So... you would like to serve God
as a missionary?
I can truly say from watching my friends who felt a call to missions
over the years, that most of those who felt a call of God to go to the
mission field never make it. To make it, you really, really, really got
to want it. A lot of my friends enthusiastically completed their
mission studies at Faith
School Of Theology, but, when it came time to apply to a
mission organization and reality set in... they stopped dead in their
tracks. That's as far as they made it to the mission field.
Instead, I have often found that Bible school students who never
studied missions at Bible school are the ones who actually end up going
overseas as missionaries. So, if you took another major in
Bible college, don't be afraid to follow God's call to the foreign
mission field.
What do
you think are the primary reasons why believers who felt the call of
God to go to the mission field, never made it? Please, take a
few minutes to think about this question, then, click here to see what
I have found to be the number one reasons why those who feel a call to
the mission field never make it.
My testimony:
I felt the call of God around the age of 15 years old to serve the
Lord, doing what I do today. So, I read all I could about
ministry to the region of the world I felt attracted to, I prayed for
missionaries whom I knew were doing exactly what I hoped to do someday.
At my young age, I even supported some missionaries, reasoning that if
Christ returned before I could go myself, when I help others do what I
would have done, it is as if I did it myself. As a result of these
contacts, I got some very encouraging letters with lots of good advice
from two or three missionaries, letters that I still hold on to today
to keep me going when times get tough.
When I
graduated from High School, I went to Faith School Of Theology,
because that is where the Lord led me to go after I prayed about my
decision a lot. Then I went to school to learn how
to translate the Bible. While I was in my junior year of Bible school,
I applied to become a member of Wycliffe
Bible Translators, and was accepted... at the age of 19. If
you feel God is calling you into missions, I really recommend applying
to a mission organization while you are still in Bible school. That
way, you can move on to going to the mission field as quickly as
possible, where you are most needed.
I sent out my first prayer letter while I was still 19 years
old. I arrived in Africa when I was 22 years old
(after raising support, and finishing my studies). I spent
five years on the mission field as a single missionary, and that was
very hard. But I can personally testify that God was very close to me
during those years, to keep me going when at times I was very
discouraged. Then, during my first furlough, I got married to the
wonderful person God brought my way when I was 27.
So, even
though I am older now, and am now serving with Assemblies of God World Ministries,
I have been a missionary for over 20 years. I thank God for
the lives who have freedom
and peace through Christ and are serving God because I was
where He wanted me to be, when He wanted me to be there. I thank God
for allowing me to witness to people who had never, ever heard about
what Jesus had done for them. And I can think of no greater thing than
to press on in the work God has given me to do!
If, after
the enthusiasm of a missions service in a church or convention
somewhere, you feel a burden for missions has not diminished, but
grown... let's talk! Please e-mail me, and
tell me a little about yourself: What do you feel the Lord is leading
you to do on the mission field? What talents has He given you to offer
Him? The key is not how many talents He has given you, but the
willingness of your heart to offer them to Him. Has He placed a certain
country in Africa on your heart? Let's get in touch. I'll try to write
back quickly, but please be patient if it takes a little time, as our
connection to the internet here is not very reliable.
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