In the late 1700’s, William Carey had a conviction and an ambition that was uncommon. His belief was that the Great Commission of Jesus was just as pertinent to modern believers as it was to Jesus’ disciples. When trying to speak about the need for missionaries to be sent overseas at a Baptist convention, he was met with this response: “Young man, sit down! You are an enthusiast. When God pleases to convert the heathen, he’ll do it without consulting you or me.” It sounds crazy now, but this had become a common belief at the time and an excuse for churchgoers to remain living comfortably in the faith. In a world of inconvenience, how dare one think that faith should be added to that list? Let matters of God be left to God, and let matters of men be left to men.
Well, Carey did not conform to these thoughts. He knew that through Christ he had an invitation into the matters of God. He knew that God could be glorified through his single-minded obedience. William would go on to study the scriptures, learning Hebrew and Greek; he wrote essays on the obligations of Christians to share the gospel; and in 1792, he organized a missionary society. At the inaugural meeting, he urged his congregation to “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God!” Within a year, this man had moved his family into the heart of India where every kind of suffering and hardship would befall him. In the legacy left behind him, he has become known as the “Father of Modern Protestant Missions.”
This call of Carey has been on my mind for the past few weeks. It is a call to be a hearer and a doer. It is a call to walk in both Spirit AND Truth. And as the life of a missionary has become the familiar, mundane duty of my days, I am constantly asking the Lord to remind me of my life vision, the power of the cross of Jesus, and my purpose in living a life on the altar for Him. I look to others who went before me to find courage and inspiration. Men like Oswald Chambers, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Adoniram Judson, Nabeel Qureshi, and Nik Ripken have pushed me to seek after what the Lord is doing in the world and how I can be of use to Him in His workings in the world.
There are a few passions of my heart. One is prayer for and care for the persecuted church. Another is the workings of the Holy Spirit in the Middle East as the church grows at rapid rates, pushing the boundaries of the Kingdom’s front lines deeper and deeper in territories where they have been held back for so long. I believe that these two portions of the global church have a vital role in the fulfillment of the end of times and the beckoning return of our glorious King.
With this said, I come before you in great joy to share that I will be partaking in God’s pursuit of the nations in the Middle East and surrounding areas. The 10/40 window is the most unreached portion of the world, and in January, I will be leading a group of experienced World Race alumni to these lands of adventure and uncharted territory. We will be immersed in nations of Muslim majority to share the gospel, care for the afflicted, cast out demons, serve refugees seeking refuge, and encourage any and all believers that God would have us to meet.
I am asking for people to join me in my mission of “expect great things, attempt great things” by partnering with me through finances. I am currently working as a Male Discipler for the Gap Year program and will visit my squad in Guatemala. Afterwards, I will reconnect with my family for the holidays and then begin training for this new step in following my Shepherd to the ends of the earth.
For more information on where I am in the world, where I am going, and what the Lord is preparing my life for, email me at [email protected]. I’d love to call you to share, encourage, and pray with you!
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” -Colossians 3:16-17
