Who Is To Blame?
One of the most controversial issues in world evangelization is the question of who is to blame for the Lord's church sending only about 100 preachers outside the United States. Many very scathing attacks have been made upon gospel preachers for not being willing to go; many of these have been unjustified and productive of harm and resentment on the part of hard working, soul loving, local preachers in the South. These attacks have been even more cutting to men who have "volunteered" to go and have found that the decision to go was far easier than begging the money necessary to get to foreign fields. These are the men that especially wonder where the many churches are that are so eager to send men. Until the day comes when elderships start looking for men to go outside the States, and my preaching brethren turn a deaf ear to their pleas, no one will be able to say that the blame rests upon the preachers and not the churches. Let the man that wants to cast all the blame on gospel preachers show one congregation that is looking for a man to send to some foreign field and has failed to find anyone willing to go. The past ten years proves that the hunting has, in the overwhelming majority of cases, been done by the preachers rather than by the churches. Read the papers of the brotherhood and you will see that the begging is for churches to send or support, and not on the part of the churches begging someone to go.
But before my preaching brethren say, "Amen," and lay the whole blame on the churches there is another very important factor to consider — many churches are ready to send a preacher where the gospel has never been preached. If this seems inconsistent, then read the following and you will see that it is not:
Some four years ago Brother C. M. Rhodes traveled for over a year before he could find some twenty congregations that would support him while he preached the gospel in Tripoli, Libya. When the end of his time in Libya approached a very significant thing happened. Brother Ray Duncan informed the elders where he preached that he would replace Brother Rhodes in Libya if the church there would support him. When he did this the contributions were just about enough to meet a budget that was already full. The elders presented the matter to the congregation. The brethren responded by pledging more than enough to fully support Brother Duncan.
Two years ago the churches in Odessa, Texas, were not sending a single American preacher outside the United States. I informed the Southside congregation where I was preaching that I wanted to go to Nigeria. The elders presented the matter to the brethren. The 250 working members of that congregation were already committed in their budget to works which were taking all the contribution each Sunday. But in spite of that they dug deeper and pledged themselves to give enough more to fully support me and pay my transportation both ways. Shortly after this Brother Abe Lincoln, who was preaching at the Parkview congregation made the same proposition to that church. Once again the brethren gave enough above what they had previously been giving to fully support him and to pay his transportation both ways. Last year the Northside church in Odessa completed a new building which seats about 1200 people. In order to finance this, the members had to almost double their contributions in two years. Many were ready to criticize the elders for taking on such a large debt. Yet when Joe Cross told the elders he wanted to come to Nigeria, they had faith enough to present the proposal to the congregation. These brethren sacrificed more, and enough was pledged to completely support him and to pay his transportation both ways. In the past few months Johnny Ramsey has informed the 21st and Eisenhower congregation where he preaches that he is willing to go to Australia. They have promised to send him in 1960 or 1961. I'm proud to say that I am from Odessa, Texas. There is no other city in America that has shown a better response than this. I am proud of my brethren there for setting this great pattern.
The very same thing being done in Odessa is being done on a lesser scale by smaller churches — churches with less than 200 members. In the May 27, 1958, Firm Foundation appeared the announcement that Brother Harold Helf was coming to Italy. The thing that impressed me most was that the church where he had been preaching the past three years (a congregation numbering hardly over 100 members) was planning to send him.
These examples prove that the blame can not be laid wholly on the congregations of God's people. Many gospel preachers who have rebuked the brethren for not giving more to send others have not been willing to say themselves, "Here am I; send me."
The secret to supply our need for world evangelization is found in Acts 11:19-26; 13:1-3. Paul had worked with the church at Antioch and had taught many people while he was there. After he had done such a good work the church sent him away. "Sent him away" means literally they "let him go." Despite his great love for the people and the fine future possibilities in Antioch, Paul was willing to go. And despite the great work he had done there and their love for him, the church was willing to let him go. There are today men of great ability and sincerity who are being supported in the foreign fields by churches where they have not worked, and to whom they are strangers. I pray, of course, that this will continue. But I think that even these men will agree that a church will make greater effort in sacrificing to send one that is personally known to them, and will take a greater interest in his work in the field.
I wish that all my preaching brethren could know the joy of working where the gospel has not been preached and where people are begging for it like they are in so many parts of the world. If you have faith enough to launch out into the deep, you will see after you get into a foreign country that the fears you might have now are not warranted at all. I live in about as bushy an area as anyone in foreign work, and I can truthfully say that when the Lord is with you in doing his work this is the supreme and greatest happiness that a preacher can know.
As I sit looking out into the jet blackness of the African bush I realize how very little I can do to move preachers and elders to accept this challenge, but in the name of Jesus Christ I beg everyone who may read these lines to "think on these things." Will you prove that you are not to blame?