Why Give to Missions?

I have heard some awesome preaching on deputation. I even wrote an article entitled, "The Best Missions Message I've Ever Heard." Since I wrote that article, God allowed me to be in a missions conference at Tucson Baptist Temple in Tucson, Arizona, pastored by Brent Armstrong. The preacher for the conference was Dr. Austin Gardner, pastor of Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, and veteran missionary to Peru for nearly 20 years. I want to take just a minute and comment on how God used his preaching in a great way.

If I could summarize Dr. Gardner's preaching in one short sentence, it would be this: he helped us understand the proper motive for being involved in missions. It hasn't happened too often in my presence, but I have heard preaching in the past that really did everything but literally twist people's arms to give to missions. Bro. Gardner did not do that. Here is the heart of the messages that he preached: if we are in love with Jesus, then we will naturally have a desire to give to Him and to what He loves. That's it. That is why we go to the mission field, and that is why we give to missions- because we love Him. And really, it all starts with Him; because the only reason we can love Him is because He first loved us! I just love Biblical preaching!