The work of foreign missions among unreached language groups is often objected to by church members and officers with the same questions, “Why would we send people to foreign lands when there are so many unbelievers right across the street from us?” 

“Why would we send out our best and brightest young ministers to foreign lands when we have so many churches in need of good pastors here at home?”

“Why would we raise money for sending a man to plant a church on a foreign field when we can barely pay our own church bills?”

I am a pastor who cares deeply about reaching people in my own community. I personally feel the weight of the local church and her needs. I am personally moved by the needs of churches without gifted, trained, qualified, and called men to serve them. So, I know the appeal of these objections. Yet, I think these objections all serve to undermine the very concerns that we have. Do we honestly believe that lifting the church’s eyes to see the needs of a lost and dying world will shrink her heart toward the local church and Home Missions? Do we believe that watching young people forsake their lives to make Christ known among the unreached language groups will cause our churches to become less charitable, prayerful, and evangelistic? Archibald Alexander, Princeton Seminary’s first professor, addressed this objection to foreign missions in a sermon he preached in 1829: 

The only other objection to foreign missions which I think it necessary to notice, is, that by the prosecution of this enterprise, we injure the churches at home, and neglect to supply with the means of grace, the vast and increasing population in our new settlements; and that, by our exertions to send the gospel to the heathen, we exhaust those funds, which are requisite for the successful operation of our benevolent institutions; and, also, take away from our destitute churches, some of our best men, whose services at home can very inconveniently be dispensed with. More prominence is given to this objection in the statement, than to the others; because, while they spoke the language of infidelity, or prejudice, or at best, philosophy, this speaks the language of pious zeal; and no doubt, has often proceeded from the mouths of those sincerely attached to the cause of God. And if the effects of foreign missions were, indeed, such as is here supposed, it would behoove us to pause, and consider our ways, if not to retrace our steps. But I appeal again to facts, and on these we are willing to rest our cause. We say, then, that if the prosecution of foreign missions has actually lessened the resources, or diminished the zeal and vigor of our churches at home, we will cease to urge the subject any longer upon your attention. But how stands the fact? I appeal, now, especially to those who, like myself, are advanced in years. My brethren, has any thing occurred within your remembrance which has given so great a spring to vital piety, in the churches, as the enterprise of sending missionaries to the heathen? Has it not been the means of enlarging the views, and elevating the aims of Christians, in regard to the duty of promoting pious and benevolent objects of every kind? When, before, has so much been done to diffuse religious knowledge, and to extend the means of instruction to the poor and destitute? And who are they who most abound in acts of beneficence towards these objects? Are they not those very persons who are most zealous and liberal in the support of foreign missions? The fact is, that a new and holy impulse has been given to the Christian Church, in consequence of this enterprise; and already the churches have been more than repaid for all their sacrifices and contributions for this cause. The waves which have by this means been put in motion, still go forward, with increasing swell, and we cannot anticipate what will be the full effect. 

And as to the loss of men, I say, they are not lost—not lost to the American churches. The disinterested and noble act of forsaking their native land and all their affectionate friends forever, does more good to the church than a lifetime of common labor. It teaches the whole religious community, that Christianity has not lost its original power by the lapse of ages. It casts a dark shade upon the groveling pursuits of this world and has a mighty tendency to lift the soul up to God. The departure of a few devoted missionaries does not diminish the number of faithful pastors, or laborers, in the home mission;— it increases them many fold. Many a pious youth is led to devote himself to the service of the Lord, in the gospel of his Son, in imitation of the foreign missionaries; and many a youthful heart has received its first permanent religious impressions, from perusing the accounts of the labors of these faithful men. And for myself, I cannot doubt, that the published journals of the missionaries have done us more good, than the labors of their lives would have done, had they continued at home. I hope none will think that I disparage the labors of pastors and home missionaries: this is far from my purpose. They too are engaged in a good work—in the same work;—but their labors are rendered more useful by the existence of foreign missions. The standard of their motives, in entering on and prosecuting their work, has been elevated, by the self-denial of the foreign missionary; so that, they all begin to feel more and more, that they are called to forsake all for Christ; to consecrate every faculty to Christ; and to determine to know nothing but Christ, and him crucified; and to glory in nothing but the cross of Christ.¹

It is truly more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Our churches are not impoverished by the sacrifice of sending their best and brightest to the nations. Rather, their eyes are lifted to a world of lost and dying souls who must be saved. Their hearts are set upon an eternal glory as Jesus is named in every tribe, tongue, and nation. The church’s giving, prayer, and sense of mission are all enriched. As we have sent off some of our best families, I have often been reminded of the young church at Antioch sending Paul and Barnabas, certainly their best and brightest. There was ample need in Antioch. Yet, the Lord was pleased to send them out from this church. The church was not impoverished by their sending. They were a blessing to the world.

As a pastor of a church that began sending missionaries while we were young and small, I can testify to the work of grace that resulted in our own body. When the church’s eyes are set upon the great need of the world to hear the gospel, the members are less inclined to be anxious about the petty deficiencies that exist in all our churches. Their own hearts are enlarged toward the lost around them. Their willingness to part with their wealth, in a manner analogous to the personal sacrifice of their missionaries, is improved. The number of young men inspired by missionary efforts to give themselves to gospel ministry increases. We have more godly and gifted young men ready to be gospel ministers than we did before our sacrifice. May we remember that the head of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ, has given us a mission. It is a command from our King, and he supplies what he commands.