5/29/25

Today I got back in Orange County after attending Evangelical Friends Mission's (EFM) Future Missionary Retreat at Camp Quaker Ridge in Colorado, and I am stoked to be back at it! There is much that I could share about the retreat, but I'll try to keep it concise for you!

During the retreat, I came again to the realization that the word "missionary" can often become an unhelpful word as there are many different connotations associated with it by varying demographics. I have no issue with any of the uses of the word, as language is by nature subject to the associations we form between sounds/characters and things/ideas, but to assume that we are all using the word in the same way can cause a fair amount of confusion down the line. Let me give a brief example of how this could play out, and please recognize that I am not for or against any particular definition of the word, but rather, I am hesitant to use a word with unclear meaning.

I want to explain my concern with the casual use of this unclear word and how it can have negative implications in the health of the Church body if misunderstood and misapplied. I will admit that this is a relatively subtle nuance in word and thought, but I am currently persuaded that it is significant in the way it plays out practically. The two most common understandings of this word that I've encountered are these: 1) Missionaries are those who leave their homeland to share the Gospel, and 2) Missionaries are those intentionally engaging with unbelievers to share the Gospel. There are probably other variations or expressions of these ideas, but the main distinction is where they are doing ministry. I have no issue expressing levels of distinction between the "foreign" and "domestic" expressions of ministry; however, I do have a problem when there are distinctions made between the "foreign" and "domestic" ministries themselves.

I want to make a clear claim up front, and then from that point explain the erosion that I feel is taking place. My claim is that ALL Christians have been given the same command to make disciples (Matt. 28:19). I would argue that disciple-making is not a "higher calling" for a select number of Christians, but rather an act of obedience which should naturally flow from our love for our neighbors. When we allow this poisonous idea to infiltrate our understanding of following Jesus, we are left with an incomplete and inconstant image of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus - that which opposes being conformed to His image (Luke 6:40; Rom. 8:29). What does it mean to be a "Christian" if it is not to become like Jesus? That is my first point - the common "call" of all believers is to be conformed to the image of Christ which necessitates submission to ALL of His commands.

My second point is this, that disciple-making, regardless of location or culture, seems to bear the same basic principles that guide it: 1) Know the people, 2) Show the people, 3) Bestow upon the people, and 4) Grow the people. I'll explain what I mean by each of these principles, but I want to make clear that all of these assume a partnership with God through the power of the Holy Spirit and communion in prayer.

Know the people - understanding your target demographic's culture, values, and background. This, while practically logical on its own for relationship development, is demonstrated in the incarnational life of Jesus (Jn 1:14; Heb 4:15). This is also demonstrated in the life and ministry of the apostle Paul - one example being his interaction in Athens at the Areopagus (Acts 17). Paul was aware of the Athenian culture and values as he observed the religious expressions and adapted his approach to best engage with their epistemological preferences. To the Jews and God-fearing Greeks, he reasoned in the synagogue using the scriptures (Acts 17:2-3), but with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, Paul addressed the religious and philosophical ideas which this demographic esteemed and valued - namely the unknown god and the philosophical reasoning supported by the sayings of their own philosophers (Acts 17:28). These are brief examples expressing the need to know the people you aim reconcile to God (2 Cor. 5:11-21).

Show the people - the proof is in the pudding. This expression of holy and God-honoring living serves two primary purposes: 1) It verifies the truth of your claims of transformation in Christ (Matt 7:20; Titus 2:7-8; 3 Jn 1:11), and 2) It serves to bless others and glorify God (Matt 5:16, 44-45). This can be understood clearly on a merely relational level, but it is certainly supported through scriptural teaching. We are called to live as a holy people set apart for God, and this serves as a witness to others and brings glory to our Father in heaven. Anything you declare with your mouth and yet reject with your hands, acts as a hindrance and stumbling block for those you engage with - and they mock God because of it (Rom 2:19-24).

Bestow upon the people - preach the Gospel to all creation. There is a fairly common understanding floating among the American church that says actions speak louder than words - referring to the witness and declaration of the Gospel. While I would agree that actions bear great weight in the claims of transformation (as stated in "show the people"), they are not sufficient for true discipleship on their own. The Gospel, while bearing moralistic implications, cannot be reduced to a merely moral message. If you improperly understand the Gospel in this way, then it would be fitting to assume that "good living" is enough when making disciples; however, this is not the case. The Gospel is about the Kingdom of God and the way for reconciliation of all things. This must be expressed not only in deeds but also requires words (Rom 10:13-17). If we imitate Jesus in the way He ministered to people, then we will evangelize with our words. I think it is impossible to claim that you love your neighbor and yet refuse to share with them the greatest news that they could ever hear, which would free them from a life of sin and death. If we truly have compassion for our neighbors and have heard the Good News of Jesus, then the gates of hell should tremble with fear at the zeal of God's holy nation which eagerly advances into a ministry of reconciliation!

Grow the people - Christianity is more than conversion. The American conceptualization of Christianity bears a toxic understanding of faith that leads to dismissed carnal living and is clearly expressed in the abundant confusion people have with the teachings of James and Paul on faith and works. If we reduce faith to a merely cognitive acknowledgement of the reality of Jesus, then we are no better off than the demons (Jam 2:19) and we've completely disregarded the basic understanding of faith. How can you claim to have faith/trust in someone if you refuse to submit yourself to their instructions? Do you really trust them? Additionally, to hold this conversion-Christianity you have to completely ignore the teachings of the Bible and awkwardly miss the only aspect of Christianity that you wanted - avoiding hell (Matt 7:21-27). Following Jesus means becoming like Him, and this process of sanctification and transformation is experienced through the power of the Holy Spirit and the work of God through His Church (1 Cor 6:11; Eze 36:27-29; Eph 4:11-13). "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher" Luke 6:40. Discipleship is a process of formation to the image of Christ, not a cognitive conversion.

It is for this reason that I am hesitant to use the word "missionary": that the American church has been persuaded that the "missionary's" call is distinctly different than that of the "layman's" call. In this we have devolved to a view of Christianity which separates those who minister and those who are ministered to - a tier-based approach to Christianity. We are ALL called to make disciples and be ministers of reconciliation, whether a waiter, a teacher, a plumber, or anything else - we are a royal priesthood sent to be ambassadors for Christ. Whether sent to a new country and culture, or sent across the street, we are ALL called to make disciples of Jesus who are being formed to His likeness. In no way do I intend to reduce the weight of the ministry in a foreign and often dangerous land, but I instead seek to clarify the call of God's people wherever they are and remove the improper cognitive separation of foreign and domestic ministry. We are ALL given the ministry of reconciliation and should join in the work of God's harvest whether we leave our country or not - Jerusalem, Judea, and the ends of the earth. If God has not led you to minister in a foreign land, then minister where He has led you!