If you read my last post on wanting to become a missionary, meditated on the 15 questions and answered “yes” to most of them, you’re probably wondering about what comes next. When you’re a missionary at heart the excitement of traveling to another country is intoxicating and in the emotion of working towards your goal it is easy to forget the logistical and practical implications of what you’re doing. Below is a few starting points to help you in your new found excitement. If you’re going to start, consider starting here:


Start Praying
Start praying now! Much of the preparatory work that goes into becoming a missionary takes place in your own heart. People often jump over this step and straight into support raising, planning, etc and don’t do the heavy work of allowing God to minister to you in prayer.

Seek Council
The first thing you should do is talk to your friends and family to get some feedback and council from them. You need to then talk to an elder or leader at your church to get their feedback as well. The insight of mentors and family will prove invaluable to your process especially those who are older and more mature.

Study Up
What do you know about mission work? Have you ever travelled overseas? If you don’t know much that’s okay you can always learn but don’t take learning for granted. Talk to former and current missionaries, read missions blogs, read international newspapers, get familiar with current international events, etc.

Short-Term Consideration
Short-term missions is a great way to gain insight into the life of a missionary and the lives of people in a different culture. If you haven’t spent a lot of time outside of your home culture this is an eye opening experience. Don’t expect to change the world on a short trip though. Short-term trips are usually more life changing for the person going than the culture someone is going to. This is also a great opportunity to learn the art of support raising. Learning to explain your goals and your desires to potential supporters for a short trip is invaluable for future endeavors later.

Stay in Communication
How well have you conveyed your desires to the people around you? You’ve told them once but have you told them twice? People are busy with their own lives and they easily forget. Once you’ve studied the subject of missions and the place you want to go you’re now the unofficial “expert,” don’t expect people to remember the details of what currency is being used in Macau, or what the population of Christians are in Queensland. It’s your job to know that information, but it’s also your job to remind your potential supporters of why that information is important.

Share Your Experiences
People love pictures and video so take lots of them. Seriously, glue a camera to your hand, or at least carry one with you everywhere. Detail your entire experience from start to finish and your short-term supporters might become supporters for life. Sharing your experiences with your supporters shows that you honor them and are thankful for their gift. It also re-enforces their role as senders in God’s plan and shows that without senders, going is impossible.

Becoming a missionary is a life changing experience so it’s important to start slow. There are many facets to beginning down the road of missions that I didn’t include here. Let God take the lead and don’t rush in. Do your preparatory work early and often and prepare for a fruitful life serving God in missions. If you’re interested in reading further, missionaryconfidential.com has his own list, that’s worth reviewing. You can also read his answer about the effectiveness of short-term missions. If you’re serious and looking for a short-term agency to talk to, stop by and say hello to Rob at KontaktMission’s GoConnect. He’ll be glad to answer any questions you might have. Whatever you do, begin by asking God where you can serve, that’s always the best place to start.

Tags: Missions