Counting the Cost

This past week, a brother in the missionary community was laid to rest. Adam Langford was a missionary to the Busoga people of Western Uganda. Adam's life represents one of true calling and passion for the work of the Lord. Prior to leaving the mission field Adam was a very successful business man in the North West. It wasn't but a few years into his career that he realized his money wasn't getting him very far. Adam dropped what he had going for him, and used his wealth to take himself to Uganda.

In Uganda he joined up with his brother Ben Langford and Ben's family. While I was visiting there in January of 2006, the third brother Johnny was also there visiting. Being able to spend time with the three of them was real special to me. They lived out true brotherhood among them, their dedication to the calling was real, their ministry was real, and their faith was real.

The sudden loss of Adam was not expected by many of us. There's a paradox of intention about missions I believe. It may go something like this...

Missionaries are willing to Sacrifice their lives for the cause of Christ, but few expect to lose their lives doing it.

I'm not sure if thats a paradox or not, but it's something I've realized over the past years. I think that's evident in the types of places we choose to minister. Most missionaries do a lot of necessary work to be sure the places they are going are reasonably safe. However, it is always understood that no matter how much preparation we do, our lives are always in God's hands. With that being understood, I pose the question in the subject...

Q: What is the cost of discipleship?

A: Far less than the cost of not being a disciple.

Praise God for Adam Langford, for he counted the cost of not following the Lord's calling, he ran the race of perseverance, and now he is resting in the House of our Lord.


"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."
-Jesus Christ