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Ultimate List of Missionary Quotes

Here are a few missionary quotes to help you get to the "ends of the earth."

"Quotes can motivate and even serve as battle cries for mission movements. A friend of mine uses a catchy phrase in Spanish, “No mas excusas!” (No more excuses!) and it has caught on to the point that there is an entire leadership training venue built around it."

best missionary quotes

Ultimate List of Missionary Quotes - Updated

Ultimate List of Missionary Quotes Directory


Anonymous
Allen, Roland
Aylward, Gladys
Bach, T.J.
Baggett, Kevin
Barrett and Johnson
Bickle, Mike
Bingham, Rowland
Booth, William
Borden, William
Bosch, David
Brainerd, David
Breen, Mike
Bresee, P.F.
Brunner, Emil
Bryant, David
Burns, William
Calvert, James
Carey, William
Carlisle, Thomas
Carmichael, Amy
Chambers, Andy
Chambers, Oswald
Chesnut, Eleanor
Chesterton, G.K.
Collins, Tanna
Comfort, Ray
Cowan, George
Davidson, Dave
Davis, Roderick
Duewel, Wesley
Duff, Alexander
Dunagan, Ann
Eastman, Dick
Edington, J. Howard
Edman, V. Raymond
Edwards, Jonathan
Elliot, Elizabeth
Elliot, Jim
Engstrom, Ted
Ewen, J.L.
Falconer, Ion Keith
Forsyth, Peter Taylor
Franson, Frederick
Fraser, James O.
Gautrey, R. Moffat
Geddie, John
Gilmour, James
Glover, Robert Hall
Goforth, Jonathan
Green, Keith
Greenway, Roger
Grenfell, Wilfred Thomason
Grigg, Viv
Grooms, Jordan
Gunter, Nina
Hale, Thomas
Henry, Carl F.H.
Ho, Eddy
Holden, J. Stuart
Jones, Clarence W.
Jones, E. Stanley
Judson, Adoniram
Kim, David
Kuhn, Isobel
Lawlor, Edward
Lenhart, Chuck
Lewis, C.S.
Liddell, Eric
Livingstone, David
Lorance, Cody
Luce, Ron
Marlin, Bob
Marlin, Steve
Marsden, Samuel
Marsh, F.E.
Martyn, Henry
Miley, George
Moffat, Robert
Moon, Lottie
Morley, Pat
Morrison, J.G.
Morrison, Robert
Mott, John R.
Murray, Andrew
Oh, Michael
Olson, Gordon
Osborn, T.L.
Otis, George
Palau, Luis
Paton, John G.
Patteson, John Coleridge
The Apostle Paul
Payne, J.D.
Penn, William E.
Peters, George W.
Piedra, Teófilo de la
Pierce, Bob
Pierson, Arthur T.
Piper, John
Platt, David
Pullinger, Jackie
Rankin, Jerry
Ravenhill, Leonard
Roat, Eleanor
Saint, Nate
Savage, Robert
Scott Stam, Betty
Shannon, Robert C.
Sills, David
Simpson, A.B.
Sitton, David
Smith, Oswald J.
Smithers, David
Speer, Robert
Spurgeon, Charles H.
Stachura, Mike
Stewart, James S.
Stott, John R.W.
Strachan, Kenneth
Stranz, Wendi
Studd, C.T.
Sweet, Len
Taylor, Mendell
Taylor, J. Hudson
Ten Boom, Corrie
Teresa, Mother
Thoburn, Isabella
Townsend, William Cameron
Tozer, A.W.
Verwer, George
Von Schleicher, Kurt
Von Zinzendorf, Nicolaus
Watson, Karen
Wesley, John
Wilberforce, William
Wilson, George
Winter, Ralph
Wright, Chris
Wurmbrand, Richard
Xavier, Francis
Yohannan, K.P.
Zwemer, Samuel
Various

Anonymous

“People take your example far more seriously than they do your advice.” – Anonymous

“We cannot avoid growing old, but we can avoid growing cold.” – Anonymous

“There are no great men of God, only men of a great God.” - Anonymous

“The decision you make in your life today will determine the future of someone.” - Anonymous

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Allen, Roland

“Missionary zeal does not grow out of intellectual beliefs, nor out of theological arguments, but out of love.” - Roland Allen, 1868-1947, Missionary to China

“What we need to be assured of is not that we possess an excellent system of doctrine and ritual, but that the gift of the Holy Spirit is a reality.” - Roland Allen, 1868-1947, Missionary to China

“Today if a man ventures to suggest that there may be something in the methods by which Paul attained such wonderful results worthy of our careful attention, and perhaps of our imitation, he is in danger of being accused of revolutionary tendencies… All I can say is, ‘This is the way of Christ and His apostles.’ If any man answers, ‘That is out of date,’ or ‘Times have changed,’… I can only repeat, ‘This is the way of Christ and His apostles,’ and leave him to face that issue.” - Roland Allen, 1868-1947, Missionary to China

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Aylward, Gladys

“Life is pitiful, death so familiar, suffering and pain so common, yet I would not be anywhere else. Do not wish me out of this or in any way seek to get me out, for I will not be got out while this trial is on. These are my people, God has given them to me, and I will live or die with for Him and His glory.” - Gladys Aylward, missionary to China

“I wasn’t God’s first choice for what I’ve done for China. I don’t know who it was. It must have been a man—a well–educated man. I don’t know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn’t willing. And God looked down… and saw Gladys Aylward. And God said, ‘Well, she’s willing.’” - Gladys Aylward, missionary to China

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Bach T.J.

"It is a tragedy when a man has no invisible means of support." - T.J. Bach

"Two distinguishing marks of the early church were: 1) Poverty 2) Power." - T.J. Bach

“If we are going to wait until every possible hindrance has been removed before we do a work for the Lord, we will never attempt to do anything.” - T.J. Bach, 1881-1963, TEAM Missionary to Venezuela

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Barrett and Johnson

“Christians receive 52.6% of the global income, but spend only .01% on the unreached world (World C).” - Barret and Johnson , World Christian Trends

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Baggett, Kevin

"A true understanding of who God is, who we are, and the missionary task should drive us to our knees and keep us there." - Kevin Baggett, Mega City Strategist in Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Bickle, Mike

“Radical Christianity is not going on a missions trip or a big conference. Radical Christianity is staying steady for decades.” – Mike Bickle

"We will never have more affection or passion for God than we understand He has for us. We will never be more committed to God than our understanding of His commitment to us." – Mike Bickle

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Bingham, Rowland

“I will open Africa to the gospel or die trying.” - Rowland Bingham

"There is the constant invisible warfare that has to be waged against the powers of darkness... It is fashionable in the Western world to relegate belief in demons and devils to the realm of mythology, and when mentioned at all it is a matter of jest. But it is no jest in West Africa or any other mission field for that matter." - Rowland Bingham

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Booth, William

Look! Don't be deceived by appearances - men and things are not what they seem. All who are not on the rock are in the sea! - William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

Nobody gets a blessing if they have cold feet and nobody ever got saved while they had toothache! - William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

"Not called!’ did you say? ‘Not heard the call,’ I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father’s house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face—whose mercy you have professed to obey—and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world.” – William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

“Will you go to His feet and place yourself entirely at His disposal?” - William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

“Go straight for souls, and go for the worst.” - William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

“While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now, I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight—I’ll fight to the very end!” - William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

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Borden, William

“If ten men are carrying a log—nine of them on the little end and one at the heavy end—and you want to help, which end will you lift on?” - William Borden, as he reflected on the numbers of Christian workers in the U.S. as compared to those among unreached peoples. - William Borden

“No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.” - William Borden

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Bosch, David

“If the Church is ‘in Christ,’ she is involved in mission. Her whole existence then has a missionary character. Her conduct as well as her words will convince the unbelievers and put their ignorance and stupidity to silence.” - David Bosch

Mission is, quite simply, the participation of Christians in the liberating mission of Jesus, wagering on a future that verifiable experience seems to belie. It is the good news of God's love, incarnated in the witness of a community, for the sake of the world. - David Bosch

Our mission has not life of its own: only in the hands of the sending God can it truly be called mission. Not least since the missionary initiative comes from God alone. - David Bosch

Protestants, in particular, are challenged...with respect to their overly pragmatic mission structures, their tendency to portray mission almost exclusively in verbalist categories, and the absence of missionary spirituality in their churches, which often drastically impoverishes all their commendable efforts in the area of social justice (212). - David Bosch

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Brainerd, David

"All my desire was the conversion of the heathen… I cared not where or how I lived, or what hardships I went through, so that I could but gain souls to Christ. I declare, now I am dying, I would not have spent my life otherwise for the whole world.” - David Brainerd, 1718-1747, Missionary to North American Indians

“I have ever found it, when I have thought the battle was over and the conquest gained, and so let down my watch, the enemy has risen up and done me the greatest injury.” - David Brainerd, 1718-1747, North American Indians

“It is remarkable that God began this work among the Indians at a time when I had the least hope, and to my apprehension the least rational prospect of success.” - David Brainerd, 1718-1747, Missionary to North American Indians

“Oh, that I could spend every moment of my life to God’s glory!” - David Brainerd, 1718-1747, Missionary to North American Indians

“I love to live on the brink of eternity.” - David Brainerd, 1718-1747, Missionary to North American Indians

“Here am I, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage lost of the wilderness; send me from all that is called comfort on earth; send me even to death itself, if it be but in your service, and to promote your kingdom” - David Brainerd, 1718-1747, Missionary to North American Indians

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Breen, Mike

“I don’t want a big tree. But I don’t want a small tree either. I want an orchard.” - Mike Breen

“God, who are you sending me to? What is my entrance into that community?” - Mike Breen

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Bresee, P.F.

“We are debtors to every man to give him the gospel in the same measure in which we have received it.” - P.F. Bresee, founder of the Church of the Nazarene

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Brunner, Emil
"Quote"

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Bryant, David

"It is just as proper, maybe even more so, to say Christ's global cause has a Church as to say Christ's Church has a global cause." - David Bryant

"Today five out of six non-Christians in our world have no hope unless missionaries come to them and plant the church among them." - David Bryant

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Burns, William

"I am ready to burn out for God. I am ready to endure any hardship, if by any means I might save some. The longing of my heart is to make known my glorious Redeemer to those who have never heard." - William Burns

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Calvert, James

When James Calvert went out as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the ship captain tried to turn him back, saying, “You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages.” To that, Calvert replied, “We died before we came here.”

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Carey, William

"Young man, sit down: when God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine." - Said to a young William Carey

“To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map. – William Carey”

"All my friends are but one, but He is all sufficient." - William Carey

“Is not the commission of our Lord still binding upon us? Can we not do more than now we are doing?” – William Carey

"Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God." - William Carey

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Carlisle, Thomas

“And Jonah stalked to his shaded seat and waited for God to come around to his way of thinking. And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs in their comfortable houses to come around to his way of loving. - Thomas Carlisle

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Carmichael, Amy

"The saddest thing one meets is a nominal Christian. I had not seen it in Japan where missions is younger. The church here is a "field full of wheat and tares." - Amy Carmichael

"Missionary life is simply a chance to die.” - Amy Carmichael, 1867-1951, missionary to India

“Give me the love that leads the way, the faith that nothing can dismay, the hope no disappointments tire, the passion that will burn like fire. Let me not sink to be a clod: make me Thy fuel, flame of God.” - Amy Carmichael, 1867-1951, missionary to India

“You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving.” - Amy Carmichael, 1867-1951, missionary to India

“We have all eternity to tell of the victories won for Christ, but we have only a few hours before sunset to win them.” - Amy Carmichael, 1867-1951, missionary to India

“If you are ever inclined to pray for a missionary, do it at once, where ever you are. Perhaps he may be in great peril at that moment.” - Amy Carmichael, 1867-1951, missionary to India

“One can’t save and then pitchfork souls into heaven… Souls are more or less securely fastened to bodies… And as you can’t get the souls out and deal with them separately, you have to take them both together.” - Amy Carmichael, 1867-1951, missionary to India

“Does it not stir up our hearts, to go forth and help them, does it not make us long to leave our luxury, our exceeding abundant light, and go to them that sit in darkness?” - Amy Carmichael, 1867-1951, missionary to India

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Chambers, Andy

“The mission in Acts is about going and gathering, not just going and telling.” - Andy Chambers

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Chambers, Oswald

“The aim of the missionary is to do God’s will, not to be useful, not to win the heathan; he is useful and does win the heathen, but that is not his aim. His aim is to do the will of his Lord.” - Oswald Chambers

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Chesnut, Eleanor

“I don’t think we are in any danger, and if we are, we might as well die suddenly in God’s work as by some long drawn-out illness at home.” - Eleanor Chestnut, died in 1905, China

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Chesterton, G.K.

“Jesus promised his disciples three things: they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble.” – G.K. Chesterton

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Collins, Tanna

“Lord, here in your precious Word I give myself, my husband, my children, and all that I have or ever shall posses, all to you. I will follow your will, even to China. Lord, open doors, and I will go and tell the Chinese of your great love. In time of need, supply for us; in time of sorrow, give us peace; in times of joy, send someone to share. Help me to never murmur nor complain. I love you Lord Jesus.” - Tanna Collins, (This note comes from a page in Mrs. Collinsʼ Bible that was found at the scene of the airline crash in Tibet in which the entire family perished in 1994).

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Comfort, Ray

“Put legs to your prayers” - Ray Comfort

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Cowan, George

Regarding Bible translation: “I just hope no one will say, in heaven, that they stopped before they came to my language.” - George Cowan

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Davidson, Dave

“World missions was on God’s mind from the beginning.” – Dave Davidson

“In our lifetime, wouldn’t it be sad if we spent more time washing dishes or swatting flies or mowing the yard or watching television than praying for world missions?” – Dave Davidson

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Davis, Roderick

“Love is the root of missions; sacrifice is the fruit of missions.” - Roderick Davis

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Duewel, Wesley

“We can reach our world, if we will. The greatest lack today is not people or funds. The greatest need is prayer.” – Wesley Duewel, head of OMS International

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Duff, Alexander

“I will lay my bones by the Ganges (River) that India will know there is someone who cares.” - Alexander Duff, 1806-1878, India

“The church which ceases to be evangelistic will soon cease to be evangelical.” - Alexander Duff, 1806-1878, India

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Dunagan, Ann

“Missions is not just for missionaries; God’s call is for all.” - Ann Dunagan, The Mission-Minded Family

“Missions is practicing God’s presence until His passion compels us to obey.” - Ann Dunagan, The Mission-Minded Family

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Eastman, Dick

“In no other way can the believer become as fully involved with God’s work, especially the work of world evangelism, as in intercessory prayer.” – Dick Eastman, president of Every Home for Christ (formerly World Literature Crusade)

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Edington, J. Howard

“People who don’t believe in missions have not read the New Testament. Right from the beginning Jesus said the field is the world. The early church took Him at His word and went East, West, North and South.” - J. Howard Edington

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Edman, V. Raymond

“I had utterly abandoned myself to Him. Could any choice be as wonderful as His will? Could any place be safer than the center of His will? Did not he assure me by His very presence that His thoughts toward us are good, and not evil? Death to my own plans and desires was almost deliriously delightful. Everything was laid at His nail-scarred feet, life or death, health or illness, appreciation by others or misunderstanding, success or failure as measured by human standards. Only He himself mattered.” - V. Raymond Edman

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Edwards, Jonathan

“Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will” – Jonathan Edwards

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Elliot, Elizabeth

“There is no need for faith where there is no consciousness of an element of risk.” - Elizabeth Elliot

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Elliot, Jim

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

“Why do you need a voice when you have a verse?” – Jim Elliot

“May I burn up for thee, consune my life, my God, for it is thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one like Yours, Lord Jesus.”- Jim Elliot

“Missionaries are very human folks… simply a branch of nobodies, trying to exalt Somebody.”- Jim Elliot

“It’s hard to steer a parked car.” - Jim Elliot, 1927-1956, missionary martyr in Ecuador

“I have felt the impact of your prayer in these past weeks. I am certain now that nothing has had a more powerful influence on this life of mine than your prayers.” - Jim Elliot, 1927-1956, missionary martyr in Ecuador

“God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus.” – Jim Elliot, 1927-1956, missionary martyr in Ecuador

“We are a bunch of nobodies trying to exalt Somebody.” - Jim Elliot, 1927-1956, missionary martyr in Ecuador

"So many missionaries, intent on doing something, forget that His main work is to make something of them..." - Jim Elliot, 1927-1956, missionary martyr in Ecuador

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Engstrom, Ted

“A congregation that is not deeply and earnestly involved in the worldwide proclamation of the gospel does not understand the nature of salvation.” - Ted Engstrom, World Vision

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Ewen, J.L.

“As long as there are millions destitute of the Word of God and knowledge of Jesus Christ, it will be impossible for me to devote time and energy to those who have both.” – J. L. Ewen

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Falconer, Ion Keith

"While vast continents are shrouded in darkness… the burden of proof lies upon you to show that the circumstances in which God has placed you were meant by God to keep you out of the foreign mission field." - Ion Keith-Falconer

"Charlie Studd has written me a delightful letter... He thinks the Chinese language was invented by the devil to prevent the Chinese from ever hearing the Gospel properly." - Ion Keith-Falconer

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Forsyth, Peter Taylor

“It is not in our choice to spread the gospel or not. It is our death if we do not.” – Peter Taylor Forsyth

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Franson, Frederick

"If you are sick, fast and pray; if the language is hard to learn, fast and pray; if the people will not hear you, fast and pray; and if you have nothing to eat, fast and pray." - Frederik Franson

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Fraser, James O.

"I used to think that prayer should have the first place and teaching the second. I now feel it would be truer to give prayer the first, second and third places and teaching the fourth." - James O. Fraser

“I know enough about Satan to realize that he will have all his weapons ready for determined opposition. He would be a missionary simpleton who expected plain sailing in any work of God.” - James O. Fraser, 1886-1938, Missionary to China

“I believe it will only be known on the Last Day how much has been accomplished in missionary work by the prayers of earnest believers at home… I do earnestly covet a volume of prayer for my… work—but oh! for a volume of faith too. Will you give this?” – James Fraser, 1886-1938, Missionary to China

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Gautrey, R. Moffat

“The Gospel is not an old, old story, freshly told. It is a fire in the Spirit, fed by the flame of Immortal Love; and woe unto us, if through our negligence to stir up the Gift of God which is within us, that fire burns low.” - Dr. R. Moffat Gautrey

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Geddie, John

“When he landed in 1848 there were no Christians here; when he left in 1872 there were no heathen.” - said of John Geddie

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Gilmour, James

“I thought it reasonable that I should seek the work where the work was the most abundant and the workers fewest.” – Scottish missionary James Gilmour on why he went to Mongolia

“I go out as a missionary not that I may follow the dictates of common sense, but that I may obey that command of Christ.” - James Gilmour

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Glover, Robert Hall

“The missionary enterprise is no human conception or undertaking, no modern scheme or invention… It did not originate in the brain or heart of any man, not even William Carey, or the Apostle Paul. Its source was in the heart of God Himself. And Jesus Christ, God’s great Missionary to a lost world, was the supreme revelation of His heart and expression of His love.” - Robert Hall Glover, missionary to China

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Goforth, Jonathan

"All the resources of the Godhead are at our disposal!" - Jonathan Goforth

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Green, Keith

“This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth!” - Keith Green

“If you don’t have a definite call to stay here, you are called to go.” - Keith Green

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Greenway, Roger

"Win the City, Win the World." - Roger Greenway

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Grenfell, Wilfred Thomason

“I have always believed that the Good Samaritan went across the road to the wounded man just because he wanted to.” - Wilfred Thomason Grenfell

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Grigg, Viv

“It is far easier for churches to give thousands of Dollars than to find one of their members who will walk into the slums for a decade.” - Viv Grigg

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Grooms, Jordan

“If God calls you to be a missionary, don’t stoop to be a king.” – Jordan Grooms (variations of this also credited to G. K. Chesterson, Thomas Carlyle, and Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

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Gunter, Nina

“If you take missions out of the Bible, you won’t have anything left but the covers.” - Nina Gunter

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Hale, Thomas

“The biggest hindrance to the missionary task is self. Self that refuses to die. Self that refuses to sacrifice. Self that refuses to give. Self that refuses to go.” - Thomas Hale – missionary to Nepal

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Hawthorne, Steve

"You can do something other than working with God in His purpose, but it will always be something lesser, and you couldn't come up with something better." - Steve Hawthorne

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Henry, Carl F.H.

“The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.” – Carl F. H. Henry

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Ho, Eddy

“Since God is a missionary God, God’s people are a missionary people.” – Eddy Ho

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Holden, J. Stuart

“‘Go ye’ is as much a part of Christ’s Gospel as ‘Come unto Me.’ You are not even a Christian until you have honestly faced your responsibility in regard to the carrying of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.” - J. Stuart Holden

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Jones, Clarence W.

"It's amazing what can be accomplished if you don't worry about who gets the credit." - Clarence W. Jones

"The more obstacles you have, the more opportunities there are for God to do something." - Clarence W. Jones

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Jones, E. Stanley

"The Indian is making an amazing discovery, namely that Christianity and Jesus are not the same - that they may have Jesus without the system that has been built up around Him in the West." - E. Stanley Jones

"An individual gospel without a social gospel is a soul without a body, and a social gospel without an individual gospel is a body without a soul. One is a ghost and the other is a corpse." - E. Stanley Jones

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Judson, Adoniram

“The prospects are bright as the promises of God.” – Adoniram Judson

"Permit us to labor on in obscurity, and at the end of twenty years you may hear from us again." – Adoniram Judson

"We prefer one room in Rangoon to six in Boston. We feel that we are highly blessed." – Adoniram Judson

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Kim, David

“The Great Commission will not be fulfilled with our spare time or spare money.” - David Kim

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Kuhn, Isobel

“I believe that in each generation God has called enough men and women to evangelize all the yet unreached tribes of the earth. It is not God who does not call. It is man who will not respond!” – Isobel Kuhn, 1901-1957, missionary to China and Thailand

“Did you think that the missionary path was all glory? Than you have not read of God’s greatest Messenger to earth, who sat and wept over Jerusalem, crying out, ʻI would… but ye would not.ʼ” - Isobel Kuhn, 1901-1957, missionary to China and Thailand

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Lawlor, Edward

“If God’s love is for anybody anywhere, it’s for everybody everywhere.” - Edward Lawlor, Nazarene General Superintendent

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Lenhart, Chuck

“Be a small part of the big thing God is doing in the nations.” – Chuck Lenhart

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Lewis, C.S.

“There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.” - C.S. Lewis

“The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” - C.S. Lewis

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Liddell, Eric

“Many of us are missing something in life because we are after the second best, I put before you what I have found to be the best – one who is worthy of all our devotion – Jesus Christ. He is the Saviour for the young and the old. Lord, here I am” - Eric Liddell, Olympic gold medalist and missionary to China

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Livingstone, David

"Do not think me mad. It is not to make money that I believe a Christian should live. The noblest thing a man can do is, just humbly to receive, and then go amongst others and give." - David Livingstone

"Fear God and work hard." - David Livingstone

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Lorance, Cody

“No factor of human migration is more significant than that of the Holy Spirit who has decreed all such movement for the sake of mission.” - Cody Lorance

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Luce, Ron

“Live God LOUD!” - Ron Luce, Teen Mania Ministries

“The Great Commission is the Great Adventure of Christianity.” - Ron Luce, Teen Mania Ministries

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Marlin, Bob

"If there aren't any fish, let's try a different hole. I want to take a stringerful to heaven." - Bob Marlin

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Marlin, Steve

"I love cities and am convinced that you 'reach the world by reaching the city!'" - Steve Marlin, Mega City Strategist in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and currently Urban Church Planting in Madrid, Spain


Marsden, Samuel

“It is high time to make known the glad tidings in these dark regions of sin and spiritual bondage.” - Samuel Marsden, 1764-1838, Missionary to Australia

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Marsh, F.E.

“The will of God – nothing less, nothing more, nothing else.” - F. E. Marsh

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Martyn, Henry

“The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become.” - Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Persia

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Miley, George

"I spent twenty years of my life trying to recruit people out of local churches and into missions structures so that they could be involved in fulfilling God's global mission. Now I have another idea. Let's take God's global mission and put it right in the middle of the local church!" - George Miley

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Moffat, Robert

"I have seen, at different times, the smoke of a thousand villages - villages whose people are without Christ, without God, and without hope in the world." - Robert Moffat

"Oh, that I had a thousand lives, and a thousand bodies! All of them should be devoted to no other employment but to preach Christ to these degraded, despised, yet beloved mortals." - Robert Moffat

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Moon, Lottie

"I pray that no missionary will ever be as lonely as I have been." - Lottie Moon

"Why this strange indifferences to missions? Why these scant contributions? Why does money fail to be forthcoming when approved men and women are asking to be sent to proclaim the "unsearchable riches of Christ" to the heathen?" - Lottie Moon

"A young man should ask himself not if it is his duty to go to the heathen, but if he may dare stay at home. The command is so plain: "Go."” - Lottie Moon

"I would I had a thousand lives that I might give them to ... China!" - Lottie Moon

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Morley, Pat

“If the Great Commission is true, our plans are not too big; they are too small.” - Pat Morley

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Morrison, J.G.

“Can’t you do just a little bit more?” - J.G. Morrison (pleading with Nazarenes in the 1930′s Great Depression to support their missionaries)

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Morrison, Robert

"The man… looking at him with a smile that only half concealed his contempt, inquired, "Now Mr. Morrison do you really expect that you will make an impression on the idolatry of the Chinese Empire?" "No sir," said Morrison, "but I expect that God will." - Robert Morrison

"I yesterday received your very welcome letter. It is but the second that I have received, after having written at least two hundred." - Robert Morrison

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Mott, John R.

“It is possible for the most obscure person in a church, with a heart right toward God, to exercise as much power for the evangelization of the world, as it is for those who stand in the most prominent positions.” - John R. Mott

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Murray, Andrew

“Missions are the chief end of the Church… the chief end of the ministry ought to be to equip the Church for this. Each congregation is meant to be a training class.” - Andrew Murray

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Oh, Michael

“So many Christians seek to live the pain-free Christian life. Such a life has no impact.” – Michael Oh

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Olson, Gordon

“If every Christian is already considered a missionary, then all can stay put where they are, and nobody needs to get up and go anywhere to preach the gospel. But if our only concern is to witness where we are, how will people in unevangelized areas ever hear the gospel? The present uneven distribution of Christians and opportunities to hear the gospel of Christ will continue on unchanged.” - Gordon Olson

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Osborn, T.L.

“One Way: Jesus! One Job: Evangelism!” - T.L. Osborn

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Otis, George

“Jesus will judge us not only for what we did, but also for what we could have done and didn’t.” - George Otis

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Palau, Luis

“A nation will not be moved by timid methods.” - Luis Palau

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Paton, John G.

“If I die here in Glasgow, I shall be eaten by worms; If I can but live and die serving the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms; for in the Great Day my resurrection body will arise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.” - John G. Paton, 1824-1907, Pioneer Missionary to New Hebrides

“Nothing so clears the vision and lifts up the life, as a decision to move forward in what you know to be entirely the will of the Lord.” - John G. Paton, 1824-1907, Pioneer Missionary to New Hebrides

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Patteson, John Coleridge

“We visited sixty-six islands and landed eighty-one times, wading, swimming (to shore). Most of the people were friendly and delightful; only two arrows shot at us, and only one went near—So much for savages!” - John Coleridge Patteson, 1827-1871, Melanesia

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The Apostle Paul

And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation. - Paul

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Payne, J.D.

“If what we model before others is only reproducible by people like us, then our disciple making & planting methods are too complex.” - JD Payne

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Penn, William E.

“O Christian! do not falter,
The harvest field is white,
And many souls are sinking
Into eternal night.”
- William E. Penn

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Peters, George W.

“God is a God of missions. He wills missions. He commands missions. He demands missions. He made missions possible through His Son. He made missions actual in sending the Holy Spirit.” - George W. Peters

“The primacy of missions is written in large letters across the pages of the whole Bible. All the apostles gave themselves to missions, and only the sword could cut short their path to the uttermost part of the earth.” - George W. Peters

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Piedra, Teófilo de la

"For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you." Dedicated to the great task that lies before us in the Iberian Peninsula. - Teófilo de la Piedra

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Pierce, Bob

“Let my heart be broken with the things that break God’s heart” - Bob Pierce, World Vision founder

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Pierson, Arthur T.

“Every step in the progress of missions is directly traceable to prayer.” - Arthur T. Pierson

“If missions languish, it is because the whole life of godliness is feeble. The command to go everywhere and preach to everybody is not obeyed until the will is lost by self-surrender in the will of God. Living, praying, giving and going will always be found together.” - Arthur T. Pierson

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Piper, John

"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't." - John Piper

“A God-centered theology has to be a missionary theology” - John Piper

“Go, send, or disobey.” – John Piper

“Missions is the overflow of our delight in God because missions is the overflow of God’s delight in being God.” – John Piper

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Platt, David

“No sound system. No band. No guitar. No entertainment. No cushioned chairs. No heating or air-con. Nothing but the people of God and the word of God. And strangely, that’s enough. God’s Word is enough for millions of believers who gather in house churches… Jungles… Rainforests, and middle-eastern cities. But is his Word enough for us?” - David Platt, Radical

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Pullinger, Jackie

“The desperately poor are not going to come to us to hear the Good News. We have to go to them.” – Jackie Pullinger, paraphrased by Nigel Paul.

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Rankin, Jerry

“Satan is delighted for us to be satisfied with having given of our time, contributed significant expense and helping a lot of people without introducing them to the One who can give eternal hope.” - Jerry Rankin

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Ravenhill, Leonard

"Today Christians spend more money on dog food then missions." - Leonard Ravenhill

"Jehovah Witnesses don't believe in hell and neither do most Christians." - Leonard Ravenhill

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Roat, Eleanor

“What’s your dream and to what corner of the missions world will it take you?” — Eleanor Roat, missions mobilizer

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Saint, Nate

"And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives… and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." - Nate Saint

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Savage, Robert

"The command has been to "go," but we have stayed - in body, gifts, prayer and influence. He has asked us to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth… but 99% of Christians have kept puttering around in the homeland." - Robert Savage

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Scott Stam, Betty

Lord, I give up
All my own plans and purposes,
All my own desires and hopes
And accept Thy will for my life.
I give myself, my life, my all,
Utterly to Thee
To be Thine forever.
Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit.
Use me as Thou wilt,
Send me where Thou wilt,
Work out Thy whole will in my life
At any cost,
Now and forever. - Betty Scott Stam, martyred in China, in the 1930s

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Shannon, Robert C.

“Never pity missionaries; envy them. They are where the real action is— where life and death, sin and grace, heaven and hell converge.”- Robert C. Shannon

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Sills, David

“If someone does not have a missions heart at home, nothing magical happens when they buckle the seat belt on the airplane.” - David Sills, The Missionary Call

“Some of us are senders and some are goers. Neither is more important than the other. Neither is possible without the other.” - David Sills, The Missionary Call

“What we can say for sure is that, at the very least, God calls every Christian to live with a missionary heart.” - David Sills, The Missionary Call

“If you are sure that He is calling and you can be sure that He will also remove the barriers that would preclude your service, in His perfect timing. Rest in that.” - David Sills, The Missionary Call

“God has called every Christian to international missions, but He does not want everyone to go. God calls some to be senders.” - David Sills, The Missionary Call

“God will not lead you where He will not provide for you.” - David Sills, The Missionary Call

“The dangers that exist are real, but only illustrate the fact that men and women need Christ. The suffering and dying of missionaries advance the Kingdom as nothing else could and the blood of the saints has ever been the seed and fuel of gospel advance.” - David Sills, The Missionary Call

“Hearing the missionary call has a great deal to do with what you are listening for.” - David Sills, The Missionary Call

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Simpson, A.B.

“The Christian is not obedient unless he is doing all in his power to send the Gospel to the heathen world.” – A. B. Simpson

“Prayer is the mighty engine that is to move the missionary work.” – A.B. Simpson

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Sitton, David

“We do not truly understand the gospel if we spend all of our time preaching it to Christians. The gospel is a missionary gospel. It is a communication of Good News to people and in places where the name of Christ is unknown.” - David Sitton, President of To Every Tribe

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Smith, Oswald J.

“The mission of the church is missions” – Oswald J. Smith

“The church that does not evangelize will fossilize.” - Oswald J. Smith

“The supreme task of the Church is the evangelization of the world.” - Oswald J. Smith

“I have seen the vision and for self I cannot live; Life is less than worthless till my all I give.” - Oswald J. Smith

“The mission of the church is missions.” - Oswald J. Smith

“We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first.” – Oswald J. Smith

“You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead.” - Oswald J. Smith, on money

“You must go or send a substitute.” - Oswald J. Smith

“If God wills the evangelization of the world, and you refuse to support missions, then you are opposed to the will of God.” – Oswald J. Smith

“The Lord did not tell us to build beautiful churches, but to evangelize the world.” – Oswald J. Smith

“No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once.” – Oswald J. Smith

“Any church that is not seriously involved in helping fulfill the Great Commission has forfeited its biblical right to exist.” – Oswald J. Smith

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Smithers, David

“God has huge plans for the world today! He is not content to merely establish a handful of struggling churches among each tongue, tribe and nation. Even now He is preparing and empowering His Church to carry the seeds of revival to the uttermost ends of the earth.” - David Smithers

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Speer, Robert

"Prepare for the worst, expect the best, and take what comes." - Robert E. Speer

"I have said that there is nothing in the world or the Church, except it's disobedience, to render the evangelization of the world in this generation an impossibility." - Robert Speer

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Spurgeon, Charles H.

“Set a man on fire and people will come to watch him burn.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

“If God has fit you to be a missionary, I would not have you shrivel down to be a king.” - Charles H. Spurgeon

“Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor.” - Charles H. Spurgeon

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Stachura, Mike

"The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity." - Mike Stachura

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Stewart, James S.

“The concern for world evangelization is not something tacked on to a man’s personal Christianity, which he may take or leave as he chooses. It is rooted in the character of the God who has come to us in Christ Jesus. Thus, it can never be the province of a few enthusiasts, a sideline or a specialty of those who happen to have a bent that way. It is the distinctive mark of being a Christian.” - James S. Stewart

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Stott, John R.W.

"We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God." - John Stott

"His authority on earth allows us to dare to go to all the nations. His authority in heaven gives us our only hope of success. And His presence with us leaves us no other choice." - John Stott

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Strachan, Kenneth

“I like men whose vision carries them far beyond their own horizons.” - Kenneth Strachan, 1910-1965, Costa Rica

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Stranz, Wendi

“Will you shed your tears for the souls of the nations?” - Wendi Stranz

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Studd, C.T.

"Had I cared for the comments of people, I should never have been a missionary." - C.T. Studd

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." - C.T. Studd

"How little chance the Holy Ghost has nowadays. The churches and missionary societies have so bound him in red tape that they practically ask Him to sit in a corner while they do the work themselves." - C.T. Studd

"Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell, I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of Hell." - C.T. Studd

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Sweet, Len

“God is a God of motion, of movement, and of mission… Mission is not an activity of the church but an attribute of God. God is a missionary God, Jesus is a missionary Messiah, and the Spirit is a missionary Spirit. Missions is the family business.” – Len Sweet

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Taylor, Mendell

“The Church must send or the church will end.” - Mendell Taylor

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Taylor, J. Hudson

“The great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed." – J. Hudson Taylor

"Brother, if you would enter that Province, you must go forward on your knees." - J. Hudson Taylor

"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supplies." - J. Hudson Taylor

"It will not do to say that you have no special call to go to China. With these facts before you and with the command of the Lord Jesus to go and preach the gospel to every creature, you need rather to ascertain whether you have a special call to stay at home." - J. Hudson Taylor

"Let us give up our work, our thoughts, our plans, ourselves, our lives, our loved ones, our influence, our all, right into His hand, and then, when we have given all over to Him, there will be nothing left for us to be troubled about or to make trouble about." j. Hudson Taylor

"When I get to China, I will have no claim on any one for anything. My claim will be alone in God and I must learn before I leave England to move men through God by prayer alone." - J. Hudson Taylor

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Ten Boom, Corrie

“Don’t bother to give God instructions, just report for duty.” – Corrie Ten Boom

“We never know how God will answer our prayers, but we can expect that He will get us involved in His plan for the answer. If we are true intercessors, we must be ready to take part in God’s work on behalf of the people for whom we pray.” - Corrie Ten Boom

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Teresa, Mother

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” - Mother Teresa

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Thoburn, Isabella

“The least difficult thing a foreign missionary has to learn is the language; the part of her work which she has the most reason to dread is its responsibility.” - Isabella Thoburn, 1840-1901, India

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Townsend, William Cameron

"The greatest missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue. It needs no furlough and is never considered a foreigner." - William Cameron Townsend

"Proclaim the Word more and argue about it less." - William Cameron Townsend

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Tozer, A.W.

“Christians don’t tell lies they just go to church and sing them.” - A.W. Tozer

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Verwer, George

“The truth is that most mission work is carried out where the church already exists… Only small percentages are working where the church is non-existent.” - George Verwer, Missionary Strategist and founder of Operation Mobilization

“We who have Christ’s eternal life need to throw away our own lives.” - George Verwer, Missionary Strategist and founder of Operation Mobilization

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Von Schleicher, Kurt

“Our God of Grace often gives us a second chance, but there is no second chance to harvest a ripe crop.” - Kurt von Schleicher

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Von Zinzendorf, Nicolaus

"I have but one passion - it is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ."- Count Zinzindorf

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Watson, Karen

“The missionary heart: Care more than some think is wise. Risk more than some think is safe. Dream more than some think is practical. Expect more than some think is possible. I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience… There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving him.” - Karen Watson, missionary to Iraq

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Wesley, John

“You have one business on earth: to save souls.” - John Wesley

“Untold millions are still untold.” - John Wesley

“Not, how much of my money will I give to God, but, how much of God’s money will I keep for myself?” - John Wesley

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Wilberforce, William

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” – William Wilberforce

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Wilson, George

“Don’t wonder whether you have a call to go. Have you had a distinct call from Christ to stay at home?” - George Wilson

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Winter, Ralph

“The Bible is not the basis of missions; missions is the basis of the Bible.” - Ralph Winter, missiologist, U.S. Center for World Mission

On the importance of mission education: “God cannot lead you on the basis of information you do not have.” - Ralph Winter, missiologist, U.S. Center for World Mission

“Never concede to doing something so small that it could be accomplished entirely in your lifetime. Be a part of something that began before you were born, and will continue onward toward the fulfillment of all that God has purposed to accomplish.” - Ralph Winter, missiologist, U.S. Center for World Mission

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Wright, Chris

“It’s not that God has a mission for his Church in the world, but that God has a Church for his mission in the world.” – Chris Wright

“Lost people matter to God, and so they must matter to us.” - Keith Wright

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Wurmbrand, Richard

“What can we do to win these men to Christ?” - Richard Wurmbrand, The Voice of the Martyrs (referring to the men who were persecuting him)

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Xavier, Francis

"Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ." - Francis Xavier

“Here I am, Lord, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness; send me from all that is called comfort in earth, or earthly comfort: send me to death itself, if it be but in Thy service and to promote Thy kingdom.” - Francis Xavier, missionary to India, the Philippines, and Japan

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Yohannan, K.P.

"A tiny group of believers who have the gospel keep mumbling it over and over to themselves. Meanwhile, millions who have never heard it once fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation story."- K.P. Yohannan

“Walk away from your own preoccupations… and see the perishing multitudes.” - K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia

“Many of the crisis problems which are considered disasters in the United States would only be normal, everyday living conditions in most of Asia.” - K.P. Yohannan, Revolution In World Missions

“Every Christian in America has some minimal responsibility to get involved in helping the poor brethren in the church in other countries.” - K.P. Yohannan, Revolution In World Missions

“Rediscover the real meaning of the Great Commission. Beginning in our own prayer and devotional lives, we must begin to feel the compassion of the Lord for a lost and dying world. As we have already seen, the Great Commission is not something that was given to a tiny group of specially trained and educated envoys. It was given to all Christians—to the whole Church. It is something that we are all to be engaged in naturally every day.” - K.P. Yohannan, Come, Let’s Reach the World

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Zwemer, Samuel

"I feel now, that Arabia could easily be evangelized within the next thirty years if it were not for the wicked selfishness of Christians." - Samuel Zwemer

“The great Pioneer Missionaries all had ‘inverted homesickness’ this passion to call that country their home which was most in need of the Gospel. In this passion all other passions died; before this vision all other visions faded; this call drowned all other voices. They were the pioneers of the Kingdom, the forelopers of God, eager to cross the border-marches and discover new lands or win new-empires” - Samuel Zwemer

“The printed page is a missionary that can go anywhere and do so at minimum cost. It enters closed lands and reaches all strata of society. It does not grow weary. It needs no furlough. It lives longer than any missionary. It never gets ill. It penetrates through the mind to the heart and conscience. It has and is producing results everywhere. It has often lain dormant yet retained its life and bloomed years later.” – Samuel Zwemer

“The history of missions is the history of answered prayer.” - Samuel Zwemer

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Various

"I confess to you that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether my body is eaten by cannibals or by worms." - John G. Paton

"Have we forgotten that there is a Holy Ghost, that we must insist upon walking on crutches when we might fly?" - A.B. Simpson

"For us in the Pacific, in Asia, in India, and in Africa, Christian unity is not an optional extra. It is an urgent necessity, for our divisions are a real stumbling-block to the proclamation of the Gospel... Mission is at the heart of the divine reality. It is the will of God and the Kingdom of God which are to be made known. Wherever we are, our purpose is not to propagate the Church as an end in itself, but to proclaim Christ as Lord of all life and as Saviour of all men..." - John C. Vockler

"Its exhilarating to have a new adventure every day. And when I go to church or to a store, and find here and there a word I can really understand, I feel like shouting." - Monono Cheney

"Americans suffer from mono-lingual myopia - a disease of the tongue that affects the vision." - Tom Brewster

"Added to the difficulty of learning to speak the language was the greater difficulty of finding terms to express the ideas which the missionary had come to convey... in many languages the most precious truths of Christianity had to force their way by bending stubborn words to new ideas, and filling old terms with new content." - Helen Barrett Montgomery

"I hope you will be a missionary wherever your lot is cast ... it makes but little difference after all where we spend these few fleeting years, if they are only spent for the glory of God. Be assured there is nothing else worth living for." - Elizabeth Freeman

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If you have a great missionary quote, please add it in the comments below so we can include it on this page!

If you know who an anonymous or unknown quote belongs to, please let us know so we can give appropriate credit.

Thank you for checking out The Ultimate List of Missionary Quotes on www.stevemarlin.com.