Are you called to be a missionary? 

When I looked up the definition of a missionary, I discovered I’d been using the term all wrong. I thought anyone could be a missionary anywhere. It turns out, by definition, a missionary is “a person sent on a religious mission, especially one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country” (Oxford Languages).

God may not call everyone to be missionaries—as in uprooting our lives and moving overseas—but we are all called to be missional, which means “relating to or connected to a religious mission” according to vocabulary.com). That mission is to glorify God and share the love of Jesus Christ.

Most missionaries go into missions on a mission: to make someone’s life better, to provide a needed service, to love and nurture new believers, the care for the abandoned, the sick, the poor, etc. 

That is all well and good unless we believe God needs us to do those things. God doesn’t need us to DO anything. God is perfectly capable of reaching people and glorifying His name all on His own. But He invites us to participate in His masterpiece. He invites us to nurture, to teach, to heal, to lead, to love. 

We are not called to save others but to serve them. 

Where we do that doesn’t matter in the long run. I had a desire to serve in Ukraine but ended up in Africa. It’s not about where we go, but what we do and who we are. 

What is God calling us to do? Love people and represent Christ. We can, and should, be doing that no matter where we are.

When we enter into mission work, it’s important to remember to put our priorities in their proper place. It’s essential to have a God-first attitude and remember that God calls us to serve others and represent Christ to those who may never otherwise hear of Him—to be an ambassador of Christ to those around us.

“Throughout our lives as followers of Christ, we have to be just that—followers—and allow God to lead us rather than trying to get Him to follow our plans. Wherever we find ourselves in our missionary journey, submitting to God and following Him each day are crucial to that journey. 

“We need to stay in tune with God and be sure of His direction. We need to be adaptable and choose to listen to God’s voice despite how it may sound to us or those around us. When He gives a direction, we need to move forward in faith. And, if He redirects, we need to adapt, alter, and adjust our heading bearing true north, His north.”  

“Then watch the grandiosity of His handiwork unfold!”

Quote from the book: Living Uprooted: Encouragement for the Missionary Spouse

Next steps:

How do I know if God is calling me into overseas missions?

If you believe God is calling you into overseas missions but aren’t quite sure, take it to God in prayer. Then, get a few close, trusted friends and pastors together and form a discernment group to pray and discuss over a few weeks or months. 

“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”

Proverbs 15:22

The way God speaks to us is as unique as we are as individuals. Having advisors seeking guidance from God on your behalf will give you the confidence you need to move forward. Then, when things get tough, and you start doubting your calling again, you can look back on that time of discernment and be sure you are walking in the right direction.

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If you have questions about discernment, you should speak with your pastor. This website https://www.cofchrist.org/what-is-discernment also has a wonderful description.