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By: Robert E. Zink
November 8, 2021
We’ve been led to believe that as long as we've handled money rightly, then we've been faithful stewards of God's resources. Stewardship, though, encompasses more than finances. Therefore, when discussing the concept of stewardship in missions (as I previously wrote here,) we must consider more than money.
As a missionary, only once did I have a church request that I share anything such as a doctrinal position, philosophy and plan for ministry, or a testimony of my call to missions (although, if allowed to share, I freely included these as integral pieces of information). Yet, almost always, we were asked to provide a general outline of our updated financial needs. While finances may eclipse other areas, our call to stewardship includes a broad range of responsibilities for consideration.
Because it does include such a broad range, allow me to narrow your thoughts at this moment by asking you this question: how are you stewarding your missionaries? Do missionaries need to be stewarded? Absolutely, just as all people need to be stewarded. Perhaps a better word would make it easier to ponder this concept, so instead of staying 'stewarded,' what if we just said, 'cared for?' People are not merely tools for ministry; they are ministry. God is glorified when unbelievers turn to Him and when believers are further inclined towards Him. They are the means by which ministry occurs. If we fail to care for the people God has entrusted to our care, we fail to fulfill the call of ministry. One of the current trends in missions is a shift towards member care, an adjustment for which I readily give thanks.
Practical Considerations
From a practical standpoint, stewarding our missionaries is essential to the long-term success of the mission. To say it more firmly, caring for our missionaries keeps them on the field. We could argue this from the financial viewpoint alone by suggesting that the longer a missionary is on the field, the greater the payout for the initial financial investment to get missionaries on the field and keep them there. However, other priories are of concern also.
One area of priority is the practical care for our missionaries so that they may effectively care for those they are ministering to and reaching. Another focus is simply caring for them as an attitude of God-ordained love. If we love people, why would we allow anyone to struggle or suffer alone rather than carry their burden with them (Galatians 6:1-4)?
Practical Perspective
I don't think that the lack of stewardship is an issue of desire but rather one of motivation. Most churches and individuals express the desire to better care for their missionaries, but few understand the seriousness of this need in missions. The result is a lack of follow-through. If we understood the urgency of this need, we might put forth the effort more willingly and intentionally.
Let me make a suggestion. Please quit viewing your missionaries as missionaries. I know that seems a bit radical, but my point is simply to dehumanize missionaries. By identifying them as missionaries alone, we've disconnected missionaries from the body of Christ. They are viewed more like the chosen few, the super Christians, with a special connection to Christ that makes them impenetrable to Satan's solicitations. Missionaries are not Christians who do their work cross-culturally while others do theirs back home. Instead, missions requires the community involvement of the entire body of Christ.
Instead of looking upon those sent out as missionaries, view them as members of your church. We wouldn't allow our church members to endure alone, so why would we leave our missionaries to function without the body of Christ? Consider them as a pastry of your local fellowship and treat them as such. If you genuinely want to step up and show seriousness in this endeavor, look upon your missionaries as part of the church staff; after all, you are praying their salary (pro tip: If you wouldn't hire them as a staff member, then you probably shouldn't financially support them either).
Admittedly, these perspectives have a slight flaw because missionaries are responsible to multiple churches and individuals who support them. Also, they are not actively involved in the local body because they are not local. This reality not only makes it more complex, but it means we have to rely on substitutes for face-to-face contact. However, our goal is to care for them as we would want to care for anybody else who was an active part of the body of Christ.
Practical Implications
If we come to missions in our churches with the conviction to care for our missionaries, it transforms some critical aspects of how we 'do' missions. First, as we are genuinely concerned for our missionaries, we will care for them before they leave for the field. Additionally, stewardship, in this case, means not just ensuring they are ready for the field (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) but that they are qualified to leave for the field. Stewarding them also indicates we will care for them when they are on the field and when they return from it.
Let's take a moment to consider specifically when a missionary is on the field (rather than before they leave or when they return). Research shows that most missionaries do not continue after their first term. Over half of those missionaries exit for preventable reasons (I.e., not because of things beyond their control, such as health or government regulations). Taking on the perspective of stewarding our missionaries places us on a trajectory to mitigate those stats by compelling us to care for our missionaries. The long term-effects of missionary stewardship are crucial, creating the following impacts:
Stewarding our missionaries has a very real and meaningful impact on our gospel witness.
As you set an agenda for missions, please incorporate principles of stewardship into your plan. We must not take advantage of God’s kindness by being careless with the resources that He has lavished upon us - and that especially includes people. Instead, by the grace of God, may we show the grace of God to those who are imparting the grace of God to those who need the grace of God.
