Strategy As A Spiritual Discipline
Stepping away from cookie-cutter missionary methods
I was “called to be a missionary” as a sophomore in high school. I went on a few short-term mission trips to confirm that calling and fell in love with missionary life. Learning language and culture, loving people and building relationships, then sharing with them God’s story of hope and redemption through Jesus. It was clear that this was the path God was sending me on.
While at university, I read every missionary biography I could get my hands on. As I read stories of these missionary giants (Jim Elliot, Don Richardson, Amy Carmichael, etc.) I made my first mistake. I started building my future missionary strategies and plans on the unique stories of these men and women.
Spoiler Alert - the missionary biographies most of us read leave out all the mistakes and stumbles. I still admire many of these men and women who went before me, BUT I learned quickly never to base my strategy upon someone else’s successes or failures.
Each ministry and God-given task is unique and different; each culture has its own gatekeepers, rules, and redemptive analogies. Each “sent out one” or engaging church has distinctive giftings, resources, and capabilities. God has combined them all for His purposes and plans.
