Honor or numbers?
Elliot Clark’s Mission Affirmed: Recovering the Missionary Motivation of Paul. While various factors motivated Paul’s labor, an underlying concern that often gets overlooked is simply this: Paul wants God’s approval. He wants honor or commendation from the Lord on the day when he judges Paul’s work. Therefore, Paul is worried about the quality of his ministry, and whether the churches he planted actually reflect the kingdom of God. This concern trumps the modern fixation among missionaries on rapidity and numbers. The book unpacks this point over the span of several chapters. What exactly are we reproducing? Clark expresses his concern clearly, Today, in many places where the gospel is spreading the fastest and where churches are rapidly multiplying, Satan appears to be the most active in deceiving believers. Simply having the Holy Spirit and the Bible does not guarantee a mature disciple. This is one reason why I’m so concerned with the growing number of missionary strategies that adv...