Our approach to Missions

Adoniram Judson had a clear and passionate perspective on missions, and his insights remain incredibly relevant for us today. He believed that the attitude we bring to missions matters just as much as the work itself. Writing in 1833 to the secretary of the Baptist Board, he didn’t hold back when addressing the tendency of some missionaries to approach the field with short-term or self-serving goals. He remarked, “They come out for a few years with the view of acquiring a stock of credit on which they may vegetate the rest of their days in the congenial climate of their native land. The motto of every missionary, whether preacher, printer, or school master, ought to be devoted for life.” Judson’s words challenge us to examine our own dedication and remind us that true missions work requires a lifelong commitment to serving Christ and others.

Judson also had strong convictions about the quality of missionaries sent to the field. He believed that missions deserved the very best from the church. Reflecting on this, he stated, “It is a mistake to suppose that a dull and second-rate man is good enough for the heathen. The worst off needs the very best we have. God gave His best, even His only begotten Son, in order to redeem a lost world. Christianity will advance over the earth with long, swift strides when the churches are ready to send their best men and the best men are ready to go.” His comparison to God giving His best is humbling and aligns with the heart of the Great Commission. As Paul reminds us in Romans 12:1, “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Judson’s vision calls us to invest our very best efforts, resources, and people into the mission of making disciples worldwide.