Daniel Hoogteijling, from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, began his seminar, “Intimacy in Missions,” with the testimonies of two Moravian missionaries who sold themselves into slavery. In order to spread the gospel to slaves who had not ever heard of Jesus’ name, these missionaries literally packed their clothes in coffins instead of suitcases in preparation for their work. Setting the stage with such a radical missions statement, Hoogteijling centered his hour on missionaries’ humility in their own sacrifice in light of Christ’s.

“Although they did not see results in their lifetime, their sacrifice pushed many others to go out into the Moravian missions field,” said Hoogteijling.

Surprised by such a heroic story, I began to understand Hoogteijling’s theme throughout his seminar: when we truly hold Jesus first in our lives, everything else pales in comparison. While the church is the bride of Christ and he has brought us in as heirs to his kingdom, he has also asked us to go out in his name and gather the ones who are still lost.

Hoogteijling quoted many theologians, such as John Piper and Wayne Grudem, and gave overwhelming statistics and numbers of the unreached people groups, but he kept coming back to Christ. Because of what Christ has already done for us, we can then live for him and wait expectantly for his second coming.  From the get-go, I felt convicted of the idols I selfishly hold in my own life, instead of the one truly satisfying person that I so often push to the sidelines.

Although Hoogteijling traveled all over Kenya and the Congo, he presently lives in Kansas City, preparing others on how to go out into the missions field. He held an extremely high view of missional importance and asked us all to prayerfully consider the option. What struck me as most telling was Hoogteijling’s decision to stay in America for the time being.

He loves spreading the gospel to the unreached people groups, but he also realizes how important it is for missionaries here to gain the right skills for the field. He has temporarily put aside his life in the missions field in order to refine others’ love and skill for missions. He has truly given himself to Christ’s work and will go wherever the Lord has asked him, which for now is Kansas City.

“Am I truly willing to die for Christ?” Hoogteijling asked himself at the end of his seminar.

Hoogteijling’s passion for the regenerating work of the Spirit shone brightly throughout his seminar. Although I do not have the same passion for missions outside the country, I can continue to grow in relationship with others who do not know Christ here as I keep my eyes focused on Christ’s second coming.