Or do we just ask for volunteers. Sometimes I think it’s easier for all of us to do the latter. In other words, we’ll stand in front of a group at a college or at an Urbana-like gathering, asking, “Would one of you consider giving your life for missions?” It’s a compelling-enough call. We get by with it. But I have to wonder – what if we were to become more intentional? What if we went *personally* to the people we thought were gifted with the character and nature of a missionary? What if we were more intentional, asking for referrals from those in a position to know their churches or student bodies. I remember once, trying this method, I asked the academic dean of a large midwestern bible college, “Would you please name your highest academic achiever and also could I get the name of your best Bible preacher?” The dean chuckled and said, “That’s easy; it’s the same guy.” The next morning, I showed the student a video and made a pitch for unreached peoples. He almost laughed out loud. He didn’t have the slightest inclination for missions. But by God’s grace, within a year, he had applied. And now, 19 years later, he’s still serving with our agency in a country where missionaries aren’t technically welcome. He’s been taken into the police station several times, but continues to teach and share Christ there. He trains leaders. They all say he’s one of the best non-native speakers of the country’s heart language (one of the toughest in the world) on the planet. And I constantly think to myself, “This guy would never have stepped out to a general invitation. He had to be approached intentionally.”
Make sense to you? Do you have an opinion about *intentional* recruitment as opposed to merely offering a general call for volunteers? If so, share your opinion by clicking on “Comment” below the online version of this item. And thanks, in advance, for voicing your thoughts!!!
Doug
I remember having to intervene with a woman who had signed up to go on a mission, but in the process of waiting for the summer – she was a schoolteacher – she met the man she later married.
She didn’t want to go. I urged her to. She went. Came home. Got married. But is very positive toward missions.
Going didn’t change her life, but it opened up her world.
Worth it to keep on top of the folks who plan to go to help them get there.
Brian
member of the missions committee, helping send congregational members.
Doug, I heard you tell that story about 9 years ago when I first joined Team Expansion and it’s always stuck w/ me.
I’ve leaned heavily on that insight in building our team in N. Africa… trying to find the best, maintaining contact, and praying daily for them.
As you know God has blessed it enormously in our case, too.
Wow, KK. You have a great memory! :-) I didn’t even remember telling it myself! Well the update is (9 years later), he’s still with us and he gets even better with the years! :-)
Doug
My favorite is the story of Pastor Howard Sugden – now with the Lord – and his passion for encouraging believers to use their giftedness for Christ. On a yearly basis he and others of the church leadership would specifically meet to seek the mind of Christ regarding those in their congregation that had shown promise for missionary or ministry service. They would go through the entire church membership, prayerfully ask the Lord to impress on them those of His choosing. Then on every Sunday morning they would specifically pray in the congregational prayer for one of those persons asking God to thrust that one into special service!! The number going into service from his churches (Ganson Street in Jackson, MI and South Baptist in Lansing, MI) have an outstanding record of those going out from those churches. PTL