Missions on Point

Starting the training and development process, we encourage assigning a mentor, or a series of mentors, to the missionary candidate. Begin with an inventory of personal spiritual disciples, discussing in-depth and candidly the major areas of life in which they may need attention, help, counsel, and qualification. The purpose is not to disqualify them. Rather, the intention is to identify areas and concerns in which the mentor and the church can come alongside them to help them qualify for missionary ministry. It will take time and some intense effort. Everyone will be pleased in the end with the results!

Every missionary candidate has a similar sequence of steps in preparation that must be taken to get from HERE, at home, to THERE, on their target field. Every church should know those steps and walk that pathway with them, guiding them along the way. This little book, available on Propempo.com and Amazon, is a great little primer of practical priorities, counsel, and resources to help all those involved.

Let's demystify the "missionary call." This thing involves both a subjective inner compulsion but also requires the external validation of the local church. How do you go about evaluating it? Take your time. Get to know your candidate well. Remove the most common and obvious barriers to missionary qualification. Walk with them through the preparation process. In the end, it should be apparent to the whole congregation that God has His hand in leading and equipping on them to to the work of missions.

The most important biblical qualification for a missionary is character. The scope of character includes integrity and reputation. Biblical qualifications for church leadership apply to missionaries, as well! It takes time and conscious effort to observe, mentor, examine and evaluate a missionary candidate's character. Don't take short-cuts! These qualifications are great goals for any mature Christian. We can all learn and grow in the process.

Very significant to your missionary training process will be defining some basic concepts which will serve you well. Not only does this work in developing new missionary candidates, but it frees your church leaders to be more discriminating, in a good way, and more focused in all the missions ministries your church supports. Learn how to distinguish priorities in relationship to the church, access to the Gospel, and priorities of ministry.

Discovering a new missionary candidate from your church should be as glorious as finding a new diamond. That diamond may still be "in the rough." But, it is the joy and privilege of the church to cut and polish that diamond specifically for cross-cultural service to the King of Kings. How do you inculcate a local church culture that produces awareness of missions and develops people willing to give their lives to this great Cause of Christ? Listen to this and the following episodes of this series to find out.

Church-based missionary training is both exciting and scary! Yet, it's nothing to be afraid of. If a church wants to send its own, it should be willing to invest in training them to be as fully prepared as it takes to give them every expectation of being long-term, effective missionaries on their appointed field. You can do this! Stick with us as we walk through Introduction: benefits, basic concepts, and the joy of church-based missionary training, as we begin this series.

OK. Our missionary is ready to be sent out to the field. We're done, right? NOOOO! This is where the true sending church steps up to ongoing responsibility and ownership of the missionary, their ministry, and the goals for which they were sent. It is still a team sport! There is plenty to do in full-orbed support, partnership in several levels, and a heightened sense of shepherding care for them "across the water." Listen and go for it.

Somehow churches freeze when a young person comes back from college or some spiritual experience and announces that they are going to be a missionary. Sometimes they are absolutely confident that they are going to do a particular ministry in a particular place with a particular goal. AND, they expect their church to foot the bill! Wait a minute! The missionary's direction and guidance are a function of the relationship and spiritual oversight of the sending church. Step up and learn how to do that in a way that is best for all concerned.

So many missionaries dash to the field without a loving check to assure they have the training and qualifications for effective long-term service. They come home dashed to pieces in avoidable attrition. We are passionate about training churches and their candidates to build the right mindset, skills, and expectations to survive and thrive in cross-cultural ministry. Get your church and mission leaders to grasp this essential commitment, for the good of the work and the glory of Christ.