They Were No Fools

“He is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot loose.”
Jim Elliot, Missionary Martyr

Over fifty years have passed since Jim Elliot penned the prophetic words which describe the sacrifice he and four others made along the banks of Ecuador’s Curaray River. The world called Operation Auca a failure and tragic loss of life, but the Church responded by sending many others who took up the challenge of the missionary martyrs.

Ethnographic Media and Bearing Fruit Communications produced three films in recent years, telling the story from different perspectives. Beyond Gates of Splendor told the story in documentary form, hearing from the widows and survivors of the martyrs. End of the Spear told the story from Steve Saint’s point of view, first as a young child, then as a grown man. Those who come to Missions Fest Vancouver this year will be able to watch The Grandfathers, the third part of a trilogy that considers the story of the Auca martydom. The film follows Jamie Saint as he goes back to live among the people who helped kill his grandfather, Nate Saint.

As I watch these films and review the events of January 8, 1956, I cannot help but ask some questions. How will the sacrifice of the five men be remembered? What impact does this have upon us today?

The climate in the church in the 1950s was one of rebuilding and triumphal optimism. The world was recovering from World War II and the economies of the West were bursting at the seams. There was a race to get into space, Elvis Presley and other rock and rollers shook up America, and the generation known as the “Boomers” was born. While the church faced challenges from modernity, evolution in the public school system, and philosophical liberalism, it was also enjoying a season of growth and reasonable comfort.

The death of five young men in Ecuador shook the Church from its perch of comfort and complacency. The exact numbers are not known, but thousands accepted the call to missionary service in response to the story of the sacrifice of the Auca martyrs. The growth in the number of Christian missionaries sent out from North America in the late 1950s and early 1960s was measurable. The events of January 1956 took place on an isolated sand bank in the Ecuadorian jungle, but they had an impact upon the world.

What became of the many who joined the ranks of the global missionary family? They planted churches and translated the scriptures. They started Bible Schools and equipped national leaders. They brought practical relief and development to millions of needy people. They made a difference and touched the lives of an untold number of people who today are a part of the world-wide body of Christ.

But where is this army of missionaries today? They’ve returned and are either in retirement homes, or gone on to glory. If you do the math you will realize that the decrease in numbers of missionaries going out from countries like Canada and the USA in the last decade is partially due to the homecoming of this group.

Allow me a couple of final questions. If it is true that the events of January 1956 resulted in a mass movement of young people in obedience to God’s call to world missions; and if it is true that this group today finds itself in either their national or heavenly home; then may I ask, what will it take for the next generation to take up the standard and finish the task of the Great Commission? Will it take another tragic martyrdom? What will God use to move us from a sense of complacency and comfort which rivals that of the 1950s?

While it is good for us to remember that Jim Elliot and his companions were not fools and that they made an incredible sacrifice for the advance of the Gospel, will their example move us beyond awe and reverence to action and obedience? Each generation must answer that question as it continues to address the call to serve God in the midst of a world that does not know Christ.


For those who live in the Metro Vancouver region, I invite you to come to Missions Fest 2010 (January 8-10). This is a great opportunity to rub shoulders with people who are making a difference in the world.
www.missionsfestvancouver.ca