Hudson Taylor and the Discipline of Radical Dependence (Part 2)

Part 2 of a seven-part series on Seeing the Harvest — Adversity, Joy, and the Reward of Faithful Ministry - This is a series is taken from a Missions Class at Vision School of Missions led by Missionary Dallas Brown. The book by Don Mingo, "The Cross-Cultural Worker's Spiritual Survival Guide 14 Tips to Help You Thrive in Your Calling," was used as textbook and resource material for discussion.

Before Hudson Taylor ever stepped onto the mission field in China, he made a deliberate decision: he would learn to rely fully on God—before circumstances forced him to.

This was not theoretical faith. Taylor practiced dependence in practical, sometimes uncomfortable ways. He refused to remind his employer to pay him, choosing instead to trust God for provision. On one occasion, he gave away his last bit of money, believing God would supply what he needed.

And God did.

These early lessons shaped Taylor for what lay ahead—war, political hostility, persecution, loss, and unimaginable grief. When cannonballs landed between him and his companions, when governments opposed the gospel, when resources vanished, he had already learned the discipline of trust.

Dependence on God is not something we develop overnight. It is cultivated intentionally, often quietly, long before the crisis arrives.

We rely on systems, people, plans, and predictability far more than we realize. But ministry eventually strips those things away. What remains is either fear—or faith.

Taylor’s life challenges us to ask:

• Am I learning to rely on God now?
• Or am I assuming I’ll figure it out when things fall apart?

Preparation for hardship is not pessimism. It is wisdom.

Reflection Questions

• What do you currently depend on more than God?
• How might God be inviting you to practice trust now?
• What habits could prepare you for future adversity?