Are you ready?
Different kinds of missionaries
- There are full time or career missionaries. In the strictest sense of the word this is what the term ‘Missionary’ refers to, regardless of how you spend your time – i. e. preaching, teaching, medical, building, administrative, evangelism, etc.
- There are many other forms of ‘missionary service’ in the body of Christ that are not or have not yet come under the status of being a full time or career missionary.
- Do you have a heart for missions? When you hear reports of God's work around the world, do you long to participate in a greater way? Have you felt only ministers could be involved in world missions?
Do you have a heart for missions?
When you hear reports of God's work around the world, do you long to participate in a greater way? Have you felt only ministers could be involved in world missions?
If you have ever felt this way, you are not alone. Hundreds of capable, committed workers have answered the call of God through the ‘Short Term Service Teams’.
Seasons
God has not called everyone to serve as a missionary for a lifetime, but He has called all of us to do our part to reach the lost. Possibly God is calling you to work alongside a missionary, where your skills and talents can be a blessing. This also is a God ordained call. Ordinary Christians can experience the joy of participating in the harvest being reaped around the world by using their God-given skills.
By offering to serve in missions short term from 2 weeks to 2 months to 2 years, you can have a part in what God is accomplishing around the world.
- Those who have a heart for missions, but may lack Bible school training or are not licensed ministers.
- Those who are considering a career in missions and want an exposure to life and ministry overseas.
- Those who sense God calling them to missionary ministry for only a short period of time.
- Short Term Teams -- College teams, church teams, youth teams, construction teams, evangelism teams -- any who have a heart to serve for 2 weeks to 2 months.
What is a missionary?
- Leaving your country to live in another country, crossing the ocean, or living in another culture does not make you a missionary --although most missionaries do these things.
- Going to the mission field is not just a ‘spiritual job’ –A missionary is a ‘Divinely called one’. A missionary must have a divine calling that is strongly confirmed to his heart by the Lord of the Harvest.
Are you spiritualy minded?
- A missionary is spiritually minded. Do you have a love for God that is burning hot in your heart?
- Are you walking closely with God right now?
- Going to a mission field for a visit may be inspiring, but if you are going to a mission field to live and minister as a missionary, you must be spiritually ready before you go.
When do you become a missionary?
If you are not a missionary before you go to the field you will not be a missionary after you get there.
- Right now, do you love the Word of God and read and study it regularly?
- Right now, are you strong in prayer? Going to the mission field will not make you a prayer warrior – you should be strong in prayer before you go, if you expect success after you get there. After you get there you will continue to grow in your prayer life.
- Are you personally witnessing to people in your normal life? If you do not do this at home, you will not do it away from home.
- Have you learned to hear the voice of God and do you obey immediately? That is essential for success on the mission field.
A MISSIONARY IS ‘WHAT YOUR ARE’ NOT JUST ‘WHAT YOU DO’
A missionary is first a love servant! Some people go to the field expecting a place of honor, to be served by the people they have come to reach.
Are you going to serve others or to be served? A missionary must go with the attitude of Jesus, "I came not to be served, but to serve."
Your ‘Being’ -- what you ‘ARE’ is more important than what you do. You will do many things, and there are many things to do, ranging from preaching and praying to plowing to printing, etc. You must do all things with integrity and love, showing the character of Jesus.
A MISSIONARY MUST BE STRONG IN FAITH
- Do you believe God for miracles in your life?
- Do you believe God for finances? If you do not believe God to meet your needs in the land of plenty, before you go, how will you believe him in the land of poverty you go to serve in?
- You must believe that where God guides, He provides.
A MISSIONARY IS TRAINED AND EQUIPPED
- There are many areas in which God calls people to serve in missions.
- There is training in Bible School and Mission School that is important.
- There is the secular training in which God has been preparing you all your life so you can effectively serve in that area –i. e. doctor, nurse, secretary, contractor, printer, computer technology, administration, etc. It is amazing how many specialty areas there are to serve God on the mission field, besides preaching and teaching -- as important as that is.
- The correct way to spell missions is ‘W. O. R. K. H. A. R. D.’
WHY MISSIONS?
- Love for God.
- Love for souls.
- Because I am called.
- Obedience to God’s call --"Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel."
- To fulfill my destiny!
- There is no other choice for me -- this is God’s will for my life!
- Because it is my desire -- "Here am I Lord, send me."
- Because God’s will for me is the best for me.
- BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST REWARDING THING ON EARTH TO DO—IT IS MY HEART BEAT!!
