The road stands narrow and full of obstacles. The journey remains costly and not easy. You will be asked to lay your very life on the line.

Matthew 11:24-25

  ²⁴Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life^[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

There are 717,108,000 tribal groups in the world and only 11,900 missionaries reaching out to these groups. That means there is only 1 missionary for every 60,000 people. This is astounding to me! There are many people who have never heard the name of Jesus. During, my three month missions training in Zambia one of the first houses my team went up to we met a young woman who had never heard the name of Jesus! This blew me away. Of course, we shared the gospel and she received the Lord-but the fact that at no time in her life did she hear the gospel message seemed crazy to me. This awoke something deep inside of me. I mean why are there so few people following the great commission and going out to the nations with this message?

I realized it was because there is a cost.

Matthew 7:13-14

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Recently, I have been meditating on what it means to be a pioneer walking the narrow road. If you look at the disciples in the Bible they literally laid down everything and put their lives on the line to follow the great commission and proclaim the simple gospel of Jesus Christ. There was a cost. The way was not always easy, it was costly, it was difficult, but worth it. The cause was worth it and we are the result.

I just got back from spending two weeks with over 120 missionaries from our Overland Missions family. During the conference this topic of pioneering was addressed. In one of our conference meetings our founder shared on being a pioneer. He shared an ad from Ernest Shackleton who was calling for men to join him on an expedition across the Antarctic. The ad read:

              MEN WANTED for hazardous journey, small

Wages, bitter cold, long months of

Complete darkness, constant danger, safe

Return doubtful, honor and recognition in

case of success.

This seems crazy who would answer this ad. Well twenty-eight men answered and signed on for this expedition. They were promised nothing, but to them the cause was worth it. They were pioneers in new territory and willing to risk their lives for it.

The hymn “I have decided to follow Jesus” has been running through my head lately. Recently, I looked up the story behind that song. This song was written by a Welsh missionary to India in the 1880’s. He was working in a very tough village whose leaders were unreceptive and hostile to the the gospel message. This missionary had a breakthrough when a family- husband, wife, and two kids-gave their lives to the Jesus. The village leaders found out quickly and arrested the family to make them an example to the community. They demanded that the father renounce Jesus as His Lord or they would kill his family. The man refused and said, “I have decided to follow Jesus, and there is no turning back.” The leaders proceeded to execute his two children right before the man’s eyes. Witnesses recount that he then said, “The world can be behind me, but the cross is still before me.” The leaders proceeded to murder his wife before his eyes as she was pierced by the arrows of the archers his final words were, “Though no one is here to go with me, I will still follow Jesus.” The man was then killed joining the rest of his family.

However, this wasn’t the end of the story shortly after this the welsh missionary returned to the village. This story was recounted and revival broke out. An Indian Evangelist Sadhu Singh heard this story and pinned the martyrs last words into this powerful song we know today. The very people who murdered this family ended up coming to the Lord and the whole village was changed.

This story is what birthed that song.

The Bible says in, Matthew 10:37-39:

“³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”

The call to follow Jesus is not one to take lightly. The call to the nations to share His heart with His children is not one to take lightly. We have to count the cost and remember those who have walked before us. Persecution will come, hardship will come, but it’s worth it to see God’s glory poured out in these last days. It’s worth it to see people healed and set free from sickness and addiction. It’s worth it to see freedom come to people and families. It’s worth it to see hope and love replace fear. It’s worth it to see people realize their true identities and walk it out. It’s worth it to see God’s glory poured out in the nations in the end times. Yes, the road is narrow and there is a cost; but you cannot put a price tag on a soul.

The souls of broken people crying out in need of hope and love are worth walking out this road. God is calling out for radical pioneers who are willing to lay it all on the line to see His glory poured out on the nations.

Will you answer the call?

Matthew 28:19-20

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Everyone is called to go and make disciples where they are at. Each person where they are  brings hope, healing, and freedom to those around them; because Jesus paid the price already. His glory dwells in us and flows through us to others as we consecrate our lives to Him.

I just want to encourage you all and myself not to grow complacent or satisfied, but to fully press into to the things of God. Do not let fear or finances or circumstances hold you back from the dreams and callings God has placed in your heart. Some of you He has placed people groups and nations to go and take territory for the kingdom in. Some of you He has placed businesses and creativity and inventions in your heart. Some of you he has placed in positions of authority to speak out on behalf of the oppressed. Some of you are called to be teachers, doctors, pastors, and missionaries. I mean the list is endless, but whatever God has called you to pursue it wholeheartedly. Press toward the mark of the high calling and run in such a way that you will win (Philippians 3:14, 1 Corinthians 9:24). Do not shrink back; but press into all God has for you.

Hebrews 10:39

³⁹ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

 

I just wanted to share what has been on my heart lately. Love ya family! Thank you for all who have been encouraging and supporting me on my own walk to get back to Africa on the mission field. For those of you who do not know I will be working in Zanzibar, Tanzania. If you would love to hear the vision and connect more I would love to take you out for coffee and talk. I am building a team of partners to get back and need to the financial support and prayers of a team to reach that island. I can’t do it alone. I would love to share more face to face of the vision. Let me know if you would be interested or know of others who would be.