"Missions is primarily intentional cross-cultural evangelism beyond the immediate outreach of the local church. Its aim is to bring the un-reached to saving faith in Jesus Christ, to disciple them and to incorporate them into the fellowship of an existing or newly-planted local assembly of believers. Adjunct ministries, to be considered “missions” should demonstrate their commitment to evangelism, discipleship and church planting/church growth."

—Dr. Frank Allen, missionary and mission pastor, Highland Park Baptist Church, Southfield, MI

 

"The sending forth of authorized persons beyond the borders of the New Testament church and her immediate gospel influence to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in gospel-destitute areas, to win converts from other faiths or non-faiths to Jesus Christ, and to establish functioning, multiplying local congregations who will bear the fruit of Christianity in that community and to that country."

—Dr. George Peters, missionary statesman, and former Professor at Dallas Theological Seminary

 

"The kingdom of God throughout the world will not be established by “Lone Rangers” but by the people of God working together."

—Jerry Rankin, President, International Mission Board

 

"There are those who advocate that we drop the word (missionary) altogether. Others insist that it should be applied to all committed Christians. Stephen Neill has warned that if everybody is a missionary, nobody is a missionary."

 

"The Chinese have a proverb: “If two men feed a horse, it will lose weight; if two men keep a boat, it will soon leak.” What is everybody’s job is nobody’s job. If every Christian is a missionary, missionary work is bound to suffer. It is correct to say that every Christian is, or should be, a witness. It is not correct to say that every Christian is a missionary."

—J. Herbert Kane, Missionary statesman, author, and professor

 

"Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever any tie, but the ties that bind me to your service and to your heart."

—David Livingstone

 

"In encouraging other young men to come out as missionaries, do use a word of caution.  One wrong-headed, conscientiously-obstinate fellow would ruin us.  Humble, quiet, persevering men; men of sound, sterling talents (though, perhaps, not brilliant), of decent accomplishments, and some natural aptitude to acquire a language; men of an amiable temper, willing to take the lowest place, to be the least of all and the servants of all; men who enjoy closet religion, who live near to God, and are willing to suffer all things for Christ's sake, without being proud of it, these are the men.

“But O, how unlike to this description is the writer of it."

—Adoniram Judson (1816)

 

“Just a word of warning. Passionate prayers not only change the world, they have a way of transforming the people who pray….God’s goal is to recruit every one of us for His search and rescue team.”

—Debbie Meroff, True Grit, p. viii.  2004

 

"The missionary heart: Care more than some think is wise. Risk more than some think is safe. Dream more than some think is practical. Expect more than some think is possible. I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience….There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving him." 

—Karen Watson, martyr, March 15, 2004

 

"He must move men through God -- by prayer,"

—J. Hudson Taylor, first missionary to the interior of China and the founder of the China Inland Mission.

 

"No reserves, No retreats, No regrets."

—William Borden, died in Egypt, 1913, age 25.

 

 “I was left alone on the veranda with a Chinese neighbor who said in a low voice, ‘Just why are you here in this rough-living country?’ He expected me to smirk in a manner that would show him I was in the opium business too, in secret. But I looked at him earnestly and answered, ‘For the love of One who loves you.’ And then I told him of Christ. He said nothing, but backed away with amazement and awe on his face.”

—Isobel Kuhn, Ascent to the Tribes, p. 274, 1956

 

“Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ.”

—Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

 

“Just one life. This is all any one of us has to offer. How can it be used for the greatest glory of God and the greatest blessing to men? How can we be as useful as  possible and as effective as possible as Christians?”

—Michael Griffiths, Give up your small ambitions, p. 10, 1970

 

“Nail the colours to the mast! That is the right thing to do, and, therefore, that is what we must do, and do it now. What colours? The colours of Christ, the work He has given us to do — the evangelization of all the unevangelized. Christ wants not nibblers of the possible, but grabbers of the impossible, by faith in the omnipotence, fidelity, and wisdom of the Almighty Saviour Who gave the command. Is there a wall in our path? By our God we will leap over it! Are there lions and scorpions in our way? We will trample them under our feet! Does a mountain bar our progress? Saying, 'Be thou cast into the sea,' we will march on. Soldiers of Jesus! Never surrender! Nail the colours to the mast!”

—C.T. Studd

 

"God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him."

—Hudson Taylor

 

"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply"

—Hudson Taylor

 

"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose"

—Jim Elliot, missionary martyr

 

"To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map."

—William Carey

 

"This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth!"

—Keith Green

 

When James Calvert went out as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the ship captain tried to turn him back, saying, "You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages." To that, Calvert replied, "We died before we came here."

 

"Go, send, or disobey."

—John Piper

 

"I have but one passion: It is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ."

—Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf

 

“It is the whole business of the whole church to preach the whole gospel to the whole world.”

—Charles H. Spurgeon