The Bible teaches several key truths with undeniable clarity:
Results in missionary work come from God, not from human agency.
«I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but God who gives the increase» (1 Cor. 3:6–7).
Our task is to faithfully proclaim the Gospel and trust the results to God.
«And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face again. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God» (Acts 20:25–27).
True success in missionary service is measured by faithfulness to the calling, not by immediate, visible results.
«Let a man so account of us, as of the servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God: but it is required of stewards that one be found faithful» (1 Cor. 4:1–2).
The very vocation to Christian missionary work is based on faith.
«For we walk by faith, not by sight» (2 Cor. 5:7).
The desire to constantly evaluate results is often an attempt to «live by what we see.» Defining success as faithfulness is difficult to accept because it requires complete dependence on God.
