September–December 2008
Dear Pastor,
In Shakespeare’s tale of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet asks her beloved, “What’s in a name?” As far as she was concerned, she didn’t care about the person’s name but rather the person who bore that name. While this may be somewhat true, especially for those in love, names do carry significance. We find in the Bible that names often were descriptors of the character of an individual. When my wife and I were about to welcome our children into the world, the choosing of a name was important to us.
Sometimes a name gets a bad rap. I believe that is true of “deputation.” In recent years there have been attempts to change the name to make it somewhat more palatable. While deputation certainly is a ministry endeavor before one is cleared for his or her field of service, the fact remains that the correct word is deputation. Deputation is defined as, “to be empowered to act on behalf of another individual or individuals … to be their representative.” Isn’t that exactly what a missionary is seeking when he or she visits your church? They are asking your church to authorize them as your representative and to be an extension of your ministry. Deputation is not fund raising nor even glorified fund raising! Whatever financial support might be raised is simply a byproduct of the deputizing process.
We also see another importance of a name in missionary service. That is the name of Jesus. The disciples were instructed by the Sadducees to no longer preach in that Name (Acts 5:28). Peter responded they had no other choice but to do so. Paul would later write in Philippians 2:9,10 that, “…God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.” It is that Name that missionaries have carried around the world and which has saved lives and shaken nations. The individuals whose names you find on the pages of this publication have given their lives to carry that Name where it has never been heard before. Why would they do that? Because that Name has the power to redeem men and women from their sin!
You ask, “What’s in a name?” Well, if it’s the name of Jesus, everything!
Til next time,
Rev. Steve Fulks
Administrator for Church Relations & Enlistment
Baptist Mid-Missions
E-mail: sfulks@bmm.org
P.S. Please dlick this link for a look at the current issue of our Church Planter’s Toolbox newsletter, published by BMM's North America Church Planting and Development ministry.