Serving your missionaries

So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. acts 13:3

Our world is upside down, and everything seems bleak and hopeless. During the COVID 19 pandemic, many are hurting, without work, living in fear, and downright depressed. Everything has stopped, and all we see is what is affecting us personally. Some may disagree with me when I say this, but even in our struggles, we still have it better than most of the world.

How does all of this affect us as a church as we strive to serve our missionaries? Do we continue to send workers to the field, and do we continue to support within our financial downturn. These are big questions with somewhat complicated answers. As a missionary with a lot of missionary friends, we are all asking the same question, will this affect our support? And if so, to what degree? I think we can all agree that missions are important and vital to the growth of the church. I mean, it's our mandate to preach the word and to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit. It's a simple command "GO to the world," it's not "STAY," that would make the great commission less great.

I think this call is still the same today as it was before the pandemic, if not more important. The reality is that every day brings us one step closer to Christ's return, and it's in times like these that the world needs Christ more than ever. Paul tells us in the book of Romans, chapter 13, to love your neighbour, why Because "our salvation is closer now than the day we first believed" 13:11.

Missions must NOT stop, locally and overseas. So how do we adjust to the new norm within missions? The reality is finances are tight, and right now, no one can travel. So sending at this moment doesn't make much sense, but we can train new people and plan new ventures into the least reached areas of the world. This pandemic is a wonderful time for you to revisit your church's direction in missions, what's important, and what's not. This is also a great time to focus on the people you have already sent out. We need to remember that the world of your missionary is currently upside down. And no, you are not in the same boat, at least not to the same degree. You may be going through hard or rough times, but they are going through hard and rough times while navigating a culture and language that is not there own.

These are some of the areas I think we as a church can still be just as involved in the support and sending of missionaries.

1. Support can come in different ways; us missionaries understand that finances go up and down for everyone depending on the season of life people are in. Tell your missionary about it; we love praying for those who support us. We also recognize and trust that the Lord will provide and sustain us. We don't want you and your family to go hungry just so that you can make your monthly support payment. Also, if you can't give financially, pray!

2. Prayer, I can tell you from experience how encouraging it is to get a letter or e-mail from someone telling me how they are praying for my family and I. This also goes two ways, tell your missionary how they can be praying for you. My wife and I love it when our supporters reach out and share with us how we can be praying for them. It makes us feel like we are still apart of their lives and gives us a way to minister back to them.

3. Send Christmas cards and packages; as people head overseas, they leave family and friends behind. Receiving something as small as a Christmas card can encourage them much. It doesn't take much to buy a postcard and write a little message on it; trust me, a letter will mean a lot. It shows the missionary that they have not been forgotten and that their supporters and family are still there.

4. With today's technology, you can do almost anything! Face time, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger & Marco polo are just a few of the ways you can communicate face to face today online. Set up a time to talk with your missionary, I got an encouraging call the other day from an individual within our sending fellowship. At the end of that call, he said: "why didn't I do this more?" It doesn't have to be a long call; you can have a short but intentional phone call!

5. Ask more personal questions; we get a lot of questions about the ministry we are doing, which is excellent. But sometimes its good to ask more personal questions about life, faith, and family. We are not spiritual giants; we have our struggles. Simply put, we are human and need people to come alongside us to care about how we are doing in our everyday lives.

I'm sure this list can go on and on; these are just some of the things that come to my mind as I think about this topic. Keep in mind there are many ways to support your missionaries during this time and also beyond this pandemic. We all have a part to play in the GREAT commission; what's your role? Are you to go? If so, do it wholeheartedly! Are you to support? If so, do it wholeheartedly! Again, I can't stress this enough; support comes in many ways. Please ask God in what ways you can help your missionaries.

Tristan Kruse