11 Feb Honoring the First American Missionary

When it comes to the history of Christian missions, many of us know the name of William Carey (“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.”) Carey was an American missionary who traveled to India, planted churches, translated the Bible into Bengali, began a seminary, and campaigned to end the practice of sati, whereby a widow would set herself on fire on top of her deceased husband’s funeral pyre. Carey was, by all accounts, an historically remarkable Christian leader and has been called “The Father of Modern Missions.”

Some of us might even know the name of Adoniram Judson, who sailed to Burma with the goal of reaching Buddhists with the Gospel of Christ; he had been told it was an “impenetrable culture.” After ten years, he saw only 18 people come to faith. But, by the time he died after 37 years on the mission field, Judson had planted more than 100 churches, translated the Bible into Burmese, and had seen 8,000 people come to faith in Christ. Again, he was one of the earliest American missionaries.

But there is one equally remarkable American missionary who has not only been left out of many missions conversations, but also predates them all. He is arguably the true “Father of Modern Missions,” and that is a man named George Liele.

Liele was born into slavery in Virginia in 1752, then taken to Georgia. He was led to Christ by a Baptist preacher. Shortly before the Revolutionary War, Liele was “set free” by his slave master when the master could not square the practice of slavery with his Christian faith.

Liele’s gifts for preaching soon emerged, and he became the first African-American licensed to preach by the Baptist church. In 1782, he set sail from the Americas with his wife, Hannah, and four children to Jamaica to preach there and establish churches.

In short, George Liele, an African-American, was the first missionary ever sent from the United States to another nation.

And almost as remarkable as his legacy: for seven consecutive generations, one of his children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren has gone into vocational ministry, with his great-great granddaughter, Dr. Louise Bonaparte, becoming a licensed Baptist minister.

Why does this matter?

First of all, and especially as it is Black History Month, to give honor where honor is due.

But mostly it matters because truth-telling in history is crucial.

And for those of us from more individualistic cultures, where what matters most is what I do, irrespective of what my family is or does, this kind of story may not make much of an impact.

But for those of us from more collectivist cultures, where who my people were directly affects who my people are, this story ought to shape us in meaningful ways.

Think of who George Liele was: a former slave who risked everything; a man who sailed to another nation for the purpose of starting a new Christian work for the sake of Christ.

He didn’t know he was the first missionary America had sent.

He didn’t know what his legacy would be, seven generations later.

He just knew he had to “go into all the world, and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:18). He endured persecution, racism, fierce opposition from the white plantation owners in Jamaica…

…but he went. And he stayed. And he was faithful. And he changed the world.

May the same be said of us, and may the God and Savior of George Liele empower us to love and proclaim, for the sake of Christ, as he did.

Morgan