Soon after the Baptist Missionary Society was formed in 1792, William Carey looked at the small band of brothers that stood around him and said, “Well, I will go down if you will hold the rope.” Andrew Fuller took on that challenge and spent the rest of his life holding the rope so that Carey could take the gospel to India.
When we think of missions, we frequently think only of people like Carey and others who go to the nations. But missionary work requires much more than a single commitment. It requires the equally important commitment of others who are willing to holding the rope. In that sense, missions is doing together what we cannot do alone.
In Romans 10, Paul explained missions in this way: 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? He then concludes: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
If you examine Paul’s listing in reverse order, it makes it easier to see the natural progression of missions:
- The missionary is sent
- The missionary preaches
- The people hear
- The people believe
- The people call upon the name of the Lord
It is important to note that the latter steps cannot be completed unless the prior steps are done first. That is why sending (or rope holding) is an absolute necessity. Unless one sends, a lost people will never hear the gospel. That is what Carey realized. That is why he needed Fuller to hold the rope.
There are a lot of exciting ministries taking place all around our state convention right now:
- We have commissioned out more than 150 short-term missionaries to more than a dozen different countries, and we currently have four young adults spending their summer as interns alongside our some of our missionaries and missionary partners!
- Camp Cowen is in the middle of it’s sixth week youth camps this summer, and they have already witnessed dozens of decisions for Christ!
- Brothers’ Keeper just wrapped up it’s 19th summer of doing ministry in the Jackson County area, and they’re already making plans for an even bigger event next year to celebrate their 20th year!
- Baptist Campus Ministries concluded the school year with more than 100 students spending a week at Myrtle Beach, worshiping Christ, participating in service projects, and growing in fellowship with one another. They even had one student from Concord University get baptized!
Exciting things are happening all around the state, and disciples are being made all around the world, as a result of people going and making the gospel known. But people can only go if they are first sent. And sending requires people to hold the rope.
One of the primary ways in which you can hold the rope is by joining us in supporting the Mountain State Mission Offering. The Mountain State Mission Offering is what helps allow each of the above ministries to take place. Without Andrew Fuller, there would be never have been a William Carey, and without people willing to hold the rope through the Mountain State Mission Offering, the other life-changing ministries that we get excited about would also not exist. “How are they to preach unless they are sent?”
Is God calling you to be a rope holder? Without rope holders, missions cannot exist.
