In 1793, William and Dorothy Carey were commissioned as missionaries to India in a great church service in which the congregation sang Benjamin Beddome’s hymn: “And must I part with all I have, Jesus, my Lord, for Thee? This is my joy, since Thou hast done much more than this for me.”¹

Have you ever been in a service in which missionaries are commissioned and sent off? It began in Acts 13 when the Paul and Barnabas became the first missionaries sent out by a local church. These events are too rare today. Jesus told us to “pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2).

This weekend steal away for a few moments to your “prayer closet” and ask the Lord of the harvest to send off more laborers. Let’s return to the glorious days of missionary commissioning services.

Savior of souls, could I from Thee a single smile obtain, though destitute of all things else, I’d glory in my gain.
Benjamin Beddome