Missionary Confidential

The first time I heard it, it went something like this:

“With our method, we hope to plant 200 churches in the mission field within four years.”

Since then, the number of churches, or years, or the method changes every time I hear it, but it’s the same intent: an astounding number in a very short amount of time. And it makes me wonder, do missionaries have to make projection promises just to get funding? Or maybe attention?

I wonder because, by those kind of numbers, we’re pretty pathetic. In our first four years (according to the example above), we’ve planted nothing. Not even one. We’re not even at the beginnings of a church plant. Though I’m not trying to compare or measure up (we’re in a different field, etc.), other Christians have encouraged me over the years to direct my interest to a certain leader or group because “they have this great plan to plant ___ churches in ___ years!”

I have to say that I’ve never had someone suggest I go hear the exciting presentation from missionary who’s still slogging on for decades with perhaps a convert or two and a group of ten in church attendance. » Read the rest of this entry «

The other night I was talking with one of my national friends, and he was relating his busy last few weeks, most of which was taking a visiting missionary around the country on furlough.  When asked how long my friend had been hosting missionaries from this particular mission organisation, I was amazed to hear that it was before I was born (and I’m not young, either.)  His lengthy dedication was impressive, not just because of longevity, but because the hospitality also included shuttling the missionary to many places around a country not known for the best public transportation or infrastructure.

“Oh, but I’m not the first one to host here in this country,” he divulged.  “I actually inherited the responsibility from another man.”  My friend went on to explain that this man had hosted for quite a few years, and it was ageing (and a subsequent illness) that caused the man to pass the responsibility to my friend.  “When I visited him for the last time in hospital,” my friend recounted, “he personally asked me to ‘please take good care of my missionaries’.  Then he leaned closer to me and whispered, ‘Just don’t spoil them’.”

At this point, my long-term readers will probably be expecting me to start off with a politely-worded form of, “Just who does he think he is?  What in the world was that man thinking?!  We’re people too, yada yada yada, etc.”  But I’m not, because it’s what my friend said next that helped illustrate that standards of all sorts are quite relative, even for us missionaries. » Read the rest of this entry «

From the minute we started fundraising in the States years ago, and even up to the present, the first question we’re asked as missionaries is, “Why did you become a missionary to [our mission field country in Western Europe]?”

Most of the time, the query comes from a Christian, both native and international.  It’s an odd question, because as stated above it’s really open to interpretation for the answer they’re looking for.  I’m never sure if they’re looking for:

So our retort is always, “ God.”  Not to be snarky or even difficult, but because it’s true.  Really true.  There’s no earthly explanation as to why two Californians with no link to this country or background in missions ministry would dump everything in the States to do this long-term.  It doesn’t make a bit of sense, I realise this.  But it is what it is.  And many seem to think this is not the right answer. » Read the rest of this entry «

Of all the lessons that foreign missions ministry has taught me (and continues to do so), the top of the list has to be that we are shaped by our location and culture more than we realise.  Most anyone who has lived in a foreign country for a decent stretch of time would probably recognise how true this is.

When you meet a fellow Christian from another country, there are some great similarities and kinship that’s experienced through our Family in Christ.  It’s difficult to describe to others, but there is an understanding of what it’s like to press on with life as a Christian in this fallen world.  They know what you’ve seen, and usually understand how fellow Christians experience life.

Then there’s the point that you realise that their Christian experience has differed than yours.  Their “favourite songs” are ones you’ve never heard, or methodology in worship services is, well, just different.  Nothing wrong or sacrilegious, but jarringly different to your exposure.

Who and what you are surrounded by is bound to influence your perception and choices.  Even when I’ve worked with missionaries who are firmly resolved to not lose one bit of their “American” accent, actions or attitude, over time even they begin to start using phrases here that wouldn’t ever be used “back home”.  They don’t notice it, and can become alarmed when informed of this, yet for all their determination to resist, the phrase or action creeps back in.  Bear in mind that these are things that are completely inoffensive both here and to Americans, nor would they be anything wrong in God’s view at all.  They hear it used over and over again, or perhaps people here understand them better when they say that phrase.  It just happens, even if they purposely try to stop. » Read the rest of this entry «

One of the things I’ve learned since being in the mission field is that the word “missionary” carries a significant amount of baggage for both Christians and non-Christians alike.  Some of it is well-intentioned and respectful, other reactions are more telling about people’s perception of missionaries.  But it was this post on another blog that suggested working a secular job internationally with a missional intent (and the subsequent comments) that made me ponder if it is possible to have an authentic relationship with both Christians and non-Christians in your mission field as an identified missionary.  Does the perception by others of our assigned “agenda” to convert (or at least proclaim) discourage people from accepting our interest as an authentic relationship?

In the referenced post, I asked the author, Grady Bauer, to clarify his statements about a “truly authentic set of relationships in a different culture”:

“I think one of things those of us in full-time ministry, regardless of location, struggle with is relationships. If I’m a full-time missionary in a country…who do I connect with along natural lines? Very few people. Work can lead to relationships that are created authentically, not me targeting them with the gospel. Hobbies and mutual interests also serve this purpose as do volunteering with a public organization. It helps us to connect with people in ways that make sense and seem more authentic.”

I’ve let these thoughts sit in the back of my mind for a while, but what prompted me to explore further was this recent search term here at my blog:

“Do the missionaries really like me?” » Read the rest of this entry «