Pastor v. Missionary: What’s The Difference?
Posted by C. Holland on Feb 16, 2009One of the things that caught us off guard in our mission field was the perception of missionary in the field being different than the pastor in a foreign mission field. Although we are missionaries in every sense of the word, one of us is a licensed pastor.
We figured this out when people here were surprised at the pastor fact. They were shocked to hear preaching from a missionary. This was very perplexing to us. Perhaps it is our denominational background in the States, where missionaries were also pastors and were sent to pastor new churches in mission fields. It appears that the concept of missionary in our field is one that comes alongside an existing church to handle lay ministry. Regardless, the pastor aspect has now become an asset.
But it made me think: what is the difference between a pastor and a missionary (if both are licensed or ordained to preach)? Most pastors I know in the States were actually raised and sometimes educated in a completely different part of the nation, different enough to make it culturally significant. Many pastors must uproot their entire family to a brand-new place with different customs and expectations, meaning they are no longer near extended family. While pastors may not have to fundraise in the traditional missionary way, they are vital to the financial upkeep of their church. There are bi-vocational pastors who must work a secular 40-hour a week job. And some pastors do not receive the approval of their vocation by extended family members.
To be honest, we really see ourselves not as missionaries or a pastor, but as ordinary, broken people, Christian by God’s grace and mercy, living out our lives. We would do ministry according to God’s call whether it be in our town of birth or anywhere else in the world. How God chooses to fund the ministry is His decision. Perhaps the definition of “missions” needs to be revisited, because I believe the mission field is everywhere, whether it be in your home town, at your place of work or even your school. Actually, to me missions is anywhere you interact with people who need Jesus, even if they may be everything or nothing like you.
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March 13th, 2009 at 11:22 am
[...] MissionConfidential explores the concepts of Pastors vs. Missionary. [...]
October 5th, 2009 at 8:30 am
I could identify with this writeup Pastorv Missionary. I belongs to this category after returning from the mission field. I am now a bi-vocational pastor who meet many contacts from the marketplace. Many are lead to the Lord and many are witnessed and helped spiritually as I am like one of them without statusquo. I did pastoral ministry and I gor income withot depending or ‘begging” from church. I find it rewarding and sometime tiring but able to manage well as no one control my time. I worked long hours and also shorter hours as I decides all by myself.The fruit of my labor is worth while I was a fulltime pastor per se. I amnow more fuller than full-time pastor as my roles take me overseas too!
October 7th, 2009 at 11:24 am
@Kelvin: Thank you for your thoughts. Ministry is ministry, no matter your title or how God provides for you financially.