HEARTS AFLAME: MISSIONS MANDATE AND DIVINE PROVISION
The Harvest is Plentiful but Labourers are Few
By REV DIANNA KHOO
In my years as a Methodist Minister, I have spent 5 years as the Area Director of the Methodist Missions Society, overseeing works in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. I was also the Chair of the Board of Missions of the Trinity Annual Conference for 2 quadrennium. It was during my term as the Chair of the Board of Missions that I was introduced to SCGM, then known as SCEM. And I had the privilege of being a member of the board for a few years. I have shared all these to say that mission is close to my heart, and although I have now returned to local church work as a pastor, I am glad that the mission portfolio of the church has been entrusted to my charge.
What I have found over the years is that, while there is a place for different churches and agencies to be engaged in mission works, no one church or agency can do the work by itself. Our Lord has reminded us that “the harvest is plentiful.” The task is so huge that Christians have to work together to reach out to people who have yet to receive the Good News of Jesus Christ.
It is therefore heart-warming to see increasingly over the years, different denominations and mission groups coming together to organise the GoForth National Missions Conference. God provided and established both the mission agencies and churches to work together. And this spirit of unity and support must always be the posture that we take.
In Matthew 9:37-38 we read:
“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”
While this current Covid-19 pandemic has literally overturned the world and disrupted how we have “usually” functioned, I believe and trust that God will provide and pave a way forward for the field of missions to be expanded. We can pray for and encourage more of our members to join the mission fields, and also support the work of SCGM.
As we look back into church history we can see how much turmoil, stress and strife fill the pages of history. Yet in spite of disruptions, we can also see God’s faithful provision of resources, both in kind and in people. God’s provision has never failed us in the past and He will not fail to raise up suitable people who seek to obey Him and do His Kingdom work.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR :
REV DIANNA KHOO is currently Pastor at Christ Methodist Church. She is passionate about creation care, justice and missions.
SCGM 40TH ANNIVERSARY DEVOTIONAL CAMPAIGN
40 FRiends of SCGM have been invited to take part in our 40-Day Devotional Project to help raise funds for SCGM’s 40th Anniversary. Each day starting 20 November 2020 to 31 December 2020, SCGM will publish one devotion written by our 40 FRiends in our FundRaising effort and celebration of God’s goodness and provision over the last 40 years!
Through their devotional reflections, we pray that our FRiends of SCGM40 will bless and encourage many to reflect upon God’s Presence, Protection, Provision, Purification and Power in Missions.
