What book has stood the test of time, staying relevant for every culture and era, and speaking to every person throughout history? No matter your birthplace, language, or background, this is the one book you need to live a godly and holy life.
Is it the work of Sigmund Freud? The DSM-5-TR? And the ever-expanding theories from psychology, philosophy, or ethics found in university departments? Of course not. It is the Christian Bible. Still, many people today see psychological ideas as more important for caring for others than the Bible.
As a pastor and missionary, I want to show that only God’s word has real power and relevance across cultures. When pastors or missionaries care for others, the Bible is the resource that truly helps. If someone in Uganda faces depression, the Bible is what they need. If a marriage in Senegal is struggling, God’s word brings help. If a teenager in France is wrestling with their sexuality, only Scripture can offer real hope.
I believe that only the Scriptures are truly enough for everyone, everywhere. God’s word meets the needs of all nations. The Bible alone can do this, not the latest trends the world offers.
The Enteral Word Proves Its Cross-Cultural Power
Missionaries from Western countries like the United States often hear about the culture shock they will face abroad. People around the world think and act differently from Americans, and that’s simply a fact—not a sign of superiority or inferiority. When Americans try to push their own culture and values onto others, it causes tension. Even within America, there is a lot of diversity and different ways of life.
The Bible is the only resource that can connect people from every culture, tribe, and nation. When missionaries or pastors meet someone struggling with life’s challenges, the answer isn’t found in Western ideas. Instead, it’s in the timeless truths of God’s word.
Here’s an example. Shame is a powerful emotion that everyone experiences, but Western and Eastern cultures handle it differently. When caring for someone dealing with shame, should a pastor or missionary use Shame Resilience Theory and experts like Dr. Brené Brown, or turn to the Scriptures? The Bible gives a strong framework for understanding and helping with shame, whether it comes from sin or suffering. For pastors and missionaries, the answer is clear: turn to the Scriptures!
The Sufficient Word Is Applicable for All People Groups Everywhere
One of the greatest challenges to any book, resource, or article is the problem of time and location. What might have worked for one people group in one location at one time will hardly be applicable to future generations. Some documents stand up better to the test of time (such as the US Constitution and its First Amendment), but others seem to lose their relevance so quickly that by the end of the decade, they are considered useless. Only the Bible stands for all people everywhere, no matter when or where.
But it seems for many, when it comes to the care of souls, the Bible is not enough. The Bible might be a fine place to start, but to many, the Bible overpromises and underdelivers when it claims in places like 2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…” In many people’s view, the Bible’s claim to provide all things needed for a godly life is a lofty goal that the Bible cannot fulfill.
Missionaries and pastors should never believe that the Bible overpromises and underdelivers. We should be sure in our hearts that the Bible has answers for life’s problems. It may not tell us how to cure cancer, but it gives us the truth we need to face it. Quoting a verse won’t fix a marriage, but the Bible’s truths, when both people follow them, can heal any marriage between two believers. The Scriptures offer more lasting help for anxiety than any passing theory, and pastors and missionaries should stand by them.
The Effective Word Meets the Needs of All the Nations
Pastors and missionaries should trust the Bible to address life’s problems, because it truly meets people’s needs. The world’s theories and solutions change and fade. What helps today might be seen as harmful tomorrow. The world keeps searching for ways to care for people, but its methods keep shifting. When you build your ministry on the Rock, you can trust it will last.
Use the Word!
Whatever called you into the ministry as a missionary or a pastor, you had a deep love of Jesus. You developed that love from the Word of God, and whatever led you to become a missionary or pastor began with a deep love for Jesus. That love grew from God’s Word, and your daily motivation comes from believing that the salvation found in the Word is worth your life. Don’t set it aside when facing life’s problems. Don’t swap the life-giving Word for a theory that will soon be forgotten. Commit yourself to the powerful, eternal ministry of the Word and see what God will do.
