Volunteers?
Are we done with volunteers for missions?
Before diving into this area, let’s be clear that shifting from volunteers to selected individuals is not a usurping of God’s call by introducing a human decision-making process. As mysterious as God’s Call has been to many, the point of selection is to involve all elements of faith-based decision-making in the process. We avoid insane leaps of faith by searching the Scriptures, prayer, conscience, common sense, and consultation with other godly believers. By utilizing all of the strategies for wise decision-making, our step of faith, that is still and always required, is a step, not a leap!
Let it also be clear that there have been anomalies whereby an individual who no one would reasonably select is in fact a true, God-called servant who must follow God’s calling! Let me give you a couple illustrations, one a funny story that may be true; the other a servant of God who I personally heard preach.
The story is told of a young man with a stutter who volunteered to sell Bibles. No one encouraged him but his persistence paid off with a box of Bibles to sell. That afternoon he returned with an empty box and requested another box. When he returned for a third box, he was questioned on how he was selling so many Bibles. He said, “When I s-speak to a-a-a person a-about purchasing a B-Bible, I a-a-ask if they w-would like me to r-r-read a pa-passage from the B-B-Bible.”
I listened one day to as sermon preached by a man who suffered from cerebral palsy. He was talking about evangelism and urging us to evangelize. One of his most profound statements was (and try your best to hear him speak in the difficult voice of one in his condition), “I have cerebral palsy… what’s your excuse?”
There is no denial that there have been those who went into ministry and missions with real question marks as to whether they should. Yet the God of the impossible who chose us, weak vessels that we are, may choose such a one. As we suggest a greater scrutiny of the calling of individuals, we must bear in mind that outliers exist in the will of God.
Yet another observation before we dive in. Since approximately 1985, national believers from other countries have found their way to our country where they have been allowed and encouraged to raise funds from our churches for missions in their homeland. Organizations have developed to facilitate these funds to these national believers after they have returned to their country for ministry. The cost of assisting a national believer in his country is significantly less than sending an American to the same place, if it were even possible to send an American. This economical method has made this strategy very attractive to many. However, it has also raised red flags to many who are concerned about accountability for funds sent overseas with little oversight. Some have questioned, “Who sent these people?”; “Where is the national local church?”; and “Should not each national believer have a national sending church?”
Because the cost is so much less, some may think this ends the need for expensive American missionaries. NO! The Great Commission for American churches is not going to go away because we found a cheaper way to do it! If God calls a man from within our churches, that man must go! Cost is not to even be considered, the call of God trumps any cost concern.
Instead, this leads into the discussion of this key point of selection. With cost being a concern in American missions today, the real issue is, “Is this man truly called of God?” If we are going to spend such an enormous amount of money on a missionary, should we not be more careful about who is sent? Over the years, many who claimed to be called returned home in a short time and many quit before they even left. Who is at fault for these failures? Is it possible that sending churches failed their people and their missionary? Was the man truly called of God or was he simply a volunteer?
Should there not be a selection process that identifies those called of God, rather than simply willing? What if I (or any leader) were to ask (plead, point out someone without knowing them) for missionaries? Who would respond to our request (appeal, finger pointing)?
There are great problems with Volunteers. The Volunteer system is suspect on biblical grounds (Acts 11:22; 25-26; 13:1-4; 15:39-40; 16:3). It should be noted that a key qualification from Acts 16:2 is that Timothy was well reported of by the church.
The Volunteer system is also suspect on practical grounds. Michael Griffiths’ pamphlet entitled, Get your church involved in Missions, observes that ‘one does not choose a sports team by calling for volunteers’. So, why do we conclude that the greatest calling has been given to those who may be emotionally driven, family promoted (pushed) or simply adventurous? Is it not to be expected that an emotional appeal will draw emotional people? Likewise, Griffiths notes that the Volunteer system does not produce the kind of missionaries required. How many fields are struggling to train the unqualified to fulfill the required roles?
Would you be willing to consider a “Process of Selection”? Here are four key ingredients to such a process.
First, is God working within the individual (a willing servant called of God). The call of God comes to an individual who is a believer (past), living as a disciple (present), and desires the ministry position (future).
Qualifications are given in I Tim 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9 and I Pet 5:1-4. A summary would include: clear testimony of salvation, doctrinally sound, educationally prepared, zealous for God, led by God, committed to the task, experienced in labor, evidence of ‘Fruit of the Spirit’, responsible, and accountable. Further, is he teachable (humble and submissive)? Is he honorable (loyal and respectful)?
Second, what is his training? Has he been trained by mature saints? Since salvation, has he been discipled by a mature saint? How blessed are those who have been discipled from childhood (II Tim 3:15).
Presumably, he will have gone to a training center (whether a university or local church institute) and been trained for ministry (including missions). Did he get adequate training in the inner life, in the message to be delivered, in ways to show forth that life, and in the practice of sharing that life?
What has been his experience since graduation? Has he served in the local church under guidance by leadership? How have the people responded to his service in the church?
Third, has he been recognized by the local church as a leader? Can he claim the recommendation that he is well reported by congregation (Acts 16:2), but also well reported by those outside the church (I Tim 3:7)?
Fourth, is there a consensus that this man, who has been led by the Spirit among the congregation, will also be led by the Spirit to the place where the call of God is leading? Are the members ecstatic about their called man of God from their midst following the leading of the Spirit?
Do you see the need for selection over volunteerism? It requires that the local church get involved.
