Missionaries coming home.

Rejoicing in the fullness of the Gospel

When we send missionaries out from our church we always imagine that they will go and labour for the remainder of their days on that field where they are sent. Often times, though, through circumstances beyond our wildest imaginations, and certainly our control, they come home, often to stay. The question is, "Did we fail in our mission goal?" The answer must be a resounding "NO!" We remember that the only thing we look for in a steward is faithfulness. We are careful to judge sucess or failure based on numbers of souls, churches started, Bible institutes opened, but rather seeds sown. Ours is not the increase, but the Lords. Ours is to labour. God gives the increase. So, is a missionary not a missionary when they are no longer on a foreign field? Some would argue, and say no, they are not missionaries when they return. We must ask, what is a missionary? of course the answer is simple, one sent on a mission. Since we don't find the word in Scripture, we are often hesitant to use the word. Yet, when we go to propogate our belief in Jesus Christ to our neighbor, we become missionaries as well. If they are converted by the Hand of God, we are no more a successful missionary than the ones who have only planted seed, but not yet seen the harvest. It is either God that saves or no one is saved at all.