Saturday, October 13, 2007

Adoption as Missions

The Worldview Ministries "team" (my wife and I) are going to Ukraine for a few weeks next Sunday. I want to answer the question why? We are not going to vacation though that would be nice. We have work to do. I have only been out of the country twice and that was a country in close proximity to the US. In fact, I have only been to seven or eight states. So why would we travel five thousand miles from home? We are going because we are commanded by God to go. Jesus said "Go make disciples of all nations" (Mat. 28:19). This is a command not a suggestion!
All are called to do missions. I would not say that the bible mandates everyone in particular to leave the soil of their homeland. One can do missions by contributing financially so another can go. By the way thank you again to all that helped to support us in this endeavor whether big or--I was going to say small, but your support was no small matter. Also, one can do missions by giving prayer support for those on the mission field. If you cannot go then pray. Pray that god will send laborers into the field (Mat. 9:38). In one way or another we all should and can participate in missions both foreign and domestic.
In this particular case we are trying to adopt. I want to urge everyone to consider adoption in light of missions. What better way to do missions than to bring someone into a covenant family? I do not make mention of this to make me look good. I fall short on more accounts than I get things right. I say this to exhort those of you that may read this to consider adoption as an act of missions. Not that one must adopt as such, but to be involved in some way!
If I have missed the mark by relating adoption to missions, forgive me. I don't thing I have though. God has always had a soft spot for a few particular groups of people, the elderly, blind, stranger in the land, foreigner, and I think especially the fatherless.
Regardless the scripture is clear that pure religion consists of visiting the fatherless (James 1:26). I am convinced that this is the greatest area of concern for missions in our day. We hope to set up a continuing mission to Ukraine even after the adoption. Join Worldview ministries in making this a reality.