Introduction
At the start of this project, I had a variety of ways to describe my focus. Examples include sending and equipping more single men to go overseas, changing the 1 to 8+ male to female singles demographics in missions, or refocusing our conversation about single male missionaries.
But still one of my favorites is to “make accountants missionaries” or the more metal version, “accountants must become dragon slayers.” But why accountants?
My aim is threefold:
To break our stereotypes surrounding missions
To provide dignity to skilled young men
To selfishly find accountants to work within my missional businesses
A Biblical Accountant
We all have a well-formed idea of who accountants are. They are analytically minded men, who like making sense of numbers. They are fiercely logical, possibly choosing their profession not because of passion for spreadsheets and math but instead out of a grounded pragmatism. Stereotypically, accountants aren’t known for their people skills. They are socially awkward and aren’t known as the greatest conversationalists.
Missionaries are quite different in our imaginations. They are charismatic, people persons. And while they are not renowned for their number skills, they choose to sacrifice wealth for the sake of the Gospel. As powerful, emotional intuitive communicators, missionaries adeptly between cultural realities and Biblical truth. At least, this is what many people believe.
The default view is to see these two as mutually exclusive. Given their two stereotypes. Clumsy accountants shouldn’t be missionaries, and money-sacrificing missionaries shouldn’t be accountants. At best, accountants can participate in missions by making money and giving it to missionaries to carry out ministry. So why would they ever go themselves? It’s simple.
Because Jesus sends them out.
This is the picture we get in His earthly ministry. In the following passage, Jesus had gathered his motley crew of followers and sent them out on a short missional journey. This is how they return:
“The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’” (Luke 10:17-20)
Here Jesus sent all sorts of men. We don’t the name and occupation of who was sent out in the seventy-two, but we know some. Strangely, of the men we do know, not one is someone who was trained in vocational missions or ministry. Instead, we have the blue-collar disciples, who were the rough-and-tumble fishermen. We have Simon, the political revolutionary, known as “the Zealot.” (Luke 6:15) And we have an accountant, Matthew.
Matthew, also known as Levi, wasn’t just an accountant, he was a Roman taxman. Yes, God can even use IRS agents for His purpose. Though my personal sensibilities wretch at the idea.
A roller coaster journey leads Matthew to this point of being sent out by Jesus. And here, he and the other disciples are shocked by the power Jesus had invested in them. They bent demons low. And Jesus even proclaims that Satan himself fell from heaven. This accountant, Matthew, went from counting coins to participating in the coming of the Kingdom of God and the fall of Satan, "the Dragon, that ancient serpent.” (Revelation 20:2)
Today, the work of announcing the coming Kingdom still persists. We still battling and pushing back the powers of darkness, the hordes of the Dragon. We need blue-collar fishermen, radical zealots, and accountants! and I guess some “missionaries” as well.
You are empowered to do this work to this day. The example of Matthew is unlike our experience now.
He was a sinner in need of Jesus
When Jesus first encountered Matthew, he did not have the most stellar reputation. As a Roman tax collector, Matthew actively took money from his people on behalf of an oppressive, foreign ruler. These were the type of people, that Simon the Zealot was zealot-ing against. But then Jesus came.
Jesus, a holy rabbi (teacher), came to Matthew and said, “Follow Me”, which was a simple command meaning “come be My disciple.” (Matthew 9:9) Matthew’s quick obedience and simple faith are admirable. He follows Jesus, leaving behind his life and income. Not only did He just follow Jesus, but brought together his friends, who Matthew believed needed to encounter this great teacher.
Matthew and his friends were all of bad reputation. But these are the people Jesus loves and chooses to work through.
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13)
Perhaps you have a better reputation, but if you are human, you are a sinner in need of a Savior. And as you encounter Jesus, you learn how sweet that salvation is, just like Matthew did.
He walked with the very presence of God
For three years from the time he heard those life-altering words “follow Me”, Matthew lived and ate with the incarnate Son of God. Jesus trained Matthew as one who taught with divine authority and performed a multitude of miracles in his presence. And later Jesus sent him out bestowing upon Matthew and other followers that same divine authority. After bearing witness to Jesus’ death and resurrection, he watched Him ascend to heaven. In the following years, Matthew penned the book of the Bible that now bears his name.
You too bear the presence and authority of Jesus. God didn’t just dwell with this ancient accountant. He also dwells with the number crunchers of today. Jesus promised the Spirit of God, not just to Matthew but to us as well. And in Him comes power.
“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever… You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)
“[I]t is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you… And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:7-9)
In this Spirit, Matthew wrote his Gospel. And in this same Spirit, you live and breathe today. Not only have you received the very presence of the eternal God, but you have also received the same authority by which Matthew and crew cast out demons. The Gospel of Matthew ends with Jesus’ final charge to everyone who calls Him Lord:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
You have power and authority to announce the Kingdom of God. Strength and power to tread on serpents and scorpions, to push back the dominion of the Dragon.
He had a call and something to share
Finally, the call upon Matthew’s life was clear. The “follow Me” call grew into a call to proclaim the Good News to all people, whether present in his day or to those who encounter his Gospel.
You too have heard the call of “follow Me.”
Now the question is the Spirit stirring in your heart today. Are you going to answer the call to the nations?
Whether you are an accountant or some other profession, you possess the glorious, awesome power of the God of the universe. He is entrusting His mission to you. You are a dragon slayer.
Conclusion
When you are trying to bolster people to action, you ought to leave on that final, inspirational word. Dragon slaying qualifies in most circumstances as the most inspirational, but there is an even grander, lofty, and beautiful word to thrust us forward into life and worship.
Let me retreat back to our starting point. Matthew and the seventy-two are reveling how the Lord has chosen to work through them. They are the victorious warriors basking in their triumphs. As Jesus hears their celebration, He doesn’t rebuke them. Instead, He raises their attentions to greater heights.
“Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20, emphasis mine)
Rejoice because the King of Heaven knows your name. Proclaim your gratitude as your name is written in the Book of Life. Be glad for you will dwell with Him forever.
In daily life stateside or among the nations, our greatest pleasure is to know and be known by the Almighty God. That is my hope for you. Please, be the conqueror, the dragon slayer. But all the more, seek to love and know our great God wherever He might lead you.
“The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life. I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (Revelation 3:5)
All praise be to the King of Heaven and Earth!
