Have you ever read a job posting titled, Senders Needed? You probably won’t find such an ad in the classifieds, but you would find a similar appeal in Romans 10:15: “And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” I recently received from a friend a copy of an article my grandfather John H. Greening wrote many years ago. It was first printed in The Gospel Herald in January 1944 and later in The Baptist Testimony in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in April 1973. It was a reminder to me of the heritage of sending that has been a part of my family. I hope the following excerpts will challenge you to think about the role you might play as a sender.

“ . . . The preacher is needed to carry his message that thereby people may hear and believe, and call upon God for salvation, yet behind the preacher must unfailingly be the sender—the friend or friends who send him forth on his Heavenly mission. Hence, quite evidently, a preacher’s sender fills a very important and vital place. . . .

“Suppose someone to be moved by the Holy Spirit of God to proclaim to men the unsearchable riches of Christ Jesus, who is the only Saviour of mankind. This impelling and compulsive power of the Spirit is, of course, of primary importance. He must be settled in his mind that God is calling him to preach; but also he must be sent, he must be set free for the Lord’s use. When Jesus was needing an ass’ colt at the time of His entry into Jerusalem, He sent two of His disciples to bring the animal, telling them to ‘loose him and bring him hither.’ And should the owners object, they were to say that ‘The Lord hath need of him.’ This proved to be enough, and forthwith the owners let them go. Here was a case where what Christ needed could be released and sent for His use by certain of his servants and friends. They had to loose the colt for the Master’s service. Today God needs many who are willing to preach, in the pulpit . . . but also . . . to the ones or the twos, in fields, at home or abroad. How can these respond to the call of God unless some will send them? Perhaps they need to be loosed from that which . . . binds them. Let them go. Send the light. Be a sender. Laborers are needed as urgently today as ever in the history of the wide harvest field. What can you do? What are you doing? Perhaps you can help to direct the beautiful feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace. It is wholly within the range of probability that much more depends upon us than we readily realize. What if you should demur or refuse to send that dear one, or that person whom you wish to retain by your side? What if you should, even unwittingly, hinder when the Lord hath need? This is a serious matter, for how shall they preach except they be sent? We might well ponder and wonder if a lack of laborers is not altogether on account of deaf ears turned to the call, but equally because those who ought to be the senders are indifferent to their responsibility. Is it possible that today there is someone, more or less dependent upon your attitude toward them in this regard? They may be willing to go and preach, but they need the encouragement you can give, they need the consciousness that some one is cheerfully backing them with spiritual and moral support. They need a sender. . . . Preachers are needed to carry the evangel everywhere to earth’s remotest bounds, and by the same token, senders are needed too. . . . ‘And if any man ask you why do ye loose him, then shall ye say unto him, because the Lord hath need of him.’”

Who might God want you to loose and send into the Master’s service? Is there someone headed for ministry whom you can support—spiritually, morally, and financially? Answer the classified ad; be a sender!