Take Nothing with You

Take nothing for your journey," he instructed them. "Don't take a walking stick, a traveler's bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes (Luke 9:3).

When Jesus sent his disciples into villages, he gave them several instructions:
1. Preach the kingdom of God.
2. Heal the sick.
3. Take nothing but the basics.
4. Stay in one house only.
5. If you are not received, shake off your feet as a testimony against them.

When Luke said not to take any of the basics he broke it down to these:
1. A walking stick
2. A traveler's bag
3. Food
4. Money
5. A change of clothes

Jesus was giving commands to his disciples. This does not mean that he tells modern day missionaries and pastors to go out without anything.

GOING WITHOUT SUPPORT

There are missionaries who go into other countries without any support. Following this verse, they go out by faith, expecting to be cared for by God, as they win mulitiudes to Christ. Unfortunately, it usually doesn't work out like as these people hope. They become burdens on other missionaries who are supported by their home churches and organizations.

As one who served overseas for over 4 years, I can say that when people go out without financial and prayer support, they are almost always making a mistake. The apostle Paul always had a church or churches supporting him in fasting, prayer, finances, and by sending fellow missionaries. It seems that Paul believed that this verse was intended soley for the disciples that followed Jesus.

VISITING PEOPLE'S HOMES

Some early missionaries took different paths than Paul did. Paul had sending churches such as Antioch and Rome. Paul also had financial support from other churches and from working on his own. He never received money from the churches he was starting. On the other hand, there were missionaries who came after him who used different methods.

The new style missionaries had no sending churches that we know of...they also had no financial support. They went from Christian home to another, ministering in the communities.

It wasn't long before they began creating problems. Some missionaries discovered that there were homes that were very welcoming, and so the traveling missionary never left. These missionaries divided churches in the first and second centuries.

2 and 3 John addresses some of these people. John gave several rules:

1. If they don't preach Jesus Christ come in the flesh, don't receive them at all.
2. If they preach the incarnation, welcome them.

Diotrephes, a member of 3 John church, wanted nothing to do with any of these traveling missionaries, and threw out anyone who received them into their homes. John disagreed, and felt that Diotrephes was arrogant, putting himself in a leadership role he didn't receive or deserve.

The Didache was written around the same time that 2 & 3 John was written. In it the author clearly sets down strict rules about these visiting missionaries:

Whenever an apostle comes to you, receive him as the Lord; but he shall not stay more than a single day, or if there be need, a second likewise; but if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. And when he leaves let the apostle receive nothing except bread, until he finds shelter; but if he asks for money, he is a false prophet (Didache 11:4-6).

There you have it; any more than 2 days, they are false prophets...and if they ask for money, they are false prophets.