Many people picture a missionary as a middle-aged man who leaves his job in America to evangelize and plant churches in Africa. But that is a simplistic view. Today, African Christians reach out to Muslims in the Middle East. College students spend their summer teaching English in Asia. A family in America befriends and witnesses to international students. A truck driver responds to an international disaster, meeting both physical and spiritual needs. All these are missionaries.

Although missionaries cannot be stereotyped, they each have a call. God calls them to set aside personal ambitions in order to be witnesses of the Gospel. Like Isaiah, a missionary gladly responds,  "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8b KJV).

Often God sends a missionary to a particular people group as Paul was sent to the unreached Gentiles and Peter to the Jews read (Galatians 2:8). Although technically a Christian missionary is one specifically called by God and sent out by the local church, every Christian has a mission to make disciples.

What does a Christian missionary do?

A Christian missionary proclaims Jesus as Savior and Lord. Whom do they tell? Jesus made it clear that Christians are to reach out to "all the nations" (Matthew 28:19), especially those ethnic groups without a Gospel witness.

Unreached people groups are still waiting for the way, truth, and life found in Christ, read (Romans 15:20). But Christians at home should be missionaries in their own communities, doing personal evangelism, read (Acts 1:8).

Missionaries do more than evangelism. The commission was to make disciples, not immature believers. Thus, a Christian missionary's outreach involves evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. These main goals are accomplished in a variety of ways: street preaching, tract hand-outs, church building, Bible studies, teaching English as a second language, relief projects, children's clubs, mountain trekking, literacy teaching, radio broadcasting, etc.

Why does a Christian missionary go?

Christian missionaries go in obedience to God's call. God called the apostle Paul, "16But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’” (Acts 26:16-18).

Jesus assured us that missionaries will face surrender and suffering. Missionaries leave friends behind, experience culture shock and rejection, read (Matthew 10:16-31). But instead of falling into self-pity or pride, they learn to delight in serving God. Rather than being a burden, obeying His call brings joy and reward in heaven. Therefore, a missionary serves not out of duty but love, read (2 Corinthians 5:14-21).

A Christian missionary delights in spreading the good news of Christ to the lost just as Paul did: "12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. 14Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:12-17).

Rather than seeking personal gain while witnessing, Christian missionaries bring glory to God by honoring Christ's righteous life, sacrificial death, and absolute authority.

Can you be a Christian missionary?

A Christian missionary is an ambassador of Christ. Each one must be yielded to the Lord, loving Him with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength. Specifically, a missionary is one whom God sends through the support of the Church to the unreached. All Christians, however, are called to be missionaries of the Gospel. The Lord works through them to rescue the lost. What greater call can one answer?