We are closing out our meditation on the churches’ sometimes failure to equip and release people to be “Minutemen,” a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that enabled the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, helping believers implement Jesus’ command in Luke 12.35, 40:

Prepared for action at a moment’s notice, alert and ready at all times. (The Passion Translation)

I close with the story of William Carey, now known as the father of modern missions, pioneering mission work into India. Here is an excellent synopsis of his life which, of course, includes this infamous story:

At a minister’s meeting, Carey stood up and proposed that the local church should partner with other local churches in the region to send missionaries to Africa and India. Another man by the name of J. C. Ryland exclaimed:

“Sit down, young man, sit down and be still. When God wants to convert the heathen, He will do it without consulting either you or me.”

Actually, God does want to convert the heathen, and he does it precisely through ordinary people like you and me. Let’s just start where we are. As Lorne Sanney, the second president of The Navigators said back in 2003:

Luke 24.46, 47 says, “He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.'” Why did he say, “…beginning at Jerusalem”? Because that’s where they were! You certainly cannot reach the world starting from where you are not! -Lorne Sanney, to the quadrennial gathering of Navigator staff, via video, November 2003

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.“ (Mark 16.15, NKJV)