“…and so I have fully proclaimed the Gospel of Christ. It has always been my ambition to preach the Gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” (Romans 15:19b-20)
I believe this is one of many mission statements by Paul. It expresses how he did ministry. He was not afraid to go as God led him with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. I understand what he is saying because I Love Missions! I don’t just enjoy going on mission trips, but I love being involved and living missions.
I remember that day in Connecticut when the Holy Spirit spoke to me as I was reading Isaiah 6. As I came across verse 8, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord say, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ and I said, ‘Here I am. Send Me!’” My life changed forever. I had no idea where I was going, or what I’d be doing. I just knew God called me to missions. Fortunately, God led me to Claren who loved missions as much as I. It has definitely made His call easier to fulfill.
Every September is the emphasis of the Myers/Mallory State Missions offering for Church Planting, Church Revitalization, WMU, Partnership Missions, and Disaster Relief. These monies are used to strengthen the work of these areas within the state of Alabama. This year’s goal is $1.2 million dollars. The Pickens Baptist Association gave over $11,000 dollars last year. That’s good, but I sense that all of us can do better.
The namesakes of our Alabama State Missions Offering are Kathleen Mallory and Martha Myers. Kathleen Mallory felt God calling her to promote missions education through the Alabama and National WMU. In 1909, Kathleen became Alabama WMU’s Secretary/Treasurer. While in 1912, she became the National WMU Secretary/Treasurer for 36 years. She wrote that “substance and self” were all a Christian had to give and that these gifts should be “fragrant with self-denial”.
Dr. Martha Myers started her missions career during her third year of medical school. She participated in a Foreign Mission Board (IMB) program which allowed her to spend two months doing medical work at Jibla Baptist Hospital in Yemen. This experience changed the course of her life. She quickly finished her senior year of medical school, internship, and residency through the University of South Alabama. Then, Dr. Martha attended seminary classes and began learning Arabic. Eventually, she was appointed by the Foreign Mission Board to serve as a medical doctor in Yemen. She served sacrificially there for 25 years. Sadly, her life ended on December 30, 2002 when she and two other American missionaries were murdered by a member of an al-Qaida cell. One of her most memorable statements was, “Things don’t matter, but people do.”
Remember the lives of these two ladies as you pray and seek how much your congregation’s goal will be this year. Don’t ever say, “We can’t do that!” With God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19.26)
Until Next Month,
Bro. Lyle