Your ShelfYour Projects

Importance of Reporting Missionary Work

6%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 5, 1914

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 91, No. 10.

Read the full edition

Importance of Reporting Missionary Work

So much difficulty has been experienced in obtaining reports of our missionary work, from both individuals and societies, that it may be profitable to notice a few things the Scriptures say concerning the matter of reporting. The experience of one of the ancient prophets of Israel at least suggests that much harm might have been prevented had the people of God been faithful in reporting.
Elijah was a man of God. "He prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain." Yet, because of the failure of other "laborers together with God" to report their work and experiences, this man, whose faith and Christian experience were such that he was finally translated, became so utterly discouraged that he wanted to die. He thought he was all alone, as far as human help and sympathy were concerned, in his battles against the evils of his day; and the thought overwhelmed him, forcing from his lips the admitted defeat, "I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have . . . slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." 1 Kings 19:10, 4.
A dismal failure after the glorious victory which just preceded this experience! If the seven thousand of God's children mentioned in verse 18 had reported their missionary work and faith in God, what an additional victory might have been gained for the cause of truth!
Were our foreign missionaries and home workers of today suddenly to cease sending in the inspiring reports that so often appear in the REVIEW and in our union conference papers, how soon would many of us, like Elijah, either become discouraged because of the difficulties in the way or become indifferent in giving the "advent message to all the world in this generation"?
Some have asked, What particular good is to be derived from reporting; that is, from telling what we have done and are doing to win souls to Christ? By so doing we show our love for one another and for the Lord's work. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another;" and when they thus spoke to one another, the angels reported it; for "a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name." Mal. 3:16.
All need encouragement and sympathy. Even the Saviour longed for human sympathy and encouragement. We may read the sorrowful words expressed during his anguish in the garden of Gethsemane, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" Matt. 26:40.
The apostle Paul realized the value of reporting. Notice the similarity between his report of individual experience and ours:—
  • Stripes received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
  • Beaten with rods, times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  • Stoned, times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
  • Days in the deep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
  • Nights in the deep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Other items of interest: "In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, . . . in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, . . . besides . . . the care of all the churches." See 2 Cor. 11:23-28.
We find the apostle used this means most effectually, for, "when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed [or reported] all that God had done with them," and "caused great joy unto all the brethren." Acts 14:27; 15:3, 4, 12.
Thus he sets the example, and then says, after speaking of "good reports," "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." Phil. 4:9.
Finally, we may be encouraged to know that the angels of heaven are kept busy reporting. Read the interesting pen picture in Eze. 9:2, 3, 11. A man is represented clothed with linen, and having a writer's inkhorn by his side. A cherub calls to him and gives him some missionary work to do, and after the work was completed, "behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me."
So let us be more faithful in this matter, and receive the promise that "the God of peace shall be with you" in this life, as Paul said, and also the rich reward promised by the Saviour in the life to come. "Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities." Luke 19:17.—Selected.