{"id":910,"date":"2022-01-19T15:35:18","date_gmt":"2022-01-19T08:35:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/?p=910"},"modified":"2024-01-31T15:39:26","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T08:39:26","slug":"an-a-to-z-of-missionary-life-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/?p=910","title":{"rendered":"An A to Z of missionary life"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In English we teach the ABCs as the foundation for instructing language to our children. The Hebrew version is \u201cABG\u2019s\u201d (Aleph, Bet, Gimel). The Jews used these first three letters of the Hebrew alphabet to help their children memorize Scripture. \u00a0Nine Psalms start with the letter Aleph and then work through all 22 letters. I\u2019ve applied this ancient idea of using an acrostic to memorize scripture, attributes of God and the gospel songs I want to remember.<\/p>\n

Recently I began to reflect on what I call \u201cAn\u00a0A to Z\u00a0of Missionary Life\u201d. In this article I have sought to connect the alphabet to 26\u00a0fundamental traits that can contribute to a successful missionary career. I\u2019d encourage every prospective missionary\u00a0to become familiar with these characteristics and begin asking God to help them\u00a0put them into practice before they reach their target group.<\/p>\n

A \u2013 Accountable<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.\u2019 (Romans\u00a014:12)<\/em><\/p>\n

One must learn to be responsible for one\u2019s actions before God and to their spiritual leaders. Without set boundaries, many young workers end up accountable mainly to themselves rather than to their supporting church or mission agency.<\/p>\n

B \u2013 Balanced<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.\u2019 (Luke 2:52)<\/em><\/p>\n

From an early age Jesus showed a perfect balance in all areas of His life. A missionary needs to seek a similar balance by establishing a healthy ebb and flow of ministry and leisure.<\/p>\n

C \u2013 Compassionate<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018As God\u2019s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.\u2019 (Colossians\u00a03:12)<\/em><\/p>\n

This verse admonishes us to clothe ourselves with compassion rather than simply feeling \u201cpity\u201d for others. This means becoming proactively involved in meeting human needs in a practical ways while still at home.<\/p>\n

D \u2013 Disciplined<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.\u2019 (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)<\/em><\/p>\n

Self-discipline flowing out of a regular practice of spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Bible study is vital to long-term ministry success. Only strict discipline will protect new workers from the many distractions that pull one away from the primary task of learning culture and language.<\/p>\n

E \u2013 Endurance<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.\u2019\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0(Hebrews 12:1-2)<\/em>
\nThe \u201cmissionary race\u201d\u00a0is not a sprint, but a marathon. Gaining proficiency in language and establishing churches is not for short-termers, but for those who are in it for the long haul.<\/p>\n

F \u2013 Flexible<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.\u2019 (1 Corinthians\u00a09:22).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

One must adapt to a multitude of challenges: culture, customs, weather, foods, language, etc. Mission life will stretch you to the breaking point and thus the ability to flex cross-culturally is an indispensable trait.<\/p>\n

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G \u2013 Grateful<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
\nI will tell of all your wonderful deeds. (Psalm\u00a09:1).<\/em><\/p>\n

Life overseas\u00a0will give you many opportunities to complain about all the \u201cwrong\u201d ways the locals do things. Instead, one must cultivate a deep sense of gratitude to God for the immeasurable privilege of sharing the good news to those who have never heard.<\/p>\n

H \u2013 Holiness<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: \u201cBe holy, because I am holy.\u201d\u2019\u00a0(1 Peter\u00a01:15-16)<\/em><\/p>\n

As ambassadors for a Holy God, we must strive for holiness in all our conduct and speech. Only a strong commitment to a holy life will be able to counter the numerous temptations one encounters on the field.<\/p>\n

\u00a0I \u2013 Interceder<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Brothers and sisters, my heart\u2019s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.\u2019 (Romans\u00a010:1).<\/em><\/p>\n

If there is one spiritual discipline that is vital on the mission field, it is a commitment to intercessory prayer in all its dimensions: soft hearts, spiritual sight, wisdom in evangelism, clarity in communication, boldness \u2026 etc.<\/p>\n

J \u2013 Joyful<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.\u2019 (Galatians\u00a05:22-23)<\/em><\/p>\n

All nine virtues that Paul calls \u2018the fruit of the Spirit\u2019 should be cultivated. However, I\u2019ve found that\u00a0choosing to be joyful is key to long term success as a missionary, even in the face of many discouragements.<\/p>\n

K \u2013 Kid-friendly<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, \u201cLet the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.\u201d And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.\u2019 (Mark. 10:13-16)<\/em><\/p>\n

You will find that children are your best language teachers and often the most receptive to the gospel. They act as bridge builders into the lives of their parents and by investing in them you are investing in the future of your entire target group.<\/p>\n

L \u2013 Listener<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry\u2019 (James\u00a01:19)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Rather than entering a culture as a \u201cteacher\u201d or \u201csalesman\u201d, be a listener and learner. Learn to listen without comment to the person you seek to minister to as you ask God just how and when to respond.<\/p>\n

M \u2013 Musical<\/strong><\/p>\n

See\u00a01 Samuel\u00a016:14-23.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Music is appreciated in all cultures and learning a musical instrument will open up many doors for ministry. Even without much language you can immediately connect with a local church and contribute to worship.<\/p>\n

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N \u2013 Nurturing<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well\u2026\u00a0you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,\u00a0encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.\u2019 (1 Thessalonians 2:7-12)<\/em><\/p>\n

You will encounter many \u201ctender plants\u201d that need to be watered and fertilized in a sympathetic and caring way. The best way to do this is to developing a broad range of friendships and pray that they will result in discipleship opportunities.<\/p>\n

O \u2013 Observant<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. \u201cTruly I tell you,\u201d he said, \u201cthis poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.\u201d\u2019 (Luke\u00a021:1-4)<\/em><\/p>\n

This is the ability to pay special attention to people and the nuances of their relationships, religion and cultural traits and then properly reflect and evaluate what you observed.<\/p>\n

P \u2013 Pioneering<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else\u2019s foundation.\u2019 (Romans\u00a015:20)<\/em><\/p>\n

An apostolic type person will be willing to start from scratch and take calculated risks to get his or her vision off the ground. Such a self-starter will be the first to volunteer for a difficult task, won\u2019t accept the status quo and has the ability to rally others to their cause.<\/p>\n

Q \u2013 Questioning<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.\u2019 (Luke\u00a02:46)<\/em><\/p>\n

Asking insightful\u00a0questions is one of the best ways to gain new perspectives on a culture or people group and helps one understand and appreciate specific traits, rituals, ceremonies and nuances of language.<\/p>\n

R \u2013 Resourceful<\/strong><\/p>\n

See\u00a02 King 4:1-7<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

A resourceful person is able to access tools or improvise their own in order to find creative and practical solutions to the inevitable problems which one encounters serving overseas.<\/p>\n

S \u2013 Sense of Humor<\/strong><\/p>\n

A cheerful heart is good medicine,
\nbut a crushed spirit dries up the bones.\u00a0(Proverbs\u00a017:22)<\/em><\/p>\n

This trait is often overlooked but always rates high on the list of items one must pack up and take into ministry. \u00a0Yes, we should take our ministry and the gospel seriously, but ourselves not at all.<\/p>\n

T \u2013 Teachable<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
\nteach the righteous and they will add to their learning.\u2019\u00a0(Proverbs\u00a09:9)<\/em><\/p>\n

A key quality in a cross-cultural worker is a willingness to value other\u2019s opinions and humbly receive instruction from senior workers and national co-workers. Mistakes will invariably be made in a new culture and the teachable missionary will learn all they can from them when they occur.<\/p>\n

U \u2013 Upbeat<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Since through God\u2019s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.\u2019 (2 Corinthians 4:1)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

One must learn how to keep a positive and optimistic attitude about oneself and the often challenging circumstances which you will encounter. \u00a0A pessimistic mental outlook is one of the chief reasons people leave the field early.<\/p>\n

V \u2013 Visionary<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.\u2019\u00a0(Philippians\u00a03:13-14)<\/em><\/p>\n

Looking forward to the future with imagination and eyes of faith allows one to anticipate needs and plan ahead of time how to meet them. Focusing on the future with a clear purpose will help propel ministry forward in significant ways.<\/p>\n

W \u2013 Well-read<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018At this point Festus interrupted Paul\u2019s defense. \u201cYou are out of your mind, Paul!\u201d he shouted. \u201cYour great learning is driving you insane.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI am not insane, most excellent Festus,\u201d Paul replied. \u201cWhat I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.\u2019\u00a0(Acts 26:24-26)<\/em><\/p>\n

A well-read missionary can engage people intelligently and in an interesting way on many topics. However, many arrive on the field without reading basic books on mission life\/ministry or having taken key courses like\u00a0Perspectives<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Kairos<\/a>. Some preparation and background reading goes a long way.<\/p>\n

X \u2013 \u00a0Xenial (Hospitable)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.\u2019 (Hebrews\u00a013:2)<\/em><\/p>\n

Making your home a welcoming, friendly and inviting respite for others is a key way to \u201ccontribute to the needs of the saints\u201d as well as build bridges into the lives of non-Christians.<\/p>\n

Y \u2013 Yielding<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God\u2019s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God\u2014this is your true and proper worship.\u2019 (Romans\u00a012:1)<\/em><\/p>\n

Submitting to God\u2019s will in each situation you face is a life-long willingness to surrender to our master, the Lord Jesus. This means saying no to self on a daily basis and putting others needs above our own.<\/p>\n

Z \u2013 Zealous<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018His disciples remembered that it is written: \u201cZeal for your house will consume me.\u201d\u2019 (John\u00a02:17)<\/em><\/p>\n

A white-hot passion for God and his kingdom expansion flows out of intense love for God and commitment to his Great Commission. Like the apostle Paul, we need to cultivate a fervent desire to see our target people won to Christ.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In English we teach the ABCs as the foundation for instructing language to our children. The Hebrew version is \u201cABG\u2019s\u201d (Aleph, Bet, Gimel). The Jews used these first three letters of the Hebrew alphabet to help their children memorize Scripture. … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=910"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/910\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":914,"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/910\/revisions\/914"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiang-mai-orality.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}