My daughter has been asked by her church to become a local missionary for one year,in her community, but there is no salary. As a Christian I am thrilled that she is truly thinking about this. Her love and trust in Jesus is more that I can explain. She keeps assuring me that God will provide. But the Mom in me is very scared, who will pay her car payments, her student loans, her rent, food, insurance, medical, etc. Is there anything you can tell me that will help me be able to support her decision. Are most missionary not paid or is her church taking advantaged of her? This has cause a number of sleepless night for me and I know she feels I have failed her, because I don’t agree. I am just afraid that she will quit her job and take on this challenge, with no financial fall back. She lives in another state and I am not in a financial position to help her out anymore. Please I could use all the help you can give.

Increasingly, there is a recognition of the globalization of “mission work.” The third-world is reaching out to the West with Christian values that have been abandoned in the intervening years since the golden age of “Christian colonialism.” I see myself consistently partnering in the great commission with Christians from all over the world, all of united by one Head and dedicated to serving his cause.

I’m happy to see that Christians in America are broadening the definition of “mission field” and “missionary” and recognizing that America can and should be reached.

The churches of Mozambique, are ambitious, and actively evangelistic. Many traditional missionary activities are no longer necessary in that country because the indigenous church has taken up the Great Commission. I continue to be bothered by the materialism and shallowness of the American church in the face of such clear evidence that our brothers and sisters in Africa and other parts of the world are in such need of support. There are no easy answers to resolving that imbalance.

I definitely agree with you, mostly (as if that strain of thought made any sense). Missionaries overseas do have a huge “learning curve” which sets them apart from my mother witnessing to her hairdresser. However, I hesitate to go as far as saying that such cross-cultural elements do not exist in America. For example, in my city, the very places the church needs to go (colleges and poverty-stricken areas) are where they are avoiding. These places require a huge cultural leap for many of the Christians in the area - yet they are where God is leading the city to go.

You said ‘It’s not all the same.’ I think your statement is true not because of geography and language/cultural barriers, but because Christians overseas (indigenous and missionary alike) are willing to overcome whatever it takes to lead people to Christ, and sadly, we’re not willing to overcome cultural barriers in our own city.

Why does there have to be a distinction between evangelism and missions?

I think we have shrunken evangelism down to mean “saving people” when in reality evangelism is simply spreading the news of Jesus and advancing the kingdom, which is missions.