How Can They Go If They Are Not Sent?

My husband and I recently went to Asia to teach at a Discipleship Training School. We are missionaries, and like other missionaries, we rely on a team of generous supporters to fund what we do. . Our supporters aren’t just financial partners with us, but they are prayer and ministry partners as well. I would say that our ministry partnership is the most important part for us. 

After we finished speaking at the DTS, the students asked us to thank our supporters for them. They were so grateful to them for sending us to Asia for the opportunity to hear from us. We felt so humbled as they spoke, because without our supporters, we would not have been able to go. 

Partnership in the Church is so important to spreading the Gospel. Romans 10:14-15 talks about this relationship. It says:

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

When someone prays for another person going on a mission trip, gives financial support, or helps out in a different way, they are partnering with them in that ministry. They are just as involved and important to what goes on during ministry as the one who is there in person. This allows the Church to interact with what the Lord is doing with the Body in other parts of the world.

The DTS students were so grateful that the Church worked together in that moment, because they got to be encouraged and prayed for by us. We were grateful because we got to be blessed by the students and see how the Lord spoke to us through them. Our supporters got to see how their contributions were making an impact on others on the other side of the globe! Everyone was brought closer to the Lord because of true partnership between international Christians, and the Gospel now has a better opportunity of spreading all over the world. 
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About the Author ~

​Erin Baird did her DTS in Townsville, Australia in 2017. Since then her love for missions has grown, along with ending Bible poverty. She enjoys traveling, baking, studying the Bible, and teaching others how to study the Bible for themselves. She currently lives in Texas with her husband, Carl as they serve on staff at YWAM Ships Corpus Christi. ​