How to become a career missionary
By
Kathi Maresco
Quote:
You've been on a short term, and you've decided that career missions is where you're heading. Like reaching any other goal, this will involve a plan of action.
Kathi Maresco served on short-term projects in Brazil and France .
You've been on a short term, and you've decided that career missions is where you're heading. Like reaching any other goal, this will involve a plan of action. It's easy to get distracted from the task if you stay on home soil, but take the time to become well-trained. There isn't any one prescribed course of action to follow, but here are a few steps you might take:
Develop a support team. These are people who recognize your call to ministry, and who pledge themselves to uphold you. Find a few wise people you can count on to give godly advice.
Get rooted in a local church. It's not enough to attend a church on Sunday mornings. You need to learn what a local church is so you can plant churches on the field. You also need to learn to serve. The best way is to get involved in your local church by carrying out some kind of responsibility. Don't have a home church? Find one soon and give yourself to it.
Consider further training. Don't jump into school without researching what schooling you really need. Don't waste time or money on unnecessary training. Check with mission and denominational agencies as to training you need for the work you're going to do.
Travel light. Don't accumulate possessions. Keep your belongings pared down to bare necessities. This will help you to be flexible and movable.
Avoid debt. It's better to work part time and go to school part time than to amass a debt. It will take longer, but it will keep you from the danger of being distracted from the task while paying off the debt.
Keep involved in ministry. It's easy to get so caught up with participating in God's global plan for the future that you forget to participate in the present. Be involved with evangelism and discipleship now.
Determine your strengths and weaknesses. Ask your spiritual leader what he or she sees as your strengths and weaknesses, and where that person sees you fitting into world evangelization. Evaluate your spiritual gifts and talents to see how they could be used most strategically.
Examine career options. Investigate the needs and situations of countries, people groups, and mission agencies. As you evaluate, think strategy. What is most needed to be done? How will I best meet the needs? What is God's timing for me in meeting the needs?
Formulate a plan. Establish an estimated date of departure for the field. Design specific steps to get there. Assign time blocks for each step, then provide evaluation checkpoints for yourself to determine your progress. Be open-handed with this plan, and allow God to adjust it periodically.
Be disciplined. It's easy to get sidetracked. You must be disciplined if you want to make it overseas. Sitting around won't make it happen. Make a plan and stick to it.