Why Support World Missions Efforts?
By M. L. Walls

To begin with, we support World Missions efforts so that we might carry out the command the Lord gave to His church to carry the Gospel to all the world. There is no way every local pastor or minister can go to all the nations of the world and personally proclaim the liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ. But we can support those whom the Lord has called to carry His Gospel message to the nations of the world. In so doing, we share in the burden, as well as the blessing, of that truth to natives countries. As it has been said, Some go by giving, others give by going. There is no other way for me to fulfill the great commission that Jesus gave to the church other than either by going myself or by helping someone else go into the world with the Gospel message.

Why not keep our money in our own church so that our local church can be blessed?

The problem with this kind of reasoning is that we are failing to see that the blessing is not found in what we keep, but in what we give. It was Paul who stated that the Lord said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” By not allowing our local church members, to support those who are taking, the Gospel to other countries, we are depriving them of one of the greatest blessings they could receive. It was Jesus Himself who said, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” We have a tremendous blessing when we give of our monetary means so that others may hear the Gospel.

Won’t sending money to World Missions result in reduced income in the local church?

No. It will result in just the opposite. I challenge every pastor and congregation to start supporting faithfully and consistently each month the efforts of the World Missions Department and find out for themselves that they will experience not less income but an even greater income into the local church. Giving to the efforts of World Missions does not take away from the local church. In fact, it will add spiritual as well as financial blessings that cannot be known any other way. There are numerous testimonies that have been given by pastors that their church has been greatly blessed spiritually as well as financially since they began to give to World Missions.

Why should we send money to support someone in a foreign country when there are so many that need our support here at home?

We can do both and experience the blessings that are to be received by our sacrificial giving so that others may hear the Gospel both here at home as well as those in foreign countries. We should support the efforts of Missions America as well as World Missions.

Only tomorrow will reveal fully the results of the efforts put forth through World Missions to reach out to natives of other countries with this great Apostolic message. We are blessed to have such a group of dedicated missionaries who are sacrificing and giving up the comforts of America so that peoples of other countries may hear the Gospel. The reports that come in each month are exciting and such a blessing to know that we are making a difference in the lies of others because there are those whom we support that carry the truth to them.

The words that I heard while sitting on the platform of a church in the Philippines years ago could be repeated over and over again in many other countries. A young Filipino stated, “If you had not come, I would not be saved.” Listen to the voices coming from several other countries where we are supporting the efforts of a missionary, and you will hear the same testimony. The thing that disturbs me is if we do not support someone to go there will be testimonies that will never be heard. Many other natives are waiting for someone to bring them message that will change their lives forever. And that will never happen if we do not give of our monetary means so that someone can take them the message of hope and salvation.

Share with us this burden, and this blessing, of reaching out to the world by supporting the efforts of World Missions. You will not regret your involvement. Together we are making a great difference in our world!

The article “Why Support World Missions Efforts?” written by M.L. Walls was excerpted from Apostolic Witness, June 2009.

This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”