1. Because there are lost people there.
When my friend Keith Shumaker, missionary in Burkina Faso, was asked to which people group he was going, he replied, “The lost ones.” You see, Jesus Christ did not come just to save a certain people group or a certain number in each country. He came to seek and save that which was lost. As long as there are lost people, meaning ones who have not placed their faith in Christ as their Savior, there is still a great need. You may ask, “Why should the remaining unsaved people matter to me?” The answer is, “Because they matter to Jesus.” They are the reason that He came. Therefore, they should be a reason why we go.
2. Because of the great confusion.
In 2 Corinthians 4:4, the Bible says that Satan has blinded the minds of lost people. The devil has definitely blinded and confused the hearts and minds of many in Latin America. On a daily basis, you will hear many familiar Bible terms used in Latin culture, words likeresurrection, crucifixion,andsalvation. The people in Latin America know the name of Jesus. Many young boys even carry His name. The sad reality is the name “Jesus” is meaningless without truth and understanding behind it. In Matthew 7:21-23, many well-intentioned people will be cast into an eternity in hell. Their claim to heaven will be, “But we did a lot of religious works ‘in His name.’” So why will these people, who know the name of Jesus, who live their life using the name of Jesus, and do good works in the name of Jesus, be cast into everlasting darkness? They didn’t believe in the person of Jesus, in whom He is, and what He did for them. Many are guilty of using Jesus’ name simply as religious terminology, like a lucky rabbit’s foot. I’m reminded of the apostle Paul when he stood on Mars Hill and stated that the people were all too superstitious, too religious. They worried about pleasing all the gods, but forgot to worship the one true God.
3. Because the enemy is still gaining ground.
No military would pull out of a country while the enemy was still advancing and call it a success. All across Latin America, Satan is still claiming territory and lives. No matter what town or city, great or small, all will be full of false doctrine. A false gospel is preached in many buildings week in and week out. Again, many of the same familiar words and terminologies that are pertinent to the gospel will be used, yet mixed with traditions and lies, therefore perverting it into no gospel at all.Remember what Galatians 1:6-9 says? The phrase in verse 7, “which is not another,” means “no gospel at all”.Once you poison the water, it is no longer life-giving; it’s deadly!
4. Because of the unfinished task.
The Lord blessed my wife and I with three wonderful children. Now He has added a loving daughter-in-law and a precious grandson. When my children were growing up, I gave them many assignments to complete. For example, if I were to instruct my oldest son to teach his two younger sisters how to do something, to stay with them making sure they understood and finished it, then found him having left his sisters with the job only halfway done in order to help someone else, no one would say he finished the assigned task.
Likewise as believers, Christ has given us explicit instructions in Matthew 28:18-20 to teach all nations, to baptize them (once they are believers), and then to continue teaching them to observe all things. Newborn babies cannot figure out how to live on their own. They need someone to stay with them from infancy until maturity. After reaching maturity, they themselves will repeat the same process of growth with their children. The same is true with a newborn in Christ. They need someone to stay with them until maturity so they will not be confused and drawn away by false doctrines. 2 Timothy 2:2 instructs us to repeat the spiritual process with other capable believers. The last part is often the part overlooked. Just as with the illustration of my son, he did not complete the task given him, even though he had broken offto help others. He could have easily argued, “But Dad, I was doing good by helping someone else.” Yet he would not have finished what I had asked him to do.
Many want to pull missionaries out of Latin America with the task only partially finished. They say we must do this to focus our efforts on other needy parts of the world. I believe we should follow Matthew 9:37-38 and pray for more laborers to go into the harvest field. I am praying and begging God for more laborers for the still needy field of Latin America
