Learning from William Carey

William Carrey was a bold missionary in the late 18th, early 19th centuries who is famous due to his pioneering of what we now know as modern missions. This article is an examination of Carey's answers to his perceived skeptics of the church reaching the world with the Gospel.

Carey was a bold, passionate soul winner, whose burden led him to action. We are still witnessing the results of his boldness today. In trying to convince those he was writing, Carey argued that 1) if the Great Commission was only to the Apostles, then baptizing also was only for the Apostles. In order to be clear and consistently live out the text, then every command to the Apostles would be only for them. This would leave the New Testament church with a fairly small New Testament. 2) If the Great Commission was only for the Apostles, then they were the only ones who were supposed to carry the Gospel to all nations as well. This means that those who have carried the Gospel to foreign nations have actually disobeyed God, for He did not give them authority to do this, if indeed the Great Commission was only for the Apostles. 3) If the Great Commission was only for the Apostles, then those who do decide to carry the Gospel to foreign nations, they will have no power from God in their message, even though they preach the same Gospel the Apostles preached.

Carey naturally anticipated objections to what he was proposing due to the church's little activity in missions. In responding to these, he said 1) If churches were worried about the distance of the lost from their location, they need not worry for companies were already traveling to these areas with relative ease due to modern technology. 2) If they were worried about the way these barbarians lived, then he argued that the only people concerned with this would be those who loved their "easy" living more than the good of others. 3) If churches were worried about being killed, then yes, this was a possibility; however, the command of God and the need of other humans should be enough to motivate Christians even to the point of death. Carey further argued that the heathen were largely receptive of the the Gospel. 4) If the churches were worried about survival, then he argued that they could grow food in the native country; after all the people there were surviving somehow; Christians could learn and survive with them as well. 5) If the churches were worried about not knowing the language of the people groups, then the missionaries would need to be patient, living among the people until they understood their language enough to communicate the Gospel.

Carey further argued that trading companies were more zealous about making money, using "any means" necessary in order to communicate with any people. The church should follow suit, for they are to build up treasure in heaven. He makes some great arguments which still hold true today. After all, what is keeping the church from intentionally trying to reach the world with the Gospel, other than sin?

For God's glory alone brothers and sisters.