--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why is it that some Christians cross land…" description: "\"Why is it that some Christians cross land and sea, continents and cultures, as missionaries? What on earth impels them? It is not in order to commend a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/278/john-stott-1926_believe_why-is-it-that-some-christians-cross-lan_776631.png" --- # Why is it that some Christians cross land and sea… ![“Why is it that some Christians cross land and sea, continents and cultures, as missionaries? What on earth impels them? It is not in order to commend a civilization, an institution or an ideology, but rather a person, Jesus Christ, whom they believe to be unique.” quote by John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/278/john-stott-1926_believe_why-is-it-that-some-christians-cross-lan_776631.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/278/john-stott-1926_believe_why-is-it-that-some-christians-cross-lan_776631.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/278/john-stott-1926_believe_why-is-it-that-some-christians-cross-lan_776631.png) > “Why is it that some Christians cross land and sea, continents and cultures, as missionaries? What on earth impels them? It is not in order to commend a civilization, an institution or an ideology, but rather a person, Jesus Christ, whom they believe to be unique.” [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Missionaries are driven by a personal encounter with Christ, not by cultural or ideological motives, seeking to share his unique message. **In simple terms:** Missionaries follow Christ, not culture. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal faith over cultural agendas. Themes mission faith purpose cross‑cultural Mood inspirational thought‑provoking Type religious motivational When to use this quote - church planting - global outreach - interfaith dialogue - cultural immersion Key Concepts evangelism theology anthropology Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your service? - How can you respect cultures while sharing faith? A Different Perspective Cultural insensitivity can hinder genuine connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Land and sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land-and-sea/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) ## Related quotes > [This is why for thousands of years Christians have found the cross to be so central to life. It speaks to us of God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/this-is-why-for-thousands-of-years-christians-have-found-the-cross-to/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [So, because in no other person but Jesus of Nazareth did God first become human (in his birth), then bear our sins (in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/so-because-in-no-other-person-but-jesus-of-nazareth-did-god-first/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [True Christianity is not merely believing a certain set of dry abstract propositions: it is to live in daily personal communication with an actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/true-christianity-is-not-merely-believing-a-certain-set-of-dry/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [On a small scale, person-to-person, Jesus encountered the kinds of suffering common to all of us. And how did he respond? Avoiding philosophical theories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/on-a-small-scale-person-to-person-jesus-encountered-the-kinds-of/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [The Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th edition, devotes 20,000 words to the person of Jesus Christ and never once hints that He didn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ankerberg/the-encyclopedia-britannica-15th-edition-devotes-20-000-words-to-the/) John Ankerberg > [The final and full revelation of God is not a book, it is a person. Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/the-final-and-full-revelation-of-god-is-not-a-book-it-is-a-person/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [“Grace is costly because it calls us through our person to the person of Jesus Christ. And when we follow the person of Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-root/grace-is-costly-because-it-calls-us-through-our-person-to-the-person/) [Andrew Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-root/) > [That is why the center of our faith isn't just a book, but a history of Salvation, and above all, it's about a person:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/that-is-why-the-center-of-our-faith-isn-t-just-a-book-but-a-history/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I believe that Jesus would have given His life for just one person. Jesus emptied Himself, He humbled Himself and He so yielded Himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-baker/i-believe-that-jesus-would-have-given-his-life-for-just-one-person/) [Heidi Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-baker/) > [The Church is not an association that wishes to promote a certain cause. It is not about a cause. It is about the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-church-is-not-an-association-that-wishes-to-promote-a-certain/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [In that moment of salvation, of belief, they are opening their lives to the person of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/in-that-moment-of-salvation-of-belief-they-are-opening-their-lives-to/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [Anything you think you know about about God, that you can't find in the person of Jesus, you have reason to question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/anything-you-think-you-know-about-about-god-that-you-can-t-find-in/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [“Grace is not a doctrine or a religion. It is a person, Jesus Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-warren/grace-is-not-a-doctrine-or-a-religion-it-is-a-person-jesus-christ/) [John Paul Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-warren/) > [“Just like the person of Jesus, the local church as the body of Christ must understand what it is created and called to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mancini/just-like-the-person-of-jesus-the-local-church-as-the-body-of-christ/) [Will Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mancini/) > [“now the Spirit had come, and Mark's account of the baptism makes it abundantly clear that he sees Jesus as the Messianic Son and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-green/now-the-spirit-had-come-and-mark-s-account-of-the-baptism-makes-it/) [Michael Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-green/) ## More by John Stott > [Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or bending his will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/prayer-is-not-a-convenient-device-for-imposing-our-will-upon-god-or/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Mission arises from the heart of God Himself and is communicated from His heart to ours. Mission is the global outreach of the global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/mission-arises-from-the-heart-of-god-himself-and-is-communicated-from/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [ \[Christian rebellion\] arises from the doctrine of mankind made in the image of God, and therefore protests against all forms of dehumanization. It sets… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/christian-rebellion-arises-from-the-doctrine-of-mankind-made-in-the/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousn ess, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/all-of-us-have-inflated-views-of-ourselves-especially-in-self/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [A deaf church is a dead church: that is an unalterable principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/a-deaf-church-is-a-dead-church-that-is-an-unalterable-principle/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [So there is such a thing as perfect hatred, just as there is such a thing as righteous anger. 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It is not easy to decide which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/when-we-look-at-the-cross-we-see-the-justice-love-wisdom-and-power-of/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [If God speaks to us about himself and his own glorious greatness, we respond by humbling ourselves before him in worship... If He speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/if-god-speaks-to-us-about-himself-and-his-own-glorious-greatness-we/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [There is something inherently inappropriate about cherishing small ambitions for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/there-is-something-inherently-inappropriate-about-cherishing-small/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Every powerful movement has had its philosophy which has gripped the mind, fired the imagination and captured the devotion of its adherents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/every-powerful-movement-has-had-its-philosophy-which-has-gripped-the/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [“A guilty conscience is a great blessing, but only if it drives us to come home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/a-guilty-conscience-is-a-great-blessing-but-only-if-it-drives-us-to/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The concept of substitution lies at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-concept-of-substitution-lies-at-the-heart-of-both-sin-and/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) [Explore all 198 John Stott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why is it that some Christians cross land and sea, continents and cultures, as missionaries? What on earth impels them? 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