: The Bible’s Exodus Go Understanding Revival and Addressing the Issues it Provokes Go The Ark of the Covenant: Investigating the Ten Leading Claims Go Revival Fires and Awakenings: Thirty-Six Visitations of the Holy Spirit Go Global Revival: Worldwide Outpourings - Forty-Three Visitations of the Holy Spirit Go Revival Fire - 150 Years of Revivals: Spiritual Awakenings and Moves of the Holy Spirit Go Samuel, Son and Successor of Rees Howells: Director of the Bible College of Wales Go Recommended Revival DVD: Great Christian Revivals Go |
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