Essential Baptist Principles_™
As taught in the Holy Scriptures
  July 1, 2014

Selected Comments

New Testament Patterns
Missionary trips- so called

In the book of Acts will be found the practices of the Apostles and brethren concerning the preaching of the Gospel to other people which today is referred to as outreaches or Missionary trips. The following examples: Phillip and the eunuch, Peter and Cornelius, Phillip and the Brethren in Samaria, and the Apostle Paul's trips give us ample evidence to pattern after.

These examples in scripture dispels the modern missionary's claim that the commandments Christ gave his disciples was a Great Commission. It doesn't take much study to realize that the Apostles did not understand the commandments to be their authority to go to all the world and spread the Gospel. If it were true, Peter would not have been disturbed about going to the Gentile people and the disciples would not have been restricted to preaching to only the Jews as is plainly recorded in the book of Acts. Everyone of the examples I've cited has one very important common element. They all were guided by the Spirit of God and not the Church or the strength and ability of the Apostles.

In the case of Phillip and the Eunuch: Phillip was directed by the Spirit to go to a certain place not knowing why until the Spirit told him to join himself to the chariot where the Eunuch was reading in the book of Isaiah. Peter and Cornelius both were visited by the Spirit in visions and Peter was still very cautious in going to this Gentile. The preaching in Samaria was not a so called Missionary trip to spread the gospel but Phillip went down to Samaria to preach to those that were scattered abroad and was restricted to the Jews only.

The Apostle Paul followed the same pattern, being guided by the Spirit in the places he traveled. In Chapter 13 of the book of Acts will be found the Holy Ghost calling Paul and Barnabas to the work of preaching the gospel. It says in verse 4 " So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed....." which tells us who sent them to preach, leaving the church out of that decision. The Church recognized their gift and ordained then giving them the authority to preach the Gospel and serve God's people wherever the Spirit led them. Verse 3 "And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." Thus the Church ordained them into the ministry but the Spirit led them in their field of labor. This is a very important distinction which a person must make to avoid falling prey to the false doctrines of Missionarism which promotes the idea that the Church has the authority to spread the Gospel to the world. The present Missionary spirit will end up just as the 1830 movement did, with the proselytizers believing they are playing a part in eternal salvation. Elder Claude McKee

View or sign our Guest book