the weblog of Alan Knox

A "missionary" agrees

Posted by on May 25, 2009 in blog links | 2 comments

Last week, I wrote a post called “Staying Home = Missionary” in which I said that every believer should see himself or herself as a minister and a missionary. The only difference is that some are called by God to leave their home, while others are called by God to remain at home. Our responsibilities to serve others and proclaim the good news are the same, whether we stay home or travel.

Now, I’m glad to see that a “real missionary” has posted something similar. Ernest at “Missions, Misunderstood“, has encouraged all believers to see themselves as missionaries in a post called “Everyone A Missionary?“

He writes:

The division has resulted in “that’s not my job calling” on both sides of the divide. Many missionaries today see the church as a major distraction from their focus on evangelizing unbelieving people. Most churches outsource missions to a homely couple they send money to and pray for once a year.

The new paradigm is simple: all Christians are missionaries. They must be, because none of us are at “home.” Even if your ministry is to a group of people that you grew up with- a group that looks, talks, and acts just like you- you must recognize that your transformation in Christ necessarily makes you an outsider- a foreigner- to even your own culture. You can’t afford to assume that you are ministering in your own context. You don’t have a context in the world anymore.

He later says that every believer is a missionary, but every believer is not a good missionary. What kind of missionary are you?

Related posts:

  1. Staying home = missionary
  2. Defining what it means to be a missionary
  3. Paul the Professor or the Missionary?
  4. Which one is the minister? Which one is the missionary?

2 Comments

Comments are closed. If you would like to discuss this post, send an email to alan [at] alanknox [dot] net.

  1. 5-25-2009
    bryan riley says:

    I’m a full-time support-raising missionary and I agree as well, and have written so in the past, although I wonder about what you’ve written as the some “stay at home” part. I’m at home wherever I am. I think we’re all called to go wherever He leads, and all too often I think people stop seeking whether He’s leading them to a new place or a new mission or a new sphere or a new whatever.

    But, all in all, yes!!! God has good works prepared in advance for each one of us consistent with His purpose and plan, His mission. He’s also gifted each of us and asked us to go and make disciples. All of us.

  2. 5-26-2009
    Alan Knox says:

    Bryan,

    Thanks for the comment. Yes, I agree. We must always be ready to go wherever God leads us – either across the street or around the world.

    -Alan