Serving Bread

During this summer, William Carey served as a historical mentor to me. I have appreciated being formed by Carey’s faith, his successes and his failures. Here are some lessons I have gleaned:

Faithful to the mission: Carey left England and died in India 41 years later, never returning to England. He was faithful to the mission to which God called him, to the end. I am not sure if God has called me to  college students, or to be with InterVarsity, or to be at Northridge, until the end. However, I am inspired to live as if being in Northridge is a life calling.

A heart for the world: Carey knew far less of the world than what we know now. However, he had an incredibly large heart for God’s world. Every soul mattered. Every people group needed to be reached with the gospel. He believed that God was the God of the world, not just of his particular corner of the world. This continues to be a radical teaching, though during Carey’s time, there were theological barriers introduced by hyper-Calvinism that would have made Carey unique in having such a heart.

Redemptive suffering: Carey suffered well. He lost children and wives on the field, yet he kept his eyes on Jesus. While we may (rightly) question Carey’s commitment to his relationship with his first wife, Dolly, he endured the marital breakdown and loved her to the end.

Expectant Spirituality: Carey’s famous words were, “Expect great things from God; Attempt great things for God.” Carey had an expectant spirituality. He believed that God was at work in the world and that God invited Carey into that work. He expected that God would get him to India, when the authorities denied him access. He expected that God would reach the native Indians, when language and cultural barriers would have made it nearly impossible.

Contextualized Ministry: Unlike many other missionary models (today, then, and throughout history), Carey took a learning curve in understanding the culture to which he is introducing the gospel. He accepted that not all cultures are similar and that the gospel needs to be communicated within a cultural framework where the hearer would understand it.

Don’t neglect the marriage: I am disappointed that Carey’s first marriage broke down. I am not sure we can figure out who is ultimately responsible for the breakdown. The historical record is biased against Dolly, implying that she had a mental illness of sorts. Regardless, it seemed that Carey put the ministry before the family. Asking his 8-month pregnant wife to travel with him to Calcutta does not seem wise under any standard, and to leave her behind because she would not go with him seems to be poor decision. It is possible that ministry can be the whore that contributes to marital breakdown.

Holistic Ministry: Carey not only evangelized, but he believed in caring for the whole person. One of his legacies will be the educational system he had set up in India. He founded Serampore College in India (which still stands today). Holistic ministry can have varying meanings, and in my particular context on the college campus, I can grow to pay more attention to students’ needs. In some respects, holistic ministry seems redundant, when we believe that the gospel wants to invade all aspects of peoples’ lives.

Call All: Carey was unabashed in calling all to go on the mission field. He practiced no discrimination. All would be called. All would be challenged to give their lives to the people of the world. God’s world was big and the laborers were few. When I consider the world as Carey did, I struggle staying here (though I am relatively at peace with my calling). All should be invited to go “to the ends of the world for Jesus Christ” (Ignatius of Loyola).

Perseverance: Carey’s first Hindu convert came seven years after he arrived in India. Though he had baptized a handful of ex-patriot during those seven years, it took seven years of faithfulness to have the privilege of his first convert. Twenty years later, his society had baptized over 1400 Hindus. How do we allow timelines to dictate our ministry? What does it mean to persevere in ministry?

I am grateful to God for William Carey. I find it a privilege that the risks he undertook and the theology he underscored have influenced movements and peoples that have influenced and loved me.

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