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I have been in numerous business meetings' where the congregation has received a letter asking for financial support for a preacher. Occasionally, the man is either living in a foreign country or planning some type of trip to preach the gospel. In some cases, the congregation simply did not have the funds to help. At other times, I have seen men who realize that the money was available but they did not believe the man worthy of support. However, I have seen times when the money was available and the man was worthy of support but his plea was still rejected. On those occasions, the rationale used goes something like this, "There are plenty of souls to save around here and we should take care of our own backyard! After some studying I have come to realize that this idea is just plain unbiblical. In giving the great commission Jesus told His disciples to, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). later on He said, "...and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and Co the end of the earth"(Acts 1:8b). Jesus never said to convert everyone in one area before you go somewhere else. They did not convert all the Laws at Jerusalem before had they would still be preaching at Jerusalem and nowhere else. As Jesus told His followers, "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for the harvest" (John 4:35). He did not say to stay in just one area. We need to see the world as our field and go and preach the word. On a different occasion, Jesus sent out seventy men to preach. He instructed them to go and if they were received well to stay. However, if they were rejected to leave that place. "And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet" (Matthew 10: 14). In the book of Acts, the principle can be seen were not receptive and stay where the people would listen. In many cases, we need to apply the lesson. How many opportunities have the people around us had to hear the gospel. How many gospel meetings or worship services or Bible studies have they been invited to come and hear the word? In many cases, the person has already rejected the gospel. We need to search for those people who have not yet heard the message. That may be in our local communities or halfway around the world. In many foreign fields, there are honest souls to be saved and eve need to go there and harvest the fields. A final point, usually the people who speak of not helping foreign evangelism are really not interested in evangelism at all. Their argument is for doing less and not more. I have never heard that person suggest having another gospel meeting or going door to door to try and set up studies. In reality they want to do less. That is why I say that the idea expressed in the title of this article is really unbiblical. Let us desire more opportunities to save the lost and not less. P.O. Box 83 Tuckerman, AR 72474 or email at |