Preparing to go?
When the Verwey family of Japan Missions visited rural South Africa in 1971 they would have had no idea that a 6-year-old ponytailed girl might be stirred for world missions through their stories and slides.
The Holy Spirit stirred me for missions even at that tender age. Weekly mission-focused Bible clubs continued to nurture the seed already sown, while devoted Christian parents would visit mission stations while we were on holidays. God’s call to the unreached in my first year as university student therefore came as no surprise.
The challenge of Paul Smith “Why should anybody hear the Gospel twice before everybody has heard it once?” still rings beautifully in my heart.
After such a strong call and a whole-hearted response of dedication, finishing an engineering degree seemed a strange instruction of the Lord. However, this is what I believed He led me to do. I had to grow in maturity, understanding, character… I had to grow.
During my five years as engineer, being a deacon in a difficult socio-economic context, short term outreaches, mission camps and prayer camps for the nations kept the fire in my heart burning. In the meantime, 1500km away, my parents probably felt that my youthful zeal had passed and that I was well settled into a world of comfort and normality. I didn’t prepare them well enough for the moment I told them that I believe the Lord has guided me to quit my job and move into full time missions.
“What will you live from?” was Mom’s first response. “Honour your father and your mother” says the Bible. Time with my parents to work through their objections and concerns became a priority. They had to visit. I laid the process with every bit of guidance I experienced before them. They could test and question my interpretation, but only after they had answered my question of whether they were praying for me and if they were asking God to use me in His service. Through long and deep conversations, the Holy Spirit moved us together so that I didn’t only obtain their permission, but their blessing to move into missions.
My initial task in South Africa clearly helped them in their mental transition. But when travel increased to include places like India, Russia, the Ukraine, Poland, etc. in a time with no mobile phones, internet, WhatsApp or credit cards, their faith had to grow with mine. That is when the body of Christ became a lifeline for them.
The retirement village where they lived became an extended family. Strangers became brothers and sisters because many of them were praying for me. When more than 60 newsletters were delivered in the internal mail boxes, my parents nearly felt like celebrities. What started out for them as a major sacrifice, quickly grew into a source of unrivalled blessing. These were happy days for them and relationships deepened around God’s Word and discussions on God’s work in the nations. A world map became part of their house decorations. Their Bible Study group even had a little tin in which people contributed weekly so that something would be ready for me on my annual visit. Feedback sessions were well attended and their congregation accepted me as one of their missionaries who received financial and prayer support. The sacrificing parents became the blessed parents.
When I moved to full time work in India, my oldest sister, living about 25km from my parents, offered a double share of care for my parents – she would take my part as well. This she did faithfully to the end.
When Dad passed away and Mom was missing his company, a dear friend (not a fan of words and languages) visited Mom weekly for a game of Scrabble. What a humbling joy when even a friend took up the responsibility of an absent missionary daughter. When Christ calls His body to serve Him, He normally selects a few individuals for cross-border ministry and mobilises everybody to be part of what He is doing so that the body can rejoice together and all can be built up.
Parents, please embrace the promotion the Lord is offering your children when they are called into ministry amongst the unreached people groups – to be an Ambassador to the King of Kings. What an enormous privilege and honour! Remember it is not only their calling, but it is yours as a family. You are keeping the ladder and God invites you to mobilise whole communities for his Kingdom purposes. The more people are involved, the more glory He gets!
Children, if your parents are called, support and pray and send them joyfully.
Prospective missionary, however old you are, please do not neglect your wider family in the process of preparing for missions and executing the Great Commission. Trust the Holy Spirit to lead all generations together as you move out. To my shame I have neglected my nieces and nephews in sharing my experiences, calling and walking with God. I often shared with others, while they were not drawn into the joy and adventure of following Christ wholeheartedly.
Though God often miraculously works through 30min once-off conversations, establishment of faith communities normally takes time. Long term fruit normally demands long term investment by groups of people. If Jesus started His public ministry only at the age of 30 and then prepared his disciples three years full time, it seems worth our while to ensure thorough preparation – character, knowledge, skill, church mobilisation, family involvement, to name a few…
When you are tuned into following His detailed instruction locally, your ability can grow, as the noises of unbelieving and idolatrous multitudes grow loud around you in the nations. The higher the commitment to the demands of training, the less the casualties on the field.
In the midst of the urgency of the nations, God is committed to your preparation. Every moment of current obedience is preparation for the Kingdom work of the future. Therefore, consistently do in your present situation what you believe God wants you to do in the nations. Share the Gospel, study the Word, pray for the lost, make disciples, equip leaders, care for the needy, talk to the outcasts. Your faith, obedience, prayers, commitment and mobilising of others around you will pave the way for long-term fruitful service wherever God may lead. Today’s ministry is preparation for tomorrow’s fruitful Kingdom work.
Way to the Nations, a program of Global Challenge, has been developed to help prepare mature disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ to help establish multiplying, biblical Kingdom communities worldwide. Our desire is that well-equipped Christ-followers will go to those who have never heard the Gospel of Christ yet and to make disciple-makers.
For more information, get a quick overview at: missions.globalchallenge.org/way-to-the-nations/