Who’s a Missionary?

“Where’re you moving to?” Al asked. I’ve heard this question countless times since the “For Sale” sign went up in the front yard. “Just outside of town,” I replied. “Oh, I thought maybe you were going to the mission field,” he said. I assured him I wasn’t.

Well, actually I am moving to the mission field. So why did I lie to Al?

I knew what he meant. Am I moving to some far off foreign country to serve God among the native people as a missionary? No, I’m moving five miles closer to town. And my reason is to serve God among the native people. To be a missionary.

Do I qualify? What does the Bible say?

Actually…nothing. In the fourteen Bible versions I checked out, not even one mention of the word missionary. Hold on. I just found it in the fifteenth version. It appears once: “We who are on missionary assignments for God…” Missionary—someone with an assignment from God; with a mission to complete.

I qualify.

So do you.

And most Christians know the Great Assignment which Jesus gave us just before He returned to Heaven. Also known as the Great Commission: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature...”

God has made us all unique. So He offers nearly endless ways to complete His assignment. You can go to Outer Mongolia or you can go to the mall. You can preach by shouting through a megaphone on a street corner or nearly whispering, holding an elderly person’s hand near death. Preaching is also the written word—another world of possibilities. Most importantly, do you know any creatures? Any people who need to know the Good News of Jesus? If so, you have your field assignment.

You’re a missionary. Go…