22 Statements on “Missions”

THE SCRIPTURAL PLAN OF DOING MISSION WORK
[This article appeared in the September, 1950 issue of The Rock of Ages, which was edited by Vernon L. Barr. The writing was credited to G. T. Taylor. It was reprinted in The Baptist Waymark in March 1987.]

I. How to get a missionary — Luke 10:2. “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”
II. After you have prayed God to give you the missionary, it is God’s business to call them. Proof — Jer. 1:4-10.
III. Does God still call his preachers? Yes, even down unto the spirit or Gospel dispensation. Yes, God is still doing business at same old stand. Proof — Acts 13:1-4.
IV. After God calls his preachers, whom does he call upon to set them apart? Ans. It is the church. Acts 13:3; I Tim. 3:1-7; and Acts 14:23-25.
V. Who is to send them out? The church sends them out and the Holy Ghost directs them to the field of labour. Acts 13:4. “And the hand of the Lord was with them.” Acts 11:21-22.
VI. We see that the Lord does the calling and the church sets them apart unto the work in which they are called. The Holy Spirit directs — the church and the missionary both are led and directed by the Holy Spirit.
VII. Who is the Bible Superintendent of mission work? The Holy Spirit, Acts 16:4,6,7,9-11.
VIII. We see that the Holy Spirit works at both ends of the line. He says go and where to go, and forbids going. Acts 16:7-15. See Acts 8:28,31,36,39.
IX. To whom did the missionaries make their report? Ans. To the church. Acts 14:23-27.
X. The church sent them out and we find they were responsible to the body who sent them out. We find no association or Board of secretaries, but a church.
XI. To whom did the church write her letters concerning giving and receiving? Ans. To the missionary. Phil. 4:15.
XII. To whom did Paul write his letters? Ans. The church. Proof — II Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:1-4; I Thess. 1:1; Phil. 1:1-2.
XIII. In all these letters, we find the missionaries writing their letters to the church.
XIV. The churches wrote their letters directly to the missionaries (no boards, committees, secretaries of boards, or General Associations). Too, we find here everything direct from church to missionary and from missionary to the church.
XV. With whom did the church keep her missionary account, a treasurer of an Association? There was no board or an association. The church kept her account with her missionary. Proof — Phil. 4:15-18.
XVI. To whom did the church send her mission gifts? Ans. She sent them direct to the missionary on the field. Proof — Phil. 4:15,18.
XVII. We see the church sent her mission money in the most direct way. She sent it by one of her messengers — “Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsóldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.” Phil. 2:25.
XVIII. How much of the money did Paul receive and how much did Epaphroditus receive? Paul received all. Proof — Phil. 4:15-18.
XIX. Is there any plain command for us to do this work just as we see that the inspired Paul did it? Ans. There is a plain positive command for us to do it just exactly that way. Proof — Phil. 4:9, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
XX. Paul’s report of what the Philippians had done — Phil. 4:14-16.
XXI. Did Paul want all true believers to walk by the same rule and follow his examples or did he want all to select his own plan? Ans. He wanted all to be followers of him and take the inspired word and follow the examples as given by one who was inspired. Proof — Phil. 3:15-19.
XXII. Was it God’s eternal plan that this gospel should be made known by the churches, the only divine organization? Ans. Yes, that was certainly God’s purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Proof — Eph. 3:7-11. 
Numbers 22:18, “And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord God, to do less or more.”
— G. T. Taylor