Fear and the Great Commission

Snap … snap … snap …

A missions leader stands before me, snapping his finger loudly, rhythmically—awkwardly, even—all the while peering into our souls. Finally he says, “With every second that passes, someone is going to hell.” This is an illustration I’ve heard countless times. It’s a tool to engage our hearts with lostness. And it works.

But as powerful as fear is, it has never propelled anyone to perfect love.

We should feel a burden for the lost. It is true—many people at this very moment will die in unbelief. Their lives will be extinguished. They will spend an eternity apart from the Lord. There will be nothing to save them from this fate.

Allowing this thought to overtake us creates a frantic drive. It orbits missionaries around the most effective tools for reaching lost people. It keeps organizations launching strategies for conquering whole countries and regions. It even shapes business models aimed at expediting the kingdom of God.

But is this a burden God made us to bear? Read More