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“The Mission Field Just Inside Your Front Door”
The Mission Field Just Inside Your Front Door
Wade Webster
The We often talk about the mission field just outside our front door. While this is certainly true, we might miss an even closer mission field - the mission field just inside our front door. It is this mission field that I want us to consider in this article.
Our Mates
Some are married to non-Christians. It should be your goal to win them to Christ. Peter wrote, “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear” (1 Peter 3:1-2). Husbands and wives have the opportunity and the responsibility to try to save each other. Paul wrote, “For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?” (1 Corinthians 7:16).
Our Children
Some homes have children who have reached the age of accountability but have not obeyed the gospel yet. Parents have both an opportunity and a responsibility to talk to them about putting on Christ in baptism. Other homes have children who are rapidly growing to the age of accountability. It is not too early to start planting and watering these seeds. Like Noah, we want to save our houses or families. We read, “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Nephews, Nieces, Etc.
In addition to the family members who regularly live inside the home, there are other family members who visit from time to time. Some of these family members may not be Christians. Their visits present excellent opportunities to win them for Christ. For example, grandchildren can invite grandparents to come with them to worship. It is hard for a grandparent to say no to that. Young people can be a powerful example. Paul wrote, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (“1 Timothy 4:12).
Handymen, Appliance-repairmen, Maids, and Babysitters
From time to time, we have handymen and appliance-repairmen come into our homes. This presents us with an excellent opportunity to help them to fix what is broken in their lives. Other homes have maids and babysitters that come in on a regular basis. Over time, a very close relationship can be formed with these workers. What a shame it would be for these individuals to help us with earthly concerns, and for us to help them with eternal concerns. As you know, many servants became saints in the New Testament. In fact, Paul wrote an entire book about one of these servants. We read, “For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever” (Philemon 1:15).
Friends
Often, friends come into our homes. These friends are some of the closest relationships that we have on earth. Solomon wrote, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). No doubt, you remember that Philip found his friend after he found Jesus. We read, “The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:43-45). Surely, like Philip, we want to introduce our friends to the greatest friend that any man can have - Jesus Christ. Jesus declared, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:12-13).
When you are thinking about mission fields, don’t forget the one just inside your front door. There are likely some in this field who also need the gospel.
