20% Challenge

Lima, Peru

Today, there are many Christ-exalting missionaries that will sleep in places you wouldn't let your dog sleep. 

While you eat your 5th meal of the day and complain about the country while drinking your Starbucks coffee, sold-out missionaries will not eat today.

This time of year many people get a tax return.  My challenge to everyone is to give 20% in some way to missions.  Don't give it to us.  We are not asking and have never asked for money or opportunities.  We trust that God will raise up the people that He has already ordained from the foundation of the earth to supply our needs.  My challenge is to give 20% of your tax return to a missionary.  There are many in the field that would rejoice in tears if an extra $1000 showed up in their account this month.  This would glorify God and you will be used by God to further the Kingdom of God.  There are many sold-out, Christ-exalting missionaries willing to forsake the American dream, sell everything and move to a 3rd world country to proclaim the glorious gospel of Christ to a nation that has no hope but Christ.  These missionaries are willing to go but churches won't support them.  They compete with churches having to decide if they will support missionary's that will give their life for the gospel or $30,000 for new carpet. 

John Piper says:
All the money needed to send and support an army of self-sacrificing, joy-spreading ambassadors is already in the church.  But we are not giving it.

In 1926, Protestants were giving 2.9% of their incomes to their churches.  In 1933, the depth of the Great Depression, it was 3.2%.  In 1955, just after affluence began spreading through our culture, it was still 3.2%.  By 2000, when Americans were over 450% richer, after taxes and inflation, than in the Great Depression, Protestants were giving 2.6% of their incomes to their churches. (Don't waste your life, p. 172)

What will we do when we stand before God and He asks what we did with all the gifts and opportunities that He gave us?  Will we say, "Look at my nice house God."  "Look at my new boat or all the vacations I took." 
I challenge you to be radically different than the world and give 20% to missionaries this tax season.  There are many resources and ways to do this.  Find some in your church or support some at Heart Cry Missionary Society or To Every Tribe.  These organizations support Christ centered, doctrinally sound missionaries.  Some more Christ-exalting, sold-out missionaries are:

The Killillays to Peru
Ibanez Family in Mexico
Ryan and Nicole Riche in Peru
Josef Urban in Mexico
Chris and Michele Johnson in Mexico
The Sills Family in Ecuador
T and T family in Paupa, Indonesia