Good ol' Gaius
John writing to Gaius said,
Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. 3 John v. 5-8
We should cooperatively work together to take the truth to all people, in all nations. John was commending Gaius for his faithful support & hospitality of those who were being faithful to Jesus' command in the Great Commission. Gaius is even helping out strangers here. We do likewise when we give to the Lottie Moon Offering and the Annie Armstrong Offering. However, if we support strangers, how much more should we personally be involved in showing hospitality, love, and support.
The only missions work is not done by just the missionary, but also by the rope holders, those who support the missionaries as they go out to tell the truth about the Savior. Working in New York City this summer brings the Annie Armstrong offering into a whole different perspective to me. We have Southern Baptists church plants in all 5 Burroughs of NYC, and all around. These may be strangers, but think personally for a moment, about the impact reaching NYC would have on our country and the world. Then think about how we have church planters and evangelists in the San Francisco's, Boston's, Chicago's, to the rural West Virginian coal mines. Get contact info for a church and get to know it personally, praying for them as you support them through prayer and giving.
Be like Good ol' Gaius and give of yourself for the spreading of the true church across North America & to the ends of the earth.
Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. 3 John v. 5-8
We should cooperatively work together to take the truth to all people, in all nations. John was commending Gaius for his faithful support & hospitality of those who were being faithful to Jesus' command in the Great Commission. Gaius is even helping out strangers here. We do likewise when we give to the Lottie Moon Offering and the Annie Armstrong Offering. However, if we support strangers, how much more should we personally be involved in showing hospitality, love, and support.
The only missions work is not done by just the missionary, but also by the rope holders, those who support the missionaries as they go out to tell the truth about the Savior. Working in New York City this summer brings the Annie Armstrong offering into a whole different perspective to me. We have Southern Baptists church plants in all 5 Burroughs of NYC, and all around. These may be strangers, but think personally for a moment, about the impact reaching NYC would have on our country and the world. Then think about how we have church planters and evangelists in the San Francisco's, Boston's, Chicago's, to the rural West Virginian coal mines. Get contact info for a church and get to know it personally, praying for them as you support them through prayer and giving.
Be like Good ol' Gaius and give of yourself for the spreading of the true church across North America & to the ends of the earth.
