Rethinking Missionary Support
This evening I came across an interesting post by Mary over at One Thing Is Needed about the challenge of missionary support in the changing culture of the church. Being a missionary that relies on such support, I believe she rightly points to this change as one of the most critical questions facing the Church (in both its modality and sodality forms). Here is what Mary asks:
“I have a question that’s been in the back of my mind for a few years now. Since the face of Western church is changing and many people have left and continue to leave institutional church (IC), what does that do for missionary support? I have friends who are missionaries overseas who have either had their support cut in half or dropped altogether as their supporting churches, and consequently the budgets, have gotten smaller. How do they build their support base back up? I also have friends who have left IC and believe that God is calling them to overseas missions. Their house church just doesn’t have the financial resources that can be found in a large church. How do they raise support? As people find other expressions of the local church, are there new ways of handling missionary support? I have more questions than answers. What are your thoughts and insights?”
Here are a few of my thoughts.
Tentmaking (that is practicing a trade to finance ones own mission) is a common response to these questions. It does work in many contexts and it requires a healthy integrated, missional view of life within a culture. Living in commonality/mutuality with those to whom are called is essential, and this can help develop that. It also requires a level of creativity that can be very beneficial. However, not every culture, context or circumstance allows such options. Speaking personally, the level of work I do in my ministry could not be accomplished should I try to keep another job- even 1/4 time. It just wouldn’t work. Some missional endeavours require a more consuming involvement. This is not better nor worse than tentmaking, it is simply a reality.
Part of this challenge comes as a result of churches learning that to be missional they must connect to the communities they find ourselves in. A challenge for the truly missional church is to develop this local connectedness while maintaining (or discovering, as the case may be) the global identity that is and must be inherent to Christianity. The beautiful eschatological image of worshiping before the throne of God- with every tongue, tribe and nation- brilliantly affirms both our local identity and our unified diversity.
One of the approaches that YWAM has maintained to offset some of this is that the missionary connects individually to each supporter. While YWAM may offer the service of processing the support, the line of relationship goes from the missionary directly to the individuals or communities that support them. This brings with it other problems and some additional work, but it has helped bypass most organizational overhead and casual or habitual giving (as opposed to relational giving).
Further, even small or house churches- more specifically those Christians who are part of them- must recognize that their own lifestyles must change if the challenge to support missional endeavours is to succeed. (I should add that is also essential to support their own missional engagement). We need to be honest about the fact that most of us in the West live incredibly rich lives, especially given the level to which we fail to live practically as communities. I have learned much about living simply within community from years of being part of a missionary organization that values this. (This point deserves a post unto itself).
I should also say that, as my recent post on relational leadership touched on, when I refer to being a missionary (an awkward term weighed down by centuries of mixed history) I am not referring to a professional worker, but someone responding to a very specific spiritual vocation. The nature of this vocation may more explicitly involved in what is seen as “ministry” in the traditional Evangelical sense, but it should not be seen as having any more value than those responding to their missional vocations as teachers, plumbers, doctors, mothers, etc.
The reality is this- things are changing. Missionary support- nay, the whole concept of missions- must change as well. However, it is not about abandoning one system for another, but rather shifting and developing as is needed, led by the Spirit and fueled by the gifts He gives.
What do you think? What have you seen that works? What are your questions?
(Be sure to join the conversation over at Mary’s blog too)
Jamie,
The western world enjoys so much prosperity and there are many Christians. If there were revival to obedience, there would be more than enough wealth to usher in the Kingdom around the world.
Individual support is a fantastic ministry for everyone and really impacts the ones going and sending. It is a great journey of faith, as you know.
I love this passage from 3 John:
5-8Dear friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible. They’ve made a full report back to the church here, a message about your love. It’s good work you’re doing, helping these travelers on their way, hospitality worthy of God himself! They set out under the banner of the Name, and get no help from unbelievers. So they deserve any support we can give them. In providing meals and a bed, we become their companions in spreading the Truth. (from the Message)
Bryan,
Well said. And thanks for the verses.
Peace,
Jamie
Jamie,
You said, “The nature of this vocation may more explicitly involved in what is seen as “ministry” in the traditional Evangelical sense, but it should be seen as having any more value than those responding to their missional vocations as teachers, plumbers, doctors, mothers, etc.”
Did you mean to say “but it should NOT be seen as having any more value”?
Mary
PS: Thanks for linking to my post. I’m glad that this topic is generating such great discussion. You have added some great insight.
Mary
Mary,
Oops! Thanks for pointing that out. Heading to edit it now. Did I make the same mistake at your blog? If so, feel free to correct it.
Peace,
Jamie
Jamie,
Thank you for following Mary’s lead and raising this important topic. I have more questions than answers, and simply can’t keep going with what I feel led to do at this stage because of lack of support. God’s in the midst of these struggles, I’m just not sure in what way.
John,
I think you bring up an important point- that this is a very real and personal issue to many of us. Therefore, when discussing it, we need to have the sensitivity to recognize that it isn’t simply an abstract debate. Thanks for weighing in, bro.
Peace,
Jamie
In my mind, I do not see the “house church” as a stand-alone entity, but part of a larger network – not necessarily a denomination, but a linking that manifests as a monthly (or thereabouts) gathering of a few house churches and a quarterly (or thereabouts) assembly of dozens of house churches.
No one house church would (or could) fully support one missionary, but the network would support a few. In order for this to happen, the house church members have to see themselves as part of a larger church.
Historically, “raising support” meant tapping a fairly distinct demographic, which is becoming smaller.
The huge explosion of wealth in the evangelical church has manifested itself largely as consumer goods and larger houses. Like any demographic with “new money”, it takes a few decades to acquire a sense of influence, and channel that money into missionaries.
Mike O,
I wouldn’t go so far as that. I think it is great when a house church can connect to a larger community, but that isn’t always the case. Neither do I agree that one house group would or could support a missionary, as I know examples of this to be true (though it is rare and not always ideal). In the US, at least, giving to missionaries is significant and has been for many years. Outside of the US, the trend is not as strong, but still there in places.
Peace,
Jamie
Hi all. I am a missionary in Devon England where I work on a farm rehab that does support me with room and board. I am still responsible for my phone calls, posts, travel expenses as well as well as any entertainment I may be interested in. I was wondering where I may find the support I need for even these practical things? While I am fed and well taken care of I do like to travel to see my fiance who is five hours away and make calls home regularly. Any advice would help me out.
Thanks,
Marco
Hey Marco,
Thanks for asking. We get all our additional support through the financial giving of friends and family. There is an excellent book called “Friend Raising” that might be the best place for you to start. It teaches the Biblical principles and the practical practices of raising missionary support.
Peace,
Jamie