Now don’t get me wrong I think it is good and right to send people abroad to spread the Gospel amongst different people groups around the world. After all we are commanded to go into all the world... However, what I find myself constantly questioning is how we send them and how we receive them back.
Now in writing this I know I’m lumping all missionaries from every church and mission agency into one basket and for that I apologise. These observations come from a limited experience but also from many conversations with those who have had much more experience that I. I also want to state that this in no way based on missionaries that I know or trying to call into question the call that missionaries have to go overseas.
The sending out of missionaries perplexes me. You take one person and dump them in the middle of a strange country and expect them to model the Christian life of community, fellowship and relationship. To me it makes no sense. Surely the ideal would be to send out teams and I know some mission organisations do. Yet still we send out these individuals . Even Paul took along companions. I would have thought it obvious that a team of missionaries would have far great an impact that a series of individuals, but perhaps that’s just me!!
So, let’s have a look at the people we send. My question here is if we are sending people to another country to share the Gospel shouldn’t these people be the very best we have to offer? Shouldn’t they have a wealth of experience, the best possible training and most complete support package that we can offer? After all if we were a business trying to sell a new service to another country we would send our best salesman or even the MD would go himself. However, what I’ve noticed is that churches send people as missionaries that are ill equipped, inexperienced and under supported. Time and time again I hear of people being sent abroad as evangelists and church planters. When I hear of church planters being sent I always ask the question of how many churches have they planted here. The answer always comes back as, you’ve guessed it, none. We’re sending out people to foreign climes to cut their teeth and make their mistakes and play with people’s lives. They then return to plant churches in this country? Well, not that I’ve ever heard of! Doesn’t this seem a bit topsy-turvy? I have also seen missionaries sent abroad where the sending church doesn’t believe in them enough to employ them themselves in the home church context. In fact when many return with all the experience of being a missionary they return to the pew rather than the pulpit. So, are these churches missing an opportunity in using these returning missionaries? I believe we have so much to learn from those who have been out on the mission field. So much is learnt there, experienced and encountered that it seems a waste not to use that resource within the home church. Now, of course many missionaries return and are well used in the local church or continue the good work they were doing overseas back in their home country but I think it is something that each sender needs to consider. It’s exciting to send people overseas to spread the Gospel but we need to bear in mind the very practical aspects of their return as well. This may include such things are culture readjustment, housing, employment, pensions and as mentioned putting that wealth of experience to good use.
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Not sure how much of this I agree with Nathan though your overall sentiment is valid and I do not disput many of your points. That said, there are a few I wish to counter.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I know of very few missionaries sent out alone and those that are were usually sent in to very dangerous situations where a group would attract potentially terminal attention. The vast majority are sent out to work with others already well established and are given very good training and preparation. Of course, a church just sending someone out on a foolish mission to convert the world with far more money than sense is not the same thing!
Secondly, I'm not sure the qualification for church planting abroad needs to be one of having done so already at home first. There is a difference of, say, being where I am with a handful of churches for 150 million people and the UK with far too many churches already for the number of people within.
Also, speaking as a missionary, I am not sure I want to be 'paraded' around in the pulpit as though I have some great wisdom to teach. I only have one - I understand that we need to serve. That is why I am here and when I return home, in some ways, I can best exemplify that by being in the pews, working, serving and doing behind the scenes. One leader at Spring Harvest once told me the most important job for him - as leader of the church - is to be on the rota for the creche. Wise words...
One last thought. I firmly believe that the Great Commission actually means you have to be called to STAY not go which is actually the command given. I have spent 20 years as a Christian believing this and pushing the doors to see if I was to go. Each time God said no and I prayed faithfully instead. When the opportunity to go arose this time I said no because I KNEW my mission field was the school in the UK where I worked. There was no doubt in my mind of this. When I finally left to come here it was doing so knowing that God had moved me from one harvest to another. But those called to stay must support me in prayer instead - and all missionaries. That way we do the work we're called to together.
I look forward to your comments!