I’ve always been fascinated by studies on the concept of motivation Take “home field advantage” or “HFA” for instance. A 2006 study by The Times, a daily national newspaper in the UK, found that in the highest league of soccer teams in England (the English Premier league), a home team can expect to score 37.29% additional goals than an away team. In another study (reported in the Journal of Sports Sciences) of teams in the same league, a researcher looked at over 5000 games between the years 1992-2006. He found a statistical correlation between the size of the home crowd and its corresponding impact on HFA. In other words, for every additional 10,000 people attending, home field advantage increased by 0.1 goals. Bottom line: According to these and other studies, there’s an advantage to playing at home.
Which is one thing missionaries rarely get to do.
Think about it: They have to travel far away. They leave their own farms, beds, pets, vehicles, and their favorite home-cooking. They say goodbye to friends, extended family, and favorite hobbies & recreation. In place of all these and other items, they have to pick up a foreign language, drive a foreign car, eat foreign food, and find foreign addresses to meet with foreign people who dress in foreign clothing and view life through a foreign worldview.
Where’s the home field advantage in all that?
If missionary life is similar to soccer, there’s a strong chance they’ll score fewer goals. No wonder we have unreached people groups.
Does that mean we should fold up shop and quit doing missions? No way. Instead of competing for goals in the back of a net, we’re wrestling with Satan for the souls of people we’ve come to love and respect. Missions is certainly worth the investment — and as every “visiting” soccer team knows, it’s still possible to win those “away games,” if we prepare thoroughly, follow our game plan closely, and never, never quit.
So how ’bout you? Have you ever felt like you were playing an “away game” on the mission field? If so, please share your testimony, insight, or suggestion by clicking “Comment” below.
Yes, often feel like I could be way more effective at “home”, even using gifts there, that on the field would hinder locals from taking ownership of ministry themselves. But in those moments I am reminded that there are way more talented, qualified people at home who just aren’t willing to leave home.
Need to disagree with the premise of the article. First of all, what team is using only “home town players”? In terms of the English Premier League or any American baseball, football, basketball, hockey, or any pro team, how many boys end up playing as adults for their hometown teams? (David Beckham now plays in LA – how is that home field advantage?) I don’t have the time to research it, but statistically, it would seem that very few players, certainly less than 10%, play for their home town teams – especially in the English Premier League where they aren’t even playing in their home COUNTRIES let alone their home towns. And what happens then when you get traded – does that mean you, as a player, just lost “home field advantage”? Surely we can point to exceptions of players who play better on the road than at home, but the point is, home field advantage has to be adjusted for by EVERY player. Even if I grew up in Boston, I doubt my first game for the Red Sox in left field would feel like I had home field advantage. Every hit off the wall would be an adventure until I learned the bounces, what balls would come back on the field, all the nuances of this unique part. BUt then, after not too many games, I would LEARN and adapt and it would BECOME my advantage. Every new player then has to adjust to the new stadium and fans and then it becomes HIS field and HIS advantage. What that means then is, home field advantage **is what you make it** – you LEARN to adapt and GAIN homefield advantage. And that is the word of encouragement for all missionaries. We adapt and learn as much as we can about our “team” our “city” our “home field” our “food” and our “ball parks quirks” and after not very long (just like a ball player), it becomes home field advantage for us as well.
This alternative thought is proposed by a 19-year veteran of missions in Thailand.
A valuable concept to wrestle with, but I believe it’s the wrong imagery. In fact, one of my outgoing team training documents begins with, “Cross-cultural ministry is not just an away game.” I go on to illustrate by saying that the boundary lines on the “away” field are not the same, officials make up the rules as they go, and points are not made by scoring a goal, but by negotiating its location.
The flaw in the playing field analogy has to do with expectations. I EXPECT the away field to be the same dimensions as my own. I expect the rules to be the same. They are not. Expectations, like assumptions, will kill you. A better starting place: leave expectations behind and replace them with EXPECTANCY. Expectancy opens the possibilities and minimizes disappointment. Expectancy that God will use me; expectancy that His good purpose shall be accomplished regardless of how I may feel about the results. Let expectancy inform our planning and craft our prayers. “Expectations” limit; “expectancy” opens up.
Expectations says, “I will go, evangelize, they will listen to me, and many will be saved.” Expectancy says, “I will become incarnate like Jesus into another culture, do my best to be a faithful vessel fit for the Master’s use, and trust Him to use me and all my training to produce results that bring Him the greatest glory.” I believe this is a better way to go.
Yes, I feel like I’m playing an away game. And the interesting thing is that when I go back to my partners every couple of years for a visit it feels like it’s my job to cheer for them.
I try to do it but suspect folks who have churches and at-home leaders that find significant ways to be involved and let out a hoot every once in a while would find a great mutual synergy.
Great comments… and, although I believe every metaphor breaks down at some point, I definitely can see the stark differences noted by the commenters above. Obviously, the point of the BackPage editorial isn’t to come up with metaphorical perfection, but nor does it desire to contribute to further misconception of “away missions.” So where clarification is necessary, please clarify away!
I wonder if there are commenters who might focus more on the couple of contributors above who feel as if they’re playing on a foreign field – an “away game” feeling of being the odd-man-out. Anybody have other input for folks in that situation?
Obviously, we could refer to Jesus, who left his home in Heaven to come to a very strange place to be treated very strangely. (Hebrews 12)
For “anon” above, I’m not sure how we can help… other than to say… maybe you can find even one or two at-home leaders with whom you can share your story, including the feeling you have right now. Maybe they’d become your mutual syergy partners?
For “Anonymous” above, we concur. Only about 2 out of every 100 trained workers ever decide to go cross-culturally. You’re a very precious minority. Please do stay the course! And like we said above, we suggest you find a couple of partners at home with whom you can share your inner heart.
I don’t like to categorize “home” and “away” quite so clearly. I find cultural challenges both in my country of ministry as well as my country of birth. Isn’t it a better question to ask how we can help cross cultural workers to consider their people/nation of calling to be more “home” so they can be more effective and experience less life stress?
Jo, you make a good point. But don’t you think the original point/metaphor still stands? … that soccer players score better, for some reason, at the home stadium, with the home crowd. As a metaphor, it still seems that that point is worth *some* amount of traction.
I respect all the comments above and think that sometimes we try too hard to make more of something than we should, rather than looking for the good and taking it for what it is worth.
I actually love the HFA article because right away it supports the great need for pastoral care for the missionaries in foreign fields. Yes they had better be strong willed and tough. But they are out there banging on the very gates of hell and it is too often hard to hear the cheerleaders from home and too easy to forget the great cloud of witnesses (because the flames may be too intense). They may be tough, but even the toughest need nourishment. We need to care for the well being of our missionaries unless we like cleaning up train wrecks.
It is my opinion and experience that stealing is one tool that Satan uses to bring discouragement to missionaries to get them off-tracked. In my experience I don’t know if I’m aware of any long term missionary or mission work that has not had homes broken in to, or significant items, equipment or money stolen by the very people they come to love and minister to too. It leaves the missionary feeling violated, angry, sometimes frightened, and certainly discouraged. Pages could be written on the psychological effect it has on the missionary. This is just one, I think huge example of where and how the “home field” can and should minister to and support the missionary on the field. Take their concerns seriously, council them when they have a problem, help them turn it around and use it for good. Turning it into a positive experience (tool to respond in love yet firm and just), will strengthen the missionary and add years of wisdom and effect to their work and careers. Using this particular example; do we prepare them for the break ins that will inevitably come? Since they cannot have the HFA, lets ask how we can better prepare them for the trials they will face and once they are on the field, let’s give them a good balance of duty with pastoral care. Many missionaries are serving without a designated provider of pastoral care. As missionary sending agencies and churches, lets be asking good questions of ourselves anytime we see cracks in the armor.
Steve Nelson, West Africa Regional Director
Fellowship of Evangelical Churches
Great stuff, Steve! Thanks for taking time to write.
I am currently finishing my 3-month furlough and returning to ministry overseas. It is always difficult returning to the “field”, and I sometimes feel not very naturally adept to foreign missions, since I am not a linguist, and can be somewhat introverted. The thought of a whole day in a foreigh language with people is a bit stressful for me, and I often feel so weak and inadequate.
I have just finished re-memorizing 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weaknesses. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (English Standard Version).
I have obviously never been a professional athlete, but I have played and enjoy sports. I have also never been a soldier, but the Biblical analogy that ministers to me more is that of the soldier called to serve overseas. He does not necessarily enjoy leaving home and living in challenging and difficult places, and even risking his life for his country, but he does it because it is his duty and loyalty to his country. I may not “enjoy” returning to the mission field, but I do feel that I have been called, and I see it as my duty to my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.
A recent thought that I have had is that I am being sent as a training soldier to help train and equip the soldiers of another country. We train them in how to understand the tactics of their enemy and how to fight against his attacks, and also in how to use their weapons, such as the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
My prayer is that I be faithful to my Commander and Chief in the stewerdship of His abundent grace in my life, being manifested through God’s love and grace being given through me to those around me, for His glory.
Paul, great testimony. Thanks for following your call!
I’m thankful for the comments especially those made by Steve and Paul.
It’s encouraging to know we are not alone in the struggle and that there are others who understand the difficulties.
I’ve certainly been facing much opposition being light in a dark place and perhaps one of the hardest and most wearing part of the ‘race’ is going it alone and not on a team.
What a difference it makes when there is a strong homefront team cheering (praying) one on.
I woke the other night stressed and worried about ‘things’ happening in the ministry that are way bigger than I know what to do with. I was encouraged once again by His word in Isaiah 41 verse 10
” fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
No matter what the situation nor the circumstances of the battle the Lord is on our side – we’re on the winning team!
Great original article and thankful for all the commentary. After 30 yrs of ministry, mostly in missions to communists, muslims, and other groups, this article brought to mind several lessons I have learned about the ‘playing fields’. Firstly, I do not bring Jesus to the field, He brings me. He has been ‘playing the field’ (home field or HFA) long before I was even born or born again. Woe to the missionary who is playing on the wrong field! Secondly, obedience to His lead (Jesus is the team captain) is essential. It’s not about me, it’s about the team, and the team is all about Him. Lastly, if you are HFA, and feeling less like a striker/forward than a goalie, don’t beat yourself up because the enemy got one pass you. Remember, before the ball ever reaches the goalie, it has to first get past 10 other players. Fulfill the position He assigns you, be obedient and trust Him for the game’s end results!