Ministry of Miraclesنموونە

Missions without Vision

In 1945, my wife and I, with our baby boy, sailed to India as missionaries desiring to preach and teach the gospel of Christ. Though we had no experience abroad, the Holy Spirit was guiding us. Our intent was to engage a local interpreter so that we could begin ministering at once. We planned to erect a big palm-leaf arbor where the people could assemble. We would teach the gospel and win Hindus to Christ. With the new converts, we would establish new churches.

However, the senior missionaries did not agree. Our ideas were considered inappropriate for India. They said our priority must be to learn the language. We were told not to expect to engage in ministry during our first term in India. Disheartened, we tried to convince ourselves that they knew best. That winter, we did nothing but study Hindustani. Once each week, I was sent to the little mission hall that seated about 20 people to print on a small blackboard the title of the sermon to be delivered by the senior missionary.

There was no vision. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV). The mission was opened only once a week—on Sundays, at 6:00 p.m., for an hour and a half. The meeting was normally attended by about a dozen persons.

Another missionary invited us to his city to conduct two weeks of special meetings. When we arrived, we encountered a similar situation. The doors of the storefront mission opened at six o’clock on Sunday evening, and a small group of Christians gathered to go through their usual routine. The missionary warned me that I should not invite people to come forward to accept Christ. He explained: “We do things differently here.”

For two weeks after I preached, the missionary pronounced a benediction and dismissed the people. No results were expected, and none could take place. On the closing night, at the end of my message, I shocked the missionary by inviting all who wanted to receive Christ as Savior to come forward. Eleven locals responded in tears and accepted Christ. The missionary was so upset that he walked out of the meeting.

I now regret that I allowed others to divert us from the ideas that God had impressed upon us for ministry in India. We could have won many souls to Christ and established new churches. But after only ten months, we returned to the United States. We realized that, under those circumstances, we could never convince non-Christians that Jesus Christ is alive. If non-Christians were to be convinced about Christ, we would need gospel messengers who would preach and demonstrate Jesus’ miracle-working power and love.

God, help me to listen to You and to follow through with the plans You place in my heart. Let Your life-giving vision take precedence over tradition and routine. You are a God who does new things! You make a way in the wilderness. Give me faith to do Your will.