If you've been a missionary long you will have most likely encountered the "Someone else syndrome." If not, you will. Over the years I've met a lot of well meaning Christian people who are gung-ho about world evangelism, enthusiastic about going to the ends of the earth, sacrificial about reaching the world, as long as it's done by someone else. To my ears they ascribe to mission evangelism as a concept and laud it's importance in theory. "Yes, the church must be engaged in global missions because Jesus commanded it" I hear them say. But when asked who should go? "Someone else."

Jesus said in Luke 9:23 "If anyone would come after me let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Isn't it ironic that later in the same chapter Jesus called three individuals to follow him and each one had an excuse?

Before you pull out your pitchfork on me, let me state clearly that there are legitimate reasons for not pursuing foreign service and no one should feel guilty for not going overseas. Yet, would you agree that if everyone subscribed to the "someone else syndrome" then no one would hear the message of salvation?

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For some of you this is a personal matter. You know God has asked you to go or called you to give yet you're making excuses wondering whether someone else can go do it instead. Others of you are struggling because your family members or friends are doubting your decision and hoping that someone else will go or give in your place. Maybe it's your job or bank account holding you back; maybe some illness or disability that seemingly disqualifies you; maybe it's the thought of grand kids or grandparents living far away; maybe the possibility of civil unrest or government oppression. Or maybe deep down you just don't care. These are all hints of the "someone else syndrome" and the only way to immunize it is to fight it.

But how?

There is only one antidote: The Gospel. Understanding that Jesus paid your debt and gifted you for something amazing; knowing that you're saved by grace through faith, not by anything you've done but what he has done; realizing that you owe God your very breath, is sufficient to fight this off.

So how do you know if you're sick with the syndrome? One simple question in light of the Gospel will do...

Is there anything, anything God can't ask of you?

Tags: Missionary Life, Support

Money. Moolah. The almighty dollar. Many a missionary decision has revolved around the subject of money and ultimately where to go. For many years, perhaps since the 1960’s the decision to minister in cheaper locales (like the 10-40 window) has unfortunately been driven by cost, not by command causing many places to be neglected. While we’ve never been beaten over the head because of our choice of ministry location, we have experienced a backlash from those questioning our decision to work and minister in Europe because of the cost. We’ve heard things like:
“Why don’t you go to Asia or India where the needs are greater?”

“We only support the 10-40 window because we get more bang for our buck.”

“Europe had their chance, now it's the poorer countries turn.”

Ironically, when I compare the European portion of the Mint map with this map of Western Europe I see an interesting correlation; those places that we’ve labeled “too expensive” to send missionaries in years past are the very same places where the Christian population hovers between 1%-4% today! Is this merely a coincidence of something more?

Ultimately, I believe the question comes down to a matter of obedient faith. Do we trust God to care for us no matter where we go by being obedient to the command to go into all the world? Does Christ elevate poorer places because of their poverty to the exclusion of richer places. Has cost played a factor in your choosing where to minister? Explain why or why not in the comments.

Tags: Missionary Life, Money, Support

Sending your car to the mechanic’s shop is never a blissful experience but leaving it at a new repair shop overnight is even worse. Last night we left our car at a new mechanic’s shop whom we’d never met on a street we didn’t even know existed. Aside from speaking with him on the phone to arrange the repair or this morning as he rattled off the list of repairs I had never even spoken to this person or seen his work. Where did this capacity for trust come from? My trust in him was not based on personal knowledge of his work, he’d never worked for me. My trust in him wasn’t based on first hand knowledge at all! Rather, my trust in him was vicariously built upon the recommendation of his reputation from friends. He treated them right and proved his trustworthiness so it was my hope that he would do the same for us.

I’ve never thought about it before but just like a mechanic, my success as a missionary stands or falls on my reputation too. When we ask people to financially support us we’re asking them to trust us. Most of them have never seen our work, have never been to the places we’re going, and will probably never know the impact their support makes. What that means is that we are obligated to maintain our reputations no matter the cost. Whatever you’re doing and wherever you’re serving, with daily repentance and humility, cherish and nurture your reputation. At the end of the day, it’s all we have.

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:16

Tags: Missionary Life, Support, Giving

They warned that it would happen... the dreaded “R” word rejection and yesterday it did. I had a very interesting conversation with a congregation that we had approached about considering us for financial support and it did not go well. That isn’t to say the conversation wasn’t pleasant or informative, it was. However, as pleasant as it was the outcome was the same, rejected. This wasn’t one of the soft pillowy “maybe later” or “not right now.” This was a full on, big fat, no-recourse, NO. During our support raising training we were warned about this and having gone through support raising before for Ireland were accustomed to it, but to have the line cut so quickly and so thoroughly was, I must admit, a bit shocking. No one likes to be rejected; there are even websites that challenge you to “deal with” rejection, and deal with it we must. However, being rejected is never easy, especially when your heart and soul are wrapped up in a passion for the ministry you’re seeking support for.

Having time to think about yesterday’s answer has allowed me to dissect the conversation and hopefully help others with rejection when raising support.

• Rejection is an important part of the process. Receiving rejection along the way allows us to grow stronger by testing our convictions about our work. If we were never tested through the support raising phase then we might enter our ministry underprepared for dealing with rejection in ministry. Naïvety in this area can kill your zeal which is why understanding and allowing for rejection now matures and prepares you for the realities of ministry later.
  
• Rejection solidifies our convictions and refines our trust in Jesus. How much do you trust Jesus? Do you honestly believe he’s called you to your work? Working through and dealing with rejection forces you to ask the tough questions about your faith and your trust in the Lord’s direction in your life. Luke referred to Paul’s conversion 3 times in the book of Acts which means Paul must have talked about it a lot. This was in the midst of terrible seasons of rejection coupled with beatings which leads me to believe that Paul was absolutely certain of his calling to keep going. Are you?
  
• Rejection refines our belief in our chosen location. Receiving a rejection based on the location of your chosen work can be a real confidence shaker. It is tempting to think that you must have picked the most obscure place on the planet when everyone seems to be going in a different direction. Have no fear, God has given you a passion for your location because he wants to begin an amazing work there. If he’s called you to that place as a worker, he’ll supply others to be senders.
  
• Rejection from some makes acceptance from others that much sweeter. Always hearing yes will ruin anyone. Hearing a “no” every once in a while makes the “yeses” you’ve worn your knees out about all the more gratifying. This is not permission to revel in your misery as a glutton for punishment, it’s simply an acknowledgement that rejection can be used by God for his glory and our maturity.
  
• Rejection is a reminder to remain humble in support raising. There is a tendency among missionaries and church planters to believe that their work is more important than everyone else’s. I know this because I have to remind myself that this is not always the case. Being rejected by a mission-minded congregation is a reminder to us that there are other ministries that may be more important than our own and to rejoice in what God is doing through them. (This does not apply to those churches doing nothing)
  
• Rejection is an opportunity used by God to make us more like Jesus. It is not easy writing or believing some of these things. I know that what we’re doing is important (and I’m sure you feel the same way about your work), however I also can see that with rejection comes an opportunity for God to make us more like Christ. It is an opportunity to become more humble, more patient, more thankful, more focused, and more zealous for good works. It opened my eyes to see how rejection is a part of God’s plan for ministers and how he uses it to conform us to his will. It also serves as a marker in the road that one day, after I have planted and grown I too might be approached for support and have to make a hard decision. As one who will have experienced both triumph and defeat in raising support I will be able to sympathize with that ministry couple all the more and may
• be the last one needed to say “yes, it would be an honor to support you.”

Tags: Support