I recently had the privilege of attending the Issachar Initiative FTT (Finishing The Task) Conference at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in California. The Issachar Initiative is a group of mission organizations who—like Mission Aviation Fellowship—are committed to “finishing the task” of reaching all people groups with the message of the Gospel. It was wonderful getting to spend time with these like-minded people who have a passion for sharing Jesus.
This conference was particularly illuminating for me in being able to see more clearly MAF’s role within the Great Commission. Consider for instance that most of the people who have not heard the Gospel live in places that have not yet been “reached.” That means that the vast majority of people who have not heard about the Gospel have not even had the chance because there is no one working with them.
MAF is part of this network of mission agencies and churches that have a shared burden for reaching this generation who might otherwise live and die without the opportunity to hear the life-giving message of Jesus Christ.
MAF plays an essential role in this partnership—providing the opportunity to reach into those remote areas of the world. Our airplanes and technology make it possible for us and our partners to get into areas that are geographically, politically, or religiously isolated. Because of this, we are honored to strive together in these places to share Christ with people who are often overlooked or forgotten.
Why do we go to these places? Because Jesus “commanded us to go and make disciples of ALL nations”—not just the ones that are easy to reach.
I will leave you with this thought from the renowned 19th century pastor Charles Spurgeon:
“If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”
It is up to us as an organization, and ultimately as believers, to reach the lost with the message of the Gospel—wherever they are.