Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 2, blog 4

William Carey, the famous English missionary to India, moved his family across the world in order to testify about Christ. He faced a number of familial challenges during his time in that country, even after the grueling passage under the conditions of that day. As you examine the lives of missionaries, they all seem to have lost great things—families, health, lives. Ultimately, however, Carey’s own son followed in his footsteps by becoming a foreign missionary. Considering the great challenges and dangers that his father faced, about which he had personal experience and knowledge, what caused this son to pursue a life as a missionary?

The senior Carey’s experiences might have swayed his son’s appetite away from the missionary endeavor, but his magnificent view of God had an opposite and greater effect. Undoubtedly, his own example of perseverance and the results that the Lord provided helped his son choose a similar path, but it was Carey’s understanding of the sovereignty and goodness of God that shaped his son. Carey once told his son, who was considering serving in a less dangerous place, “Mary and you will be a thousand times safer committing yourselves to God in the path of duty than neglecting duty to take care of yourselves.”

Sadly, today in America, the faith of the church seems shriveled and weak in comparison to our spiritual ancestors. Not only has there been a ‘dumbing down’ of our faith, there has been a great degree of softening too. We expect God to do fewer things. We do not expect great suffering, or suffering at all, and we certainly don’t think that it is God’s chosen means to bring about His will! In fact, suffering often sends us reeling into doubt of God. The dumbing down is seen in the biblical illiteracy that has reached nearly endemic proportions in the church. At the same time, our faith has grown soft, like a middle-aged athlete who has greater affection for jelly than for gyms. What is the root cause of this spiritual decay?

The causes are many and complex, no doubt, but it can certainly be traced to at least one thing: weak theology. Our dim view of God gives us a dim view of the world! Faith is intimately linked with knowledge of the One in whom we have faith, and as one falters, so does the other. The apostle John wrote that “this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5). So, belief in Jesus as the Son of God is directly linked world-dominating faith. This is what we call an integrated theological (i.e. biblical) worldview. We must absorb propositional truth about God (theology) from the Word of God (the Bible) and use that to shape our daily thoughts and beliefs (our worldview). Once this has happened, we will have faith that bears up under suffering and hardship, faith that can take hard knocks without wavering.

When we take God at His word and begin to live with biblical expectations, beliefs, and desires, we will find faith growing stout and lively and becoming more beautifully vibrant. Seeing that God is fully good, powerful, wise, sovereign, and worthy will cause us to be strong in faith. Knowledge of Jesus as the suffering Servant-Messiah will cause us to live in conformity to Him, not fearing if our own lives should be swallowed up or exhausted for the sake of His name. In fact, we will expect that to be our end as we take up our cross daily and follow Him. To the degree that we know Him, we can follow Him with strong belief.

Error, on the other hand, is toxic to faith. If fleshly thoughts about God dominate our understanding of who He is, faith will weaken and cower at the slightest breeze of affliction. Faith that is weak begins to question—does God really love me? is this really best? is this even worth it? Great caution is required if we aspire to avoid the path of error and falsehood, and travel in the highway of truth instead, for spiritual health and vigor are found in that highway, but attendant with these things will also be a servant’s share of suffering. Hardship must not turn us away from pursuing God—rather it should drive us to know Him better through His word. William Carey would expect nothing else.

--Dean of Admissions