Lessons Baptists Can Learn From Mormon Missionaries

If you are reading this article, the chances are very likely that you have encountered Mormon missionaries at some point in your life. You know who I am talking about. They rode their bikes through your neighborhood, wore white shirts and name badges, and looked very clean-cut. Most of the Mormon missionaries you see are under the age of 25. The men go by the designation “Elder,” and the ladies use the title “Sister.” Instead of mocking them, I want you to take a few moments to learn from them.

As of 2017, more than 53,000 full-time Mormon missionaries were serving in 404 missions throughout the world. The young men serve for a span of two years, and the young ladies serve for 18 months. After spending some time at one of ten missionary training centers, they are sent to an area by the church.

Their typical day starts at 6:30 a.m. with a time of personal study, and they spend most of their day proselytizing. After visiting many homes and witnessing in public areas, they usually return home by 10:30 p.m. Their missionary work is voluntary, they pay $500 a month out of their own pockets to help fund their trips, and they are not paid for their missionary work.

(For those of you who are unfamiliar with Mormon teaching, let me say that this army of missionaries is motivated in large part by the belief that good works are necessary for salvation and the forgiveness of sins. This missionary service is just a step in their journey to work towards eternal bliss. Contrary to the Bible teaching of Ephesians 2:8-9, they believe that one is saved from sin by his good works.)

Can a Baptist learn anything from a Mormon missionary? To be frank, some Baptists have a hard time learning from other Baptists. I hope the following observations will increase your burden for mission work in independent Baptist churches. The population of the world is growing, and the number of missionaries is sadly lacking.

A cult with a false gospel has a larger army of missionaries than Southern Baptists and Independent Baptists combined. In 2019, I surveyed independent Baptist mission agencies and came up with about 3,700 missionaries (husband and wife) serving in various ministry capacities. Most of them were involved in church planting or revitalization efforts. To be safe, let’s double that number to 7,400 to account for missionaries who are sent out of their church with no agency. Let’s go ahead and add another 2,000 to account for some other mission agencies that are unaffiliated with a convention but would not be typical in the independent Baptist circle. These generous additions bring us to 9,400 independent Baptist missionaries. (This number is probably too generous).

In its 2022 annual report, the North American Mission Board (NAMB) reported that they have more than 6,000 missionaries and chaplains within their ranks. Of that 6,000, more than 3,700 were designated as chaplains and less than 2,500 were designated as missionaries.[1] The International Mission Board (IMB) reported that they had 3,650 missionaries under their auspices.[2] If you add the NAMB and IMB of the Southern Baptists together, you come up with a total of 9,650 Southern Baptist missionaries.

If you take the independent Baptist and Southern Baptist missionaries together, you will come up with a total of 19,050 missionaries this last year compared with more than 53,000 Mormon missionaries. There is a great need for men and women who believe in salvation by grace through faith to leave their nets like the disciples of old and follow Jesus to the mission field.

People with a false gospel probably support missions more than those who have the truth. On any given month, it is estimated that $26,000,000 is received by the Mormon church from these voluntary missionaries to help pay for their mission work around the world. This does not count any other support given by Mormon congregations for missions.

In recent years, I have been so encouraged to see a rise in mission giving in independent Baptist churches. I have met believers who have discovered the joy of supporting missions and getting the Gospel around the world. While many have learned to step out by faith and give, there is still much room for improvement in the financial aspect of the Great Commission.

People with a false gospel often seem more dedicated than those who have the true Gospel. Every morning, they study their doctrines and then spend the entire day spreading the gospel of Joseph Smith. When I think of this level of commitment, I am reminded of what Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:15, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” Like the religious crowd of Jesus’ day, the Mormons are willing today to go to extreme efforts to convert an individual to their dead religion.

These Mormon missionaries are willing to give two years of their lives to missionary efforts. Yet, many Baptists complain when asked to give a couple of hours a week to an evangelistic effort. Why is this? Shouldn’t the grace of God motivate us to spread our faith? Something is very wrong.

Too many Baptists make fun of Mormon missionaries when they should be greatly challenged by them. Are you willing to go anywhere for Jesus? Are you personally giving to world evangelization every month? Do you have a life that points others to Jesus and a willingness to invest some of your precious time to giving the Gospel every week?

It only seems right that Baptists saved by grace should manifest a greater zeal than those who have no hope because of a false gospel.

[1] https://www.namb.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NAMB_2022_Annual_Ministry_Report.pdf

[2] https://www.imb.org/impact/