"...But if we do not take the gospel to them, isn’t that where they will go?"

I’ve been re-reading “Radical,” by David Platt and this section of the book just struck a chord with me.  I was shocked to read the mindset of this particular pastor that Platt met, but I think that his point and application was on point and very convicting.  It may be offensive to some, but consider why it might be offensive if that is in fact, how you feel.  Are you offended because you don't consider the Gospel valuable enough to give up everything for? 

61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9: 61-52

As Francis Chan once said, “Why would you need the Comforter if you are already Comfortable?”  You aren’t called to be comfortable; you are called to spread the Gospel, even if that means leaving what you know and are familiar with behind.  The ends of the earth includes the homeless shelter 10 miles from your house.  Why aren't you going?

            "I remember exactly where I was sitting

            It was in a home where leaders of an American church had gathered—a church that had demonstrated great kindness to me in the past, praying for me and even sending me financial support (completely unsolicited).  The pastor sat immediately to my right and a couple of deacons were on the other side of the den.  This was a Saturday evening, and I had been invited to preach the following morning in their church.

            As we sat around the den, they asked me questions about how my wife and I were doing. I shared with them about inner city ministry in New Orleans, where we were living at the time.  I told them about ministry in housing projects ridden with poverty and gang violence.  I told them about ministry among homeless men and women who struggled with various addictions. Then I told them about missionary opportunities God had recently given me around the world. I told them about peoples receptivity to the gospel in places that are traditionally hostile to Christianity.  I told them that whether in the inner cities or overseas, God was drawing people to himself in some of the toughest places of the world.

            Expecting them to share in my excitement, I paused to listen for their response.  After an awkward silence, one of the deacons leaned forward in his chair, looked at me and said, 'David, I think it’s great you are going to those places.  But if you ask me, I would just as soon God annihilate all those people and send them to hell.'

            That’s exactly what he said.  I was shocked and speechless.  I had no idea what to say in response.  I wish I had said something, but I’m still not sure what I would have said.  Annihilate them? Send them to hell?

            After a moment of silence, the rest of the room resumed conversation as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.  
           It got worse.

           The next morning we arrived at the church building, and the worship service began.  The pastor rose to welcome everyone, and during his introductory remarks he began talking about how thankful he was to be living in the United States.  I am not sure what sparked the rousing patriotic address that followed, but for the next few minutes he told the church that there was no chance he would ever live anywhere else in the world.  Amens were firing left and right from the crowd.  Engulfed in nationalistic zeal, I was just waiting for Lee Greenwood to burst into song in the background.

            Minutes later I got up to preach on going to all nations with the gospel.  When I finished, I walked down to the front while the pastor got up to close the service.  These were his words: 'Brother David, we are so excited about all that God is doing in New Orleans and in all nations, and we are excited that you are serving there.' He continued, 'And, brother, we promise that we will continue to send you a check so we don’t have to go there ourselves.'

            He wasn’t finished.

            'I remember a time at my last congregation when a missionary from Japan came to speak,' he said. 'I told that church that if they didn't give financial support to this missionary, I was going to pray that God would send their kids to Japan to serve with that missionary.'

            Wow.

            Did the pastor just threaten his congregation with the punishment of going to the world?

            He continued, '...and my church gave that man a laptop and a whole lot of money.'

            Apparently, the threat worked.

            The service was dismissed, and my wife and I climbed into the car to drive home.  I could hardly believe the things I had heard.  A range of emotions consumed me—anger, sadness, disappointment, confusion.  But as I began to process what had happened over the last twenty four house, I was struck by a frightening realization.

            Could it be that this deacon and this pastor expressed what most professing Christians in America today believe but are not bold enough to say? This may sound harsh, but consider the reality.

            How many of us are embracing the comforts of suburban America while we turn a deaf ear to inner cities in need of the gospel?  How many of us are so settled in the United States that we have never once given serious thought to the possibility that God may call us to live in another country?  How often are we willing to give a check to someone else as long as we don’t have to go to the tough places in the world ourselves?  How many of us parents are praying that God will raise up our children to leave our homes and go overseas, even if that means they may never come back?  And how many of us are devoting our lives to taking the gospel to people in hostile regions around the world where Christians are not welcomed?  Certainly few of us would be so bold as to say we 'would just as soon God annihilate them and send them to hell,' but if we do not take the gospel to them, isn’t that where they will go?

            Meanwhile Jesus commands us to go.  He created each of us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, and I propose that anything less than radical devotion to this purpose is unbiblical Christianity."

- excerpt from "Radical," by David Platt