Ezell to missionaries: 'Do whatever it takes'

CORPUS CHRISTI?Millions of people are lost and in need of the gospel?and that's just in the United States and Canada, North American Mission Board (NAMB) President Kevin Ezell told SBTC messengers and guests.

According to NAMB statistics, 258 million people in those regions need to hear the message of the 36 missionaries commissioned during the annual meeting's closing session on Nov. 16 at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi.

The missionaries were young and old, single and married, American born and foreign born. They asked for prayer support in native English and in heavily accented English as they embark on gospel ministry among collegians, immigrants, post-modern urbanites and those in more rural outposts.

All will share common experiences, Ezell told them. They will have days of celebration and days of challenge. But they can draw encouragement from others who did all they could, who did things in an unconventional way, to bring someone to Christ.

The cripple in Mark 2 had four good friends who were not going to be deterred as they sought the means to see him healed, Ezell pointed out. Someone had the idea, he said, to take their friend to Jesus. The reputation for healing miracles performed by the rabbi had not been lost on the men. They carried their friend on his mat to the home where Jesus was teaching only to find the building filled with people.

Not deterred, they took their friend to the roof and, from there, clawed their way down into the presence of Christ. The single-minded intent of the men resulted in the miraculous healing of their friend.

"I love these fellas because 'whatever it takes' is their attitude," he said.

Speaking directly to the missionaries, Ezell said, "You're going to get [to your assigned location] and there are going to be roadblocks. But you have to have the attitude of 'whatever it takes.'"

In his closing prayer over the missionaries Ezell pleaded, "May we be tenacious, fearless to do whatever it takes."

During the commissioning, each missionary or missionary couple told messengers their names and where they would be serving. Following that, messengers and guests were invited to gather around each missionary family and pray for them.