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The Other Three Billion
We now have the means to reach people we have never been able to reach previously. Now is the time to be intentional about offering your time, talent and treasure to Him.
We now have the means to reach people we have never been able to reach previously. Now is the time to be intentional about offering your time, talent and treasure to Him.
Following the Lord’s leadership is not a little better – it is much better! Following our own direction can have dire consequences.
Experience the thrill of realizing that it is possible to make a significant impact for God, regardless of your past.
There are things that only another doctor can understand about the real life of being a doctor. There are things that only a mother or a teacher can understand about those roles. In the same way, only another missionary can really understand the life of a missionary. One of the many challenges is “culture shock” usually followed by “culture stress.” A missionary may have a short-term trip and enjoy the experience. However, if they return for a long-term commitment, they may become overwhelmed by culture shock. When we embarked on our first missionary trip, we committed to a semester of teaching at LCC in Klaipedia, Lithuania, a university built after the Soviet occupation. A full semester was a good length of time to begin to immerse ourselves into the culture of a former Soviet bloc country. We had to adjust to their view of life and a modernization that was entering the culture too quickly for economics to keep up. Other challenges were evident when we entered our second missionary venture to Germany where we stayed for seven years. Even though our apartment had basic furnishings, we needed a few additional things. In the US, I would have known the stores I needed and even visualized where the necessary items might be. In my new location, I could not even visualize where the roads out of our small village would take me. We asked questions and did some searching, but it wasn’t always easy to find what we needed because of unfamiliar brands, store layouts and items I did not recognize at all! We also discovered that language can be a challenge when I turned up late for surgery! We did not understand how time was marked. As it happens, “half seven” (as it was stated in German) was 6:30, not 7:30! Culture shock will vary depending on the location to which you are going. Whether it is a first, second, or third world country, a large city full of tourists or a remote rural area, the challenges will be very different, but they will be very real. The point is, be prepared to be surprised and roll with it! This has been a peek into some of the stresses of life in another culture that only missionaries (or those who are relocating to a foreign culture) will experience. We have not even touched on the challenges of actually working there. However, please note the following links that offer more discussion on the challenges of serving cross-culturally. https://askamissionary.com/daily/ https://www.theaquilareport.com/missions-and-the-shocking-reality-of-culture-shock/
God surprised us with unexpected answers to prayers during our seven-month whirlwind after being accepted as members of Wycliffe Bible Translators. My husband completed his semester of teaching University, and I began an online course. We wrote letters, visited churches, and made phone calls. We had a very successful garage sale and arranged to store items we wished to keep. Our house rented more quickly than we had expected so we began to search for an efficiency apartment with an open-ended lease! Then, friends unexpectedly invited us to live with them until our departure! After moving in, we continued raising support. We traveled to the location of our mission’s headquarters for three weeks of training and finally to the site of my two-week educational therapy training. During all of this, I was having extreme left knee pain, and after several failed interventions, a partial replacement was my only option. We continued making support contacts while I recovered at our friend’s home. One day, while our hosts were not at home, their phone rang. My husband answered and found that it was from an investment company. He dutifully took their number and offered to give our hosts the message. As my husband told me about the call, he thought a little more about the name of the person representing the company and realized that the name was the same as that of a former university student. He called back and discovered that this person had indeed once been his student. They caught up with one another’s lives, and as my husband described our future plans, the investor excitedly said, “I want to be part of that by sending monthly support. Just tell me how and where.” We had been praying that God would supply our needs, but we had never prayed that God would use a “cold” call while living at a friend’s house to be part of that answer! Every missionary can tell similar stories. Our support came from churches and individuals as well as from unexpected sources. There were acquaintances who heard about our plans “by the grapevine,” and someone we got to know while trapped in a blizzard! Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God is full of surprises, and when we follow his lead and step out in faith, he will continue to surprise us with unexpected answers to prayers; even when we have not specifically prayed them.
How will a culture to which God calls me compare to mine? Most cultures are similar in that people get up in the morning, work, and care for their homes. They supervise their children and want their lives to be better than that of the previous generation. Cultures differ in that they may have access to fewer amenities and have different occupations. Some shop for food daily. Some struggle for every crumb because of drought, poverty, or poor farming techniques. Some tend to be late and others early. Some follow societal rules legalistically, and others are more spontaneous. Despite the similarities and differences of cultures, our goal in missions must never be to “Americanize” their culture but to show them the Savior. Our focus should always be on the fact that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” [Romans 3:23] And that includes us! But we cannot ignore the struggles in meeting basic needs when we do missions. We can show the love of Christ through charitable work such as teaching more efficient farming practices, helping to dig wells, and teaching skills to guide them toward a living wage. This charitable work is necessary at times, such as the family mourning a child’s death from dysentery. They may not be able to hear about a Savior above the sorrow of digging yet another grave. But if we can show them how to protect their children with clean water, we can then demonstrate how the Savior can give them eternal hope. A society that has been oppressed may have those who turn to alcohol or drugs to drown their hopelessness. They, too, need to know that, despite their circumstances, there is hope in a Savior. No matter where we go and no matter what work God calls us to embrace, we must remember that our ultimate purpose is to introduce others to the Savior, whether we go to the “front lines” or serve in a support role. Charles Spurgeon said, “If there be any one point in which the Christian Church ought to keep its fervor at a white heat, it is concerning missions. If there be anything about which we cannot tolerate lukewarmness, it is in the matter of sending the gospel to a dying world.” This kind of focus can help us navigate the everyday similarities and differences that we encounter when entering another culture. Servant leadership and humbleness before God are basic tools.
According to James, Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. He prayed earnestly and God responded.
When difficult things come into our lives, it is not because they have snuck by God. He was not distracted or sleeping and thus, missed something.
Is it possible that the Lord provides a second chance after death to gain Heaven? Not so. It is our assignment from on high to be engaged in making disciples of the nations. We must each consider what our grade will be for that assignment.
Will God be sufficiently pleased with religious activity, such as going to church, serving others when it is convenient, or giving now and again, or even tithing?
It is not “God has a wonderful plan for your life.” It is “God has a wonderful plan,” and you are part of it. God can use you when you allow Him to step into your shoes.
Each of us is unique as each leaf on a tree is unique. You are made special for this time and this place. The Lord trusted you enough to put you on the earth at this time.
“But,” you may say, “the problems of the world, at home and abroad, are too great. What can one person do?” Every effective Bible character started with small steps. Start small but think big.
If we humble ourselves and give ourselves over to the Lord to do whatever He asks, the Lord can do amazing things. We have a big God.
Spiritual life is a miracle of God as He births new life into those that receive Him. It is not too much of a stretch for us to see the miracle of our awareness that we are not our own, but the Lord’s.
The Lord’s highest value for us is righteousness and fruitfulness. We have to ask ourselves where we are on the spectrum of Kingdom fruitfulness. What are others saying about you? More importantly, what will Jesus say about you?
Moses was challenged by God to take on a new assignment by a big God. Moses objected, “Who am I that I should go …” The Lord’s response was simple, “Certainly I will be with you.” That was supposed to be enough for Moses, and it is intended to be enough for you and me.
“When I arrive on the mission field, I’ll be more consistent with my quiet times.” Have you ever thought that? I did, before I entered the field. We would agree that if Jesus spent time in prayer and communion with His Father, sometimes all night, we ought to do the same. However, Christians, whether missionaries or not, frequently confess that finding the minutes for a consistent quite time can be challenging.
However, the paradox is that you and I do not work for God to be accepted by Him. That is religion. Rather, we are accepted by God, therefore …
Jeremiah 47:10 has never made it into a memory verse packet. It reads, “Accursed is the man that is slack in doing the Lord’s work.” Another translation is “Cursed is the man that is lax in doing the Lord’s work.” We don’t want to be there …
Many people seem to freeze at the notion of serving in ministry because there is no sense the Lord is calling them—because doors do not seem open.
How do we determine our readiness to minister to others? As a starting point for this multifaceted question, let’s consider two topics: spiritual readiness and emotional readiness.
Notice in Jeremiah 29:11, it is not our plans, but His plans for us that He promises to prosper. Jesus helps us out and tells us what those plans are …
After Jesus had completed the plan of salvation by ushering in the New Covenant, He made a number of post-resurrection appearances. He did not come back to make small talk or chit-chat about old times; these visits were purposeful.
If you are considering God’s call to foreign missions, you’re probably wondering how to choose an area of work. To begin, consider your experiences and avocations.
Raising support for a missions trip is often met with reluctance and fear. However, as we begin to delve into the topic, we realize that we need to learn God’s perspective and promises.
Mission work requires flexibility. Serving in a new culture means adjusting to new norms and customs. Some of them you may be prepared for, and others may completely throw you off guard. Here are a few topics to consider and resources to help.
While starting a new direction in missions may be important to you, I’m sure keeping your family protected, provided for, and intact in a world that tries to tear apart family values is at the top of your list of priorities. When God nudged me to consider missions, we were a very dysfunctional family.
If you’re considering God’s call to foreign missions, you’re probably wondering how to choose an area of work. To start, consider your experiences and avocations.
Fears about joining the mission field are universal. While everyone’s missions journey looks different, many of their concerns or misconceptions are the same.
Becoming a long-term missionary is fraught with change. Rise to the challenge and meet each of these head on with these tips and tricks.
If you’re serving overseas, there are many potential diseases and dangers for your physical health on the mission field. It’s easy for fear to set it.
Searching for a way to travel, experience the world, and witness the beauty of other cultures all while sharing Jesus? Going on a missions trip abroad maybe something to consider. But it’s not the only way to serve.
How do you find a mission agency that is similar in scope to your abilities, passion, location preference and interests? It is important to research any agency you might be considering. While every agency often has a specific focus, their actual ministry footprint can be very large.
I was afraid that I did not know enough about Jesus, that I did not know His word and that I would turn people away rather than draw them to Him. How could I talk to people about a love that I was just learning about and allowing to change and shape my world?
John Piper famously said, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” I would hazard that you and I are needed in missions, then, as an outpouring of our own worship.
Looking back at a career in missions asked myself: Why did I really become a missionary? Was it because of business downsizing, or because I wanted to look holy to my friends? Was it because I wanted to work for God?
When thinking of missionaries, many people think only of Christians who have taken up residence in some foreign country where the inhabitants most likely are unfamiliar with the Christian faith. However, every year thousands of Christians travel all over the world for periods of one week to six months to share the good news of the Gospel.
You believe that God is calling you to serve in missions, but you need to find an agency to affiliate with. Where do you begin? As you begin searching, you find there are a myriad of different mission agencies to choose from. How can you decide?
Get real. I am not a doctor, linguist, pilot, or even a pastor. Why would God call me to be a missionary? But what does God say about going to all the nations?
You feel God is calling you to something, you just wish you knew what that something is. How do you know if a role in ministry or missions is part of His plan for your life?
I don’t feel like going to my usual Sunday school class, I said to myself as I entered church, so I think I’ll watch the video another class is showing. God used my unusual decision to direct our lives in ways we had never dreamed.
The Lord says in his word that “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (Mathew 9:37 NIV). Today, the World more than ever is in desperate need of workers to go out into every nation to reach the lost and the broken.
College graduation is both exciting and nerve-wracking. Now what? Rush into the workforce? Freelance? Take a gap year?
Her name was Maria. God sent me across the ocean to pray for her—a girl who was sixteen just like me, but lived in a completely different world.
When it comes to deciding how to serve in missions, the choices are practically endless. Where do you begin to find the right place with so many options?
Quite a few things have changed since we started in 1998. By God’s grace, we’re entering a whole new chapter for connecting you with mission opportunities.
Reality check: there are abundant ways to serve for mission agencies and organizations, all over the globe.
MissionNext would like to work with your organization to find the workers you’re looking for.
Meet Tom and Vicky Hall from Florida. Their story may be similar to what you’re going through.
What’s it like half-way around the world to teach for an Christian school, in the midst of diverse students and cultures?
When I was finishing my teaching program and starting the process of looking for teaching jobs I knew God was moving in my heart to teach oversees, but I had no idea where.
Comfortable – that’s what you would call my career in the banking field, but God had other plans for me with that two letter command.
Watching and sending is one way of serving Christ. And then, there are times when being the supportive hands and feet becomes a God-guided reality.
MissionNext partners with over 100 mission agencies and Christian schools, all with diverse needs. Be encouraged with two stories of God-ordained connections.
They’re out there. Searching for the right messenger–perhaps someone like you–whose skill and passion match their unique ministry needs.
By the end of this year, I’ll be serving overseas—all because God moved mountains to get me into missions.
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