It’s hard for us Baptists to believe that the concept of doing missions didn’t come around until the 18th century. What we call “missions” is so fundamental to who we are as Baptists! But it took William Carey’s insight and courage to speak up about the Christian calling to share Christ’s love with all of the world for Baptists to embrace this key part of our identity.
William Carey made his living as a shoe cobbler in 18th century England. As he read and studied the Bible, he became convinced that the church should send people to other countries as missionaries. His passion for the peoples and cultures of world came through as he stitched a make-shift globe with scraps of tanned shoe leather making up the various continents.
Carey’s ideas about missions were shot down as he shared them with other ministers. He persisted, and eventually his dream came true and the Baptist Missionary Society was formed. One of Carey’s biographers, F. Dealville Walker, wrote: “He, with a few contemporaries, was almost singlehanded in conquering the prevailing indifference and hostility to missionary effort; Carey developed a plan for missions, and printed his amazing Enquiry; he influenced timid and hesitating men to take steps to the evangelizing of the world.”
The power of one. Consider the difference that the insight, courage, and persistence of William Carey made for Baptists and Christians. Think of the difference he made for the peoples of the world. While many followed behind to help realize Carey’s dream, he was the one who nearly single-handedly made it possible. Let us all be challenged by William Carey to realize the power that is within each of us to carry out God’s good work in our world.