Q:
Why do we need missionaries today, since we can reach virtually the whole world with the Christian message through technology? I know the Internet can be used in wrong ways, but can't we use it to preach the Gospel?
A:
I’m grateful for every new way God has given us to spread the Gospel, including the Internet, and it’s actually happening. Every year, for example, thousands of people across the world profess faith in Christ through our own organization’s Internet ministry. (You can discover more about this on our website, BillyGraham.org.)
Does this mean missionaries are no longer needed? No, not at all; if anything, they are needed more than ever. Someone may profess faith in Christ, but what happens then? They need someone to help them grow in their faith and connect them with other believers, and often that’s a missionary’s role.
In addition, missionaries are able to demonstrate Christ’s love in ways the Internet never can, through hospitals, humanitarian assistance, Bible translation, education and other enterprises. And while some may come to Christ after hearing the Gospel only once, others come to faith only after a long process of loving concern on the part of an evangelistic missionary.
Never forget: God’s love extends to people of all races, all nations, all tribes and all languages. One of the advantages of the Internet is that it crosses borders that may be closed to missionaries. But many countries are still open, and Christ’s command has never been withdrawn: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).
The day of the missionary is not over. But what about you? Are you praying for those around you, and are you seeking to tell them about Christ? Ask God to use you right where you are to tell others about His salvation.