"Shining Lights" #5

Of all the characteristics of the Moravian movement, the most dramatic and defining was their commitment to world missions. “At the age of 15, Zinzendorf, together with his childhood friend – Friedrich von Watteville, pioneered a “Compact for the Conversion of Pagans”.”⁵⁸ This missionary dream, birthed in the young Count, 78 years before Carey sailed for India, was to become an all consuming fire that raged in the hearts of the Moravians – governing every choice and soliciting utter and universal participation.

Through the stories and influence of Francke’s home missions and the famous Danish-Halle Indian mission of Ziegenbalg and Plutschau; Zinzendorf was able to see beyond the prevailing orthodox views (the great commission was for the 1^st century only, the church is already planted everywhere, and the office of the apostle has ceased to exist) that held the church in apathetic bondage.

With clear apostolic/missionary vision (Lk.19: 10, Rom.15: 20), and Biblical foundation, Zinzendorf was able to “rediscover” the Gospel message and mission. After meeting Anthony Ulrich, from St. Thomas (at an award ceremony honoring the Count in 1731), the conviction to send someone to share the Gospel with slaves in the West Indies became overwhelming. This overwhelming conviction served in uniting and marrying the Gospel message and mission so that the two, literally became one – birthing an Apostolic/New Testament move of God. Through the Count’s “passion to reach unreached peoples… and his leadership, this group of Moravians was transformed into a major missionary movment.”⁵⁹

“These Moravians had a vision for total commitment to missions… seeing it as the privilege and responsibility of the entire membership.”⁶⁰ “Here was a new phenomenon in the expansion of Christianity, an entire community… devoted to the propagation of the faith… a fellowship of Christians with the spread of the Christian message as a major objective, not of a minority of the membership, but of the group as a whole.”⁶¹ The Moravians came to see missions as a “way of life”, and life as a “way of mission”. With their “aim to live the Gospel, and so to commend it to those who have never heard it,”⁶² and total community cooperation, they were able to pioneer modern Protestant missions and produce global fruit.

“This small church in 20 years called into being more missions than the whole evangelical church has done in two centuries.”⁶³ From the first small group sent to the West Indies in 1732, the Moravians sent more than 100 missionaries in 25 years, were in 28 nations in 28 years, and “by the time of Zinzendorf’s death in 1760, had sent out 226 missionaries. At the height of their missionary zeal they were sending out one missionary for every 10 senders who stayed behind at home in Germany!”⁶⁴

This Moravian Movement from Herrnhut has proved to be an apex in Protestant missions and revival history. There at the estate of Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, the sovereignty of God and sold-out, spirit-filled believers found a place of convergence – heaven and earth were united again, the Word becoming flesh. The vision of God and vessels of honor were merged to produce a vehicle (sodality structure) that could transfer God’s life and channel divine blessing. “These earnest Christians dared to carry the gospel into some of the most remote and inhospitable regions on the face of the earth… fanning out two by two to win for the Lamb that was slain the reward of His sufferings.”⁶⁵ William Carey, called by many the “father of the modern Protestant missions movement”, said, “See what these Moravians have done… Can we not follow their example, and in obedience to our Heavenly Master, go out into the world and preach the Gospel to the heathen?”⁶⁶

There was a day when the call of God for redemption necessitated and actualized the call to missions (Rom. 15: 14-16, Acts 9: 15, 22: 14-15). We must remember, redemption, like everything God does, is according to a pattern (His ways) and for His purpose. For the expressed purpose of showering His mercy on all families of earth,”⁶⁷ God called out a man named Abram, a nation named Israel, a King named David, and a teenager named Mary. Through their faith and obedience, God brought forth His covenant promise: a child was born… our redemptive model – Jesus Christ.

As we repent and believe, fix our eyes on Jesus, die to self and follow Him, there is a release of grace and power that transforms us within and elevates us to a place of influence and bold witness. As born again, spirit-filled Christians, Jesus’ leadership and God’s fathering unites us eternally with the multitudes of saints that were “witnesses of the resurrection”. Remember, at the core of the Christian experience is an empowered and changed life. We are possessors of a new nature, a new identity, a new Father, an eternal life. “The gospel is the most elevating force on earth… it was not given in order to level us all to the lowest common denominator, but to create new creatures, and to give to all the dignity of the sons of God! Men who once were savages are reclaimed and walk as princes.”⁶⁸

Know assuredly this day, the life of God in the soul of man, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit initiates a process of surrender, following, and maturity that produces supernatural power, sacrificial love and a renovated mind. These attributes are to merge with our stewardship of the life and love, grace and truth of God – that we might yield our rights to the awesome privilege and responsibility of proclaiming Christ. God’s plan is to bless us to be a blessing… that “in you all the nations and families of the earth would be blessed.” We have been redeemed to witness, saved to serve, called to covenant blessings that we might obey God’s great commission. The late Francis Schaeffer said, “In this world a person can only be complacent if he or she is young enough, has money enough, is well enough, and, at the same time, lacks compassion for those about him. As soon as we face reality, the obscenity of the present situation strikes us in the face.”⁶⁹

Count Zinzendorf and the Herrnhut Moravians serve as ensamples to all who would dare to believe and carry the call and commission of God. As we peer at them through the kaleidoscope of history, we are given an opportunity to discern the times and respond to their prophetic wake-up call (Is. 52). Their passionate love for Jesus, sincere faith, covenant relationships, community fellowship, importunate and prevailing prayer, and utter abandonment to missionary advance allows us to gain God’s perspective of reality and life. The five governing characteristics of the “renewed” wineskin of the Moravians (1. Apostolic Leadership, 2. Profound Christology, 3. Genuine Unity, 4. Cell Ministry, 5. World Missions) serve as an apostolic foundation for any generation or time, especially ours!

“Look around at the millions of broken homes, crime, child abuse, drug abuse, and the feelings of hopelessness in American society, and you can see that we live in the midst of intense spiritual warfare with the devil. But when all is said and done, I want to be standing on the side of victory. I may not be able to single-handedly change the world, but when my life ends I want to be able to declare: “I fought the good fight. I didn’t grow weary and settle for less. I battled to the end.”⁷⁰

You can do this. Your life may be the one that makes the difference. You matter…and the substance of your life and heavenly epitaph can change destiny’s balance and prophesy God’s restoration. Hear this Chinese proverb from the movie Mulan: “One grain of rice may tip the scales…maybe one solitary soul can change the entire outcome of this war”. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The redemption of a great nation can begin with a single and powerful decision by one “ordinary” person that influences others to make similar decisions.”⁷¹

The story of Zinzendorf is one of history’s greatest examples of how a pure love for the Lord can propel a man to a spiritual power that not only impacts his own time, but places his mark dramatically on every century that follows… Born into one of the great families of Europe and destined to sit on the court of one of the continent’s most powerful thrones, he gave it all up and spent his life and fortune to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.”⁷²

It was William Carey that said the Moravians were one of the “faithful messengers of grace that were ‘the seed of the church’ in many places. They being dead still speak through the example of their lives and their legacy of courage and service.”⁷³ Like Puritan great Richard Baxter, Scotch divine Robert Murray McCheyne, Abel, the Apostle Paul, Patrick, Hus, and few others in history, Zinzendorf lived a life of eternal significance and global impact. He was a witness unto Jesus that “knew Christ in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable even unto His death… that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in his mortal flesh – that he might attain unto the resurrection, and being dead, yet speak” (Phil. 3: 10-11, 2 Cor. 4: 10-11, Heb. 11: 4).

Though Zinzendorf’s “lips have long in silence hung, And death long hushed that sinner-awakening tongue; Yet still, though dead, he speaks aloud to all, And from the grave issues forth his “call”. Like some loud angel-voice from Zion Hill, The mighty echo rolls and rumbles still. O grant that we, when sleeping in the dust, May thus speak forth the wisdom of the just.”⁷⁴

Jesus said, “Go!” (Mt.28:18-20, Mk.16:15+, Lk.24:47, Jn.15:16, Acts 1:8, Rom.16:26). If not us, who… if not now, when?… Like the Moravians of Herrnhut, may we embrace the truth – “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2Cor.5: 14-15). Remember the words of William Wallace, “All men die, but not all men truly live.”