MISSIONARY: Obeying the Great Commission

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The Voice of the Martyrs

Christianity, Martyr, Vom, Persecution, Gospel, Pastor, Persecutedchurch, Apologetics, Islam, Christian, Church, Missions, Missionaries, Religion & Spirituality

4.9 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 14 June 2025

⏱️ 25 minutes

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Summary

“I have claimed this land for God.”

The words were written by John G. Paton and adorn the grave of his wife and child. It was a declaration of faith that God would bring the people of the New Hebrides, now Vanuatu, to Himself. The islanders were thought of as savages; in fact Paton slept on the grave to prevent the bodies of his wife and child from being eaten by cannibals.

Paton famously said, “If I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms.”

Today the islands are full of churches—even some very close to the site of Mrs. Paton’s grave.

Stephen McCaskell is the producer and director of a six-part video series called Missionary, which includes an episode about Paton, as well as others which tell the stories of famous missionaries. Listen as he tells why the church today needs the example of men and women sent by God and obedient to the Great Commission. Watch this behind-the-scenes video of Stephen and the team tracking down Paton’s legacy in Vanuatu.

He'll also share about filming in England on the path of William Tyndale, as well as stories of David Livingston, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor and William Carey. Stephen also shares what he wants viewers and churches to take away after viewing the Missionary film series.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	About 150 years ago, missionary John G. Payton went to share the gospel on an island in the New Hebrides.
0:07.4	Cannibals were known to live there and previous missionaries had been killed.
0:13.1	Filmmaker Stephen McCaskill tells us why John G. Payton would take that kind of risk.
0:19.3	One of the fellow Christians in his church, he warned him, like, you will be eaten by cannibals.
0:25.9	And Peyton replies, Mr. Dixon, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is
0:31.9	soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms.
0:36.0	If I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus,
0:39.3	it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms.
0:44.3	Jesus never promised his followers an easy path.
0:48.3	In fact, he told his disciples that the world would hate them.
0:52.3	He sent them out as sheep among wolves. Jesus's
0:56.1	words came true in the life of the apostles, and they're still coming true today in the lives
1:00.8	of his followers around the world. Join host Todd Nettleton as we hear their inspiring stories
1:05.8	and learn how we can help right now on the Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network. Welcome again to The Voice of the Martyrs Radio.
1:12.6	My name is Todd Nettleton.
1:13.7	We are in the studio today in Bartlesville, Oklahoma with Stephen McChaskill.
1:17.5	Stephen is the producer and director of a series of films called Missionary.
1:23.9	Six films telling the stories of names we have heard of or should have heard of William Tyndale,
1:31.4	you know, John G. Patton, some of those people.
1:34.6	He is also a leader at an organization called Missionary.
1:37.4	You can go to their website.
1:38.5	It's a fantastic URL, missionary.com.
	...

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