Facing a Task Unfinished

I first heard the story and the hymn, “Facing a Task Unfinished,” at a Keith and Kristyn Getty concert at First Baptist Columbia, SC.

I wept.

The story is incredible and I am so thankful that the Gettys are making it known at a greater level now.  We need more missional songs and this song was birthed on the China mission field by Frank Houghton.

These missionaries were faced with persecution and opposition, but they would not give up on the missional task.

Here’s a snippet of the story.

When you read they lyrics, you will quickly see that people don’t write like this anymore.

I love the song.  We sang it at a mission gathering at our church months ago, but I am excited we get to introduce it to our congregation on Sunday after we pray over some of our missionary partners who will be live with us.

You can read the lyrics below and watch the video of people from all over the world singing it!

Prepare your hearts and your voices to sing with us!

Lyrics

Facing a task unfinished
That drives us to our knees
A need that, undiminished
Rebukes our slothful ease
We, who rejoice to know Thee
Renew before Thy throne
The solemn pledge we owe Thee
To go and make Thee known

Where other lords beside Thee
Hold their unhindered sway
Where forces that defied Thee
Defy Thee still today
With none to heed their crying
For life, and love, and light
Unnumbered souls are dying
And pass into the night

We go to all the world
With kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord

We bear the torch that flaming
Fell from the hands of those
Who gave their lives proclaiming
That Jesus died and rose
Ours is the same commission
The same glad message ours
Fired by the same ambition
To Thee we yield our powers

We go to all the world
With kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord

O Father who sustained them
O Spirit who inspired
Saviour, whose love constrained them
To toil with zeal untired
From cowardice defend us
From lethargy awake!
Forth on Thine errands send us
To labour for Thy sake

We go to all the world
With kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord

We go to all the world
His kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord

Original Words by Frank Houghton, Music by Samuel Wesley. New Words and Music by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Ed Cash, and Fionan de Barra; © 2015 OMF International, Getty Music Publishing (BMI), Alletrop Music (BMI), and Fionan de Barra (all admin. By MusicServices.org)