My Call to Missions
It seems important to relay my call to missions to you. I asked Christ to forgive me of my sin and be my Lord at 7 years old. My life since has been a growing process of obedience to the Lord. In high school, I went with my church on a few mission trips to Laredo, TX and Victoria, Mexico. However, these trips did not spark a real sense of ought in my life. Graduating high school, I planned on going to college, playing basketball, and becoming a coach. It did not take long to realize that I had to be in ministry. God was too important. The world was too lost. Working for two summers at Falls Creek on the recreation staff is where the call to missions began peering its head into the window of my heart. I recall during one night of staff worship being asked, “Why do we not go until we are called to stay?” That question resonated in my heart. I did not have an answer. At least, not a valid one. The years after those summers at Falls Creek were a process of abandonment. The conviction of materialism, selfishness, and dependence on self was so powerful that I had to wake up. I began to surrender everything to the Lord. It took time. I failed many times along the way and still fail on a regular basis, but God has taken me to a place in my life where complacency is not an option. The conviction of Scripture has allowed me to see the clear command of missions. Every Christian should be in missions. I do not mean that everyone should go serve as career missionaries, but all followers of Christ are clearly commanded and called in Scripture to be a part of reaching the unreached around the world. Anything less is a lack of Scriptural Christianity. Luke 10:2-3 says, “He told them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.’” The life of Jesus, the disciples, and the early church throughout the New Testament are a clear example of the church’s role in missions. Scripture implores me to live a life of sacrifice, abandonment, and dependence on God. I know that God wants me to live a life unlike that which I have personally seen but only read about. I do not know how that will play out or where He will take me, but I know that I am willing and am married to a Godly woman who is willing. Praise the Lord! My prayer is that He would take us and use us and that we would not let our attachment to our lives get in the way. Christ’s sacrifice was far too great and His love far too deep for anything less than complete abandonment in return. “Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.’” – Luke 9:23-26
How deep the Father’s love for us, How vast beyond all measure That He should give His only Son To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, The Father turns His face away As wounds which mar the chosen One, Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross, My sin upon His shoulders Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that left Him there Until it was accomplished His dying breath has brought me life I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything No gifts, no power, no wisdom But I will boast in Jesus Christ His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom
Commanded and Called,
Matt Atwell
