Ralph Leo recently sent an email about Adoniram Judson’s
life. Judson was a pioneer missionary to
Burma. I quote from the email:
Judson was an ordinary young man who had to make choices,
just like all of us. First, he had to make
the choice to follow Jesus. He then
proceeded to make a series of decisions that changed the world for eternity…
- He decided to turn down one of America’s
leading churches in favor of spending his life ministering among a people
who had never heard the gospel – something unprecedented in his day. - He decided to insist on the development of a
missions sending agency from the USA, which was another thing
unheard of in those days. - He decided to sail for Asia
with the War of 1812 looming. - He decided to become a Baptist (he came from a
Congregational background) while aboard a ship bound for India as
he studied the Greek New Testament.
Today the Baptists are the largest Protestant missionary force in
the world. - He decided to leave the somewhat stable
environment offered by William Carey in India
for the very unstable and dangerous shores of Burma. - He was among the first to decide to fully
contextualize the gospel on the field by adopting native culture and
himself teaching from a Burmesezayat
each day. - He decided to leave the coastal city of Rangoon and travel
inland to approach the emperor, even though it could have meant death. - He decided to remain in Burma with
the threat of war with the British looming there, and was therefore
imprisoned for several years in a torturous setting. - He decided to remain in Burma for his entire life, even in failing
health, knowing that in his case an early death in Burma
would be better for God’s Kingdom than a full life in the States.
