Photo by RODNAE Productions
There are many avenues to pursue good and faithful servants’ relationship with God, and one of them is through volunteer work, spreading His Word beyond borders.
A missionary is someone who has dedicated themself to advocating for the Word of God in another country, whether it is teaching it in assistance to a local church or trying to spread it to nonbelievers; as scripture says, “Declare his glory among the nations and his marvelous deeds among all peoples (1 Chronicles 16:24).” Missionary work is an important part of being in a Christian community; it is only through active participation in the world that other people learn of God’s grace and be given the chance of salvation. It would be cruel if, at least, an attempt at showing nonbelievers the way was never considered.
In the heart of a missionary, their work is done in emulation of Christ’s earthly ministry and to teach believers what it means to have a good and faithful servant’s relationship with God looks like.
What is in the heart of a missionary?
Beyond broadening the number of believers and establishing connections with far-flung communities of the faithful, there are plenty of reasons why someone might volunteer and heed the calling of a missionary.
- The Aspiration to Lend Assistance
Contrary to popular belief, missionaries just don’t go around in other countries trying to convert nonbelievers and such; not every service a missionary provides has anything to do with faith and the like. A large part of missionary life is rendering assistance to under-served communities by way of community projects, education, etc. If you are someone looking to offer help to a community, missionary work is an important consideration.
- The Inclination to Go Beyond the Familiar
Daily life can sometimes grow to become dull and repetitive: waking up, eating, going to work, returning home, sleeping, and everything in between. Modern society has sheltered humans too much, giving them comforts their ancestors would have never dreamt of. Yet, this condition has greatly stunted the spiritual growth of many, and those seeking another avenue would do well to escape modern comforts. Through missionary work, individuals can find themselves in the strange and the unknown, discovering God away from modernity.
- The Interest in Languages Other Than One’s Own
Language is one of the most mysterious and creative gifts that God gave humanity. Some people, though, are naturally predisposed to it and are quite smitten with learning new ones. By being a missionary, not only does one obtain the opportunity to learn new languages but also a community of native speakers and a space for which to practice it and improve. Would it not be easier to speak the Word of God and impart knowledge if it was done in the language of the listener?
- The Wish to Immerse Oneself in Foreign Cultures
For the curious at heart, missionary work provides an opportunity to explore another country and learn more about cultures other than your own. There are myriad people across the world, and understanding even just a fraction of them leads to better and broader communication. If one does not learn the morals and customs of others, how can one fully enlighten others of the Word of God?
What is the Need for Missionaries?
If you look at the population of total Christians in the world (Baptist, Pentecostal, Episcopalian, Catholic, Orthodox, etc.), you will know that there are over 2 billion people in the world who self-identify as Christians. That seems like an okay enough number, right? But when you compare it with the total population of the world–8 billion–a clearer picture is taken.
As witnesses of the glory of God, Christians are obligated as a community to reach as many people as they can–and the first step in doing so is preaching the Word of God where they may be at risk.
