“Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God!” As recounted by Christianity Today, this was William Carey’s admonition as he encouraged believers to be part of fulfilling the Great Commission in the late 1700s. Carey, a Baptist leader from England, held a conviction for overseas missions and is today considered the father of modern missions.

Carey was influenced by the Moravian Movement, and in 1792, he established a missions society. Eventually, Carey moved his family to India as missionaries. After initially underestimating the challenge, Carey waited seven years until he first saw someone come to accept Jesus. Carey spent 41 years in India, during which he was part of translating the Bible into all six of India’s major languages. His missions movement is credited with seeing 700 converts throughout the nation of India, and his emphasis on the value of overseas missions continues today.