What is taking so long?
Are we done with Sending Churches sitting back and watching their called man of God struggle to raise support in order to get to the place where
God has called him?
The greatest joy of any local church should be the calling of one of its members to the mission field. Fulfilling the Great Commission at home is the first objective of any local church but it is incomplete obedience for a local church to not be zealous for its world. Being a supporting church of missionaries sent out by other local churches is a great starting point but cannot substitute for sending one of your own. Imagine one of your men or women; won to Christ, discipled, trained, serving; now called of God to reach your world! What great joy!
Yet, somehow in our faith-based missions program, whatever joy is expressed does not seem to translate into zeal to see the called of God on the mission field. Where is the zeal that has a church family clamoring to know ‘what is taking so long’? Is it possible that the church is not as excited about their missionary because there is not a strong connection between the member and his fellow believers?
Previously a discipleship plan was shared that seeks to build up a membership of spiritually mature individuals who are serving the local church, with the expectation of serving in the local church for a lifetime. Out of that group of mature believers, God calls those to the mission field.
Instead of recent graduates of seminaries immediately applying to a misson agency, they should return to the local church and be given opportunity to demonstrate in the local church their spiritual gifts (often called internship). As they work among their potential sending church members, the church members should come to know their member through his service. Then, when the call is evident to all members, it will develop a driving zeal to see their called-of-God man supported and sent to the mission field.
How will this zeal be demonstrated? Rather than simply commissioning their man and sitting back to see how long it will be before he actually leaves, the church members will look for any opportunity, leave no stone unturned, give every lead, make many phone calls – He must go! Hey, what’s taking so long? It is wonderful that pastors write nice letters of recommendation but isn’t there more that pastors and people can do? What can be done to get our man out doing the will of God?
Another aspect of the problem is the ever-increasing cost of missions. Support estimates have gone ‘through the roof’. While there is a reality that costs will be high for anyone to move, setup, purchase a vehicle and return to report in 2 – 4 years; insurances, retirement, agency fees, work funds and Social Security pile on to create a monthly support estimate that is more than just basic living expenses in another place (foreign or domestic). Lifestyle choices and expectations can not only raise one’s estimate but also alter the reception of the missionary among those he seeks to reach. (A common issue with supporting nationals who make their way to our country to raise funds and find an agency to facilitate those funds to them is that the national believer is now not only known as American-funded but also often living higher financially than their own people whom they raised the funds to reach.) Living beyond the local cost of living should be avoided at all cost and may actually reduce the cost needed (support estimate).
Support estimates will always seem unreasonable to pastors and members, but it must never be the deterrent from sending missionaries. It may cost less to send or support a national missionary, but the Great Commission is not going away for the American church because we found a cheaper way to do it. The call of God always trumps any consideration of cost. The issues to be dealt with are, “Is he called?” and “Does he have a plan that multiplies?”
A genuinely called man of God will do whatever is necessary to fulfill his calling, including appropriate support estimate. Having a committed and zealous sending church family will not only inspire the man of God as he raises his support but will also assist him to reach his destination in a timely manner.
