Although every Fourth of July brings a fresh wave of patriotic reflection, America's 250th birthday has inspired an even greater appreciation for the people, moments, and accomplishments that have shaped our nation's history. There is certainly no shortage of highlights.

• The Declaration of Independence

• The Constitution

• The moon landing

• D-Day

• The eradication of smallpox

• The airplane

• The iPhone

Every human being, American or not, can't help but marvel at the extraordinary impact the United States has had on the modern world. As a Christian, I'm profoundly grateful for God's providence throughout our nation's history. But followers of Christ are also called to measure greatness by a different standard.

All of those remarkable accomplishments have one thing in common:

They belong to a world that is passing away.

Jesus asked, "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Mark 8:36). The same question can be asked of civilizations. What has America done that will still matter a thousand years from now? Or ten thousand?

History remembers nations for what they accomplish. Heaven remembers them for something else.

Here are five ways American Christians have helped build something that will never pass away.

5. Compassion in Christ's Name

Long before America's various forays into nation building, American Christians were quietly carrying the compassion of Christ around the world.

• Hospitals

• Orphanages

• Schools

• Disaster relief

• Clean water projects

• Medical missions

• Feeding the hungry

• Caring for widows and orphans

These acts of mercy have never been ends in themselves. They have been tangible expressions of the gospel, opening doors for conversations about the One who said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

4. Redeeming Every New Technology

One of the most remarkable characteristics of American Christianity has been its willingness to harness every new technology for the spread of the gospel.

• Printing presses

• Radio

• Television

• Satellite broadcasting

• The internet

• Podcasts

• YouTube

• Apps

• Nearly every communications revolution has quickly become a missions opportunity

Paul wrote that he became "all things to all people, that by all means I might save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22). The message has never changed, but Christians have continually adapted the methods by which that message reaches the world.

Millions have heard the gospel because believers refused to surrender new technologies to the culture and instead dedicated them to Christ.

3. Sending Missionaries to the Nations

No other country in history has commissioned more missionaries than the United States.

For generations, ordinary believers have packed their belongings, hugged tearful family members goodbye, and boarded ships and airplanes bound for places whose languages they could not speak and whose customs they barely understood.

Many would spend decades overseas, and some would ultimately give their lives, all for one simple reason. The Savior of humanity said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19).

Every church planted, every baptism celebrated, every disciple made, and every village hearing the name of Christ for the first time bears witness to their obedience.

History rarely remembers their names. Heaven certainly does.

2. Funding the Great Commission

Missionaries cannot travel without support.

Churches are not planted without support.

Bible translators cannot devote decades to unwritten languages without support.

Behind nearly every visible ministry stands an army of ordinary Christians whose names will never appear in biographies or documentaries. They simply gave their money and resources, week after week, year after year, for generations.

American believers have quietly invested billions of dollars into missions, seminaries, church planting, disaster relief, Christian education, and evangelistic ministries around the globe.

Paul thanked the Philippians for exactly this kind of partnership, calling their gifts "a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God" (Philippians 4:18).

The world celebrates inventors, generals, and presidents. Heaven celebrates faithful, cheerful, generous givers. And perhaps nowhere has that generosity left a greater legacy than in the final contribution on this list.

1. Putting the Bible into the Hands of the World

If there is one contribution American Christians have made that will continue bearing fruit until Christ returns, it is this.

For generations, they have devoted extraordinary resources to translating, printing, and distributing the Word of God. Organizations like Wycliffe Bible Translators, Pioneer Bible Translators, the American Bible Society, Gideons International, Biblica, and countless local churches have labored so that men and women could read Scripture in their own language — many for the very first time.

Pause for a moment and consider what that really means.

• At this very moment, somewhere in the world, a father is reading the Gospel of John to his children in a language that possessed no written Bible only a generation ago.

• A young woman is opening Romans for the first time because an American she has never met believed God's Word should reach her village.

• A pastor is preaching from Scripture that exists only because faithful believers in the United States invested years translating every verse into the language of his people.

Isaiah wrote, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8).

As odd as it sounds, everything else America has accomplished will pass away. But the Word of God does not. Every Bible translated, printed, distributed, and believed represents an investment in eternity.

Which is why if someone were to ask what contribution this nation has made that will still matter a million years from now, I don't think the answer begins with military victories, economic prosperity, or technological innovation.

It begins with ordinary Christians who believed the Great Commission was worth obeying.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Not the Bee or any of its affiliates.