Earlier this week, I wrote a post challenging pastors to get to know missionaries. That day, a cross-cultural worker from another part of the world encouraged me to write something similar to him and his colleagues; that is, he challenged me to speak to missionaries, too. Here are my thoughts to my friends around the world:
- You know this truth, but the local church really does matter. It’s the local church that the Bible most often pictures. Nothing in the Scriptures precludes cooperation, denominations, or mission-sending agencies, but the local church is still primary. The missionary without a connection to a sending church is missing something.
- Please be patient when local churches don’t always know how to serve a missionary well. I don’t know a church or pastor who wouldn’t want to walk arm-in-arm with a missionary, but I do know a lot of them who aren’t sure about the best ways to go about it. Frankly, many of them have never seen it done well (or at all, for that matter, if churches have abdicated their responsibility to missions agencies).
- Tell us how to serve you well. Give us practical, simple ways we can walk beside you. Help us help you, and in so doing you’ll also be helping your colleagues who follow after you. The church that you help guide now may well develop a passion that extends beyond your ministry.
- Trust that somebody in the local church wants to hear from you, reads your newsletters, and prays for you. I don’t walk directly in your shoes, but I’m sure it gets wearisome to initiate contact when you have so many other life-transforming things to do. Nevertheless, please know that some of us do want to hear from you. And, no congregation will catch that fire unless you’re in communication with somebody in the church—so ask the Lord to give you that advocate in the church.
- Don’t be shy to ask us for help. As one of the pastors at my church, I want to know if our missionaries need something. We may not always be in a position to meet every need, but we have connections and other resources to whom we might also turn on your behalf. If we don’t know your needs, though, we can’t help—and all of us miss out.
- If one church doesn’t connect well with you, keep looking—don’t give up on all churches. I regret that some churches send missionaries and then seem to forget them. Out of tens of thousands of churches in the U.S., though, many have a genuine, deeply-held passion for missions. If you serve through a denominational agency, ask them to help you find a supportive church. If you serve on your own, ask colleagues for connections and suggestions. God will provide some congregation so you don’t walk alone.
- Pray and work with your colleagues so all of you have supportive churches that encourage you. To be honest, I think it would be easy for one frustrated, lonely missionary to lead to other frustrated missionaries who are also disappointed in local churches. Don’t be that missionary. Pray for wisdom, seek to build church relationships, be patient with us, and encourage your colleagues to do the same. We really do want to help.
My wife and I love you and pray for you.
