I’ll never forget as a high school history teacher, teaching on World War I. One of the things that intrigued me the most was our government’s mobilization of the people at home. One of the great slogans was Wheatless, Meatless, Heatless. In those days, we had Meatless Mondays and Wheatless Wednesdays. In WWI alone, 13 million families signed a pledge to go Meatless and Wheatless to win a war they would never see! They became the great ‘unseen force’ sending the troops on their way to win a war.
Listen to Paul, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” Romans 10:14-15 Here, Paul gives us one of the great Kingdom principles, “How can they preach unless they are SENT?” He gives a clear calling for Senders!
A Sender is a person who has answered the call to fulfill God’s Mission but stays home on the supply line of World Missions. There must be supply flowing to those on the field. For every ONE who GOES, there usually needs to be many senders who pray, give, and support in many other ways. This is VITAL. The life of sending can be very difficult because Senders stay immersed in their home culture while the work is in some foreign field. While PI GOES and ministers cross-culturally, Senders minister counter-culturally through a life of generosity and sacrifice. Senders must often remind themselves of what their life, prayer, giving, and encouragement are doing for the world Christian movement.
Senders usually lead fairly normal lives while inwardly they are fighting a war that most will never see. They are determined to give sacrificially of their income, to pray diligently and long for those they may never meet, to love and speak of people groups they will never see. They live in one world and work and labor in another far away. This is the life of a Sender.
I am convinced that in heaven as Jesus rewards His children for their service, many Senders will be rewarded with crowns that will stagger us as they lived these dedicated lives of giving, prayer, and encouragement. Many of you have taken up this holy calling as Senders and are on the supply line of the Kingdom of heaven to the nations. Thank you. Our Lord Jesus sees your faithfulness and so do we at Prepare International!
Characteristics of Senders
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Senders are the ones who hear and answer God’s call to provide resources to the supply line for world missions.
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Senders listen to God about their finances and obey His direction.
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Senders are ones who lead normal lives while secretly, inwardly fight a war to see the Kingdom come throughout the Earth.
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Senders may never actually step foot in the place their resources affect but have a passion for the gospel to reach areas they cannot.
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Senders live sacrificially of their income and pray diligently for people groups they will never meet.
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Senders receive the same reward as the one they send out with their resources.
