Frequently Asked Questions: How Are You Funded?

Many people think that denominations or large churches fund missionaries. There is some truth to that, but if we relied only on the funding of denominational conferences or large churches we would never complete the Great Commission. The truth is that the lion's share of missionaries must raise their funds and most of that funding comes from individuals who commit to partner with a missionary and give from their personal income.

Heather and I receive no support from a denominational level. We do not (as of this writing) have a single large church supporting us. We do have 4 small churches that have committed to partner with us and several individuals that give on a regular basis. I do not share this as a complaint, but to make the point that the primary force behind the modern mission movement is individuals taking their place in fulfilling the Great Commission by financially supporting those whom God has called. I wish local churches set aside 25% of their budget to support missionaries, but they don't. Actually missions budgets are being reduced and the recent trend is to use the mission budget for the local church's "mission trips" rather than supporting long-term cross-cultural missionaries.

The challenge for missionaries is to connect with those who want to partner financially with them. We must effectively communicate with many, many people the vision and calling of God for our mission ministry in order to develop partnerships that will fund our ministry budget.

The challenge for supporters is to trust God to provide these finances through them. Some supporters also find the Lord convicting them of waste and extravagance in their lives that can be redeemed for mission support. Heather and I supported a missionary couple shortly after we were married by turning off cable television and giving that money. We haven't had cable television since! We recently spoke at a church where the pastor challenged the congregation to give one dollar per day. He said that was less than most of them spent on soda! A young woman approached us after the service and said, "I'm giving up my Cokes and sending $31 per month!"

The bottom line is that Jesus has called every believer to fulfill the Great Commission by making disciples of all nations (Matt 28:18-20). We must all consider how He is leading us to be part of this command. Will you go or send? I see no other options except disobedience.

Frequently Asked Questions: Why Go?

Why would you go when we need you to stay?

As we share our calling and mission goals with people, several questions routinely come up that I would like to address. The first of those questions, and probably the most frequently asked, is, "Why are you going to move your family into a new culture in another country when there is such a great need for evangelism and discipleship here in the states?" Another person stated the question this way, "Our nation is falling apart at the seams and the lost are everywhere. Why do you feel like you have to leave your own people to serve Jesus?"

If you are one of the people that asked this question, please do not feel ashamed. Many people ask this. Perhaps they are just the ones brave enough to vocalize what most people are thinking! Believe me, the greatest temptation in our life is to ignore the call to cross-cultural ministry and begin evangelism and church-planting here in the states.

So, why are we going to all the trouble to learn a second language, raise financial support, learn a new culture and move our family to another country?

First, we are cross-cultural missionaries because the Holy Spirit has called and marked us for this ministry. I know that sounds simplistic or perhaps a little too ethereal for our Western minds, but it is true. Heather and I experienced a specific and personal call to missions. Our hearts were fully broken for the lost of the world. It is a fairly natural human tendency to love those who are close to us and who are like us. God, however, loves the world, loves sinners, loves you and me and wants to reveal his love for all people through us. As the Holy Spirit changes and breaks our heart, we begin to experience the love of Christ that enabled Him to remain obedient to God's mission of redemption through the cruel cross of Calvary. In essence, God is reaching to all the peoples of the world with His gracious offer of salvation through the cross of Christ. We have the privilege and honor to join Him in publicizing this incredible gift, not only in our own culture, but to do so cross-culturally!

Second, we are missionaries because it is good logic. The vast majority of trained, educated Christian workers serve the minority of the population. It has been said that 90% of the world's Christian leaders serve 10% of the population. Therefore, it is only logical to send some of the resources of the Kingdom to the places that do not have them. A missions educator once placed a large log at the front of the conference hall and asked for ten volunteers to come forward and pick up the log. Ten strong men responded and distributed their lifting power equally along the length of the log and lifted it together. The speaker congratulated them and stated that this is how we should do missions, but unfortunately, do not. He then instructed 8 of the men to lift from the very end of the log and the other two to take the opposite end.  The result was that there were so many on one end that they all could not even get their hands on the log, it was simply too crowded. On the opposite end, the two men strained with all their might, but could not lift the log. The speaker then declared that this is how we do missions.

Third, we are missionaries because it is strategic. We are interested in motivating, mentoring and mobilizing Latin Americans that are being called by God to cross cultures as missionaries. In this globalized world, politics plays an exceedingly large and often detrimental role in the mission enterprise. Simply stated, Europeans and North Americans are not universally loved or accepted everywhere in the world. Evangelism and discipleship is not only dangerous for us in certain parts of the world, it is also generally unfruitful. Building relationships, sharing the Gospel and doing discipleship is difficult when it must be done cross-culturally. Add to that difficulty the baggage of perceived political and cultural hostility and the task becomes incredibly arduous. Please understand that I know God is calling many Europeans and North Americans to go the these difficult places I just spoke of. Further, God is working mightily through those He calls and is overcoming the difficulties stated above. However, it is short-sighted and naive to fail to recognize how God has called everyone to respond to the Great Commission. Thus, we must mobilize Cubans, Latinos, Indians, Africans, Chinese, Egyptians and people from everywhere to go make disciples. Our mission is to make leaders who continue the work of evangelism and discipleship and who cross cultures to fulfill the Great Commission.

Lastly, missions injects new life into the sending culture. It has been said, "The light that shines farthest shines brightest at home." Something spiritual happens as congregations covenant with God to be obedient to His command to preach the Gospel everywhere and to make disciples of all nations. There is almost always opposition, but there is also an abiding presence of the Almighty and His blessing. Churches that partner with missionaries and mission agencies experience the excitement and the celebration of what our God is doing in His world.

Those who partner through prayer and financial support become part of the mission force. They are the "senders", which is the necessary antecedent that launch the "goers" to the mission field. Our churches hear from and often host international Christians through their partnerships with missionaries. This results in cross-culture fellowship that opens our eyes to the lives of brothers and sisters around the globe and affords us a new perspective on the Christian faith. I recently sat at a table with three different cultures studying the Bible in two different languages. I was intrigued by the wisdom and insight that came from understanding the Scriptures through a different life experience. We need this diversity and it brings life.  Missions also injects new life into the church because the missionaries come back home with training and experience that can be the catalyst to start a movement in the sending nation; and oh, how we need a fresh move of God in the USA!

In conclusion, we are cross-cultural missionaries, because God has called us to this ministry, it is logical, it is strategic and it is the surest way to secure revival for the church of the United States.