Missionary

[Cheyenne K]

Right now, I'm giving serious thought to being a missionary. I'm kind of young, but I want to get some experience in now. I have a few questions though and if any other Christians could answer them, that would be great.

1. Does anyone know of anything for teens? I'm only fourteen (fifteen this September) and can't get my driver's permit until I'm sixteen and my liscense until i'm seventeen. So I'm kind of restricted to the NYC/NJ area and even NYC is a bit of a stretch there. I understand missions do involve traveling and can do that when I would need to, but I kind of need a local base right now.

2. Language. I'm really terrible at applying my knowledge to language. How important is it in the field and what are the extents of having to learn it? Phrases and words I can do. Applying grammar and rules - not so much.

3. How much training would I need and are there any good colleges that provide good courses that teach it?

 

[yoamocuy]

I'm not familiar with the NJ area but any town is going to have local ministries that reach out. Down here in the south many of the churches do some sort of ministry focused towards giving out food and clothes, and ministering to people. I imagine the churches up there are somewhat similar so I'd just check with yours and see what's available.

Even if you don't know the language of the people group you are wanting to be a missionary to, missions organizations will still take you. You will, however, need to learn the language once you get to whatever country you are doing work in. I believe most missions organizations will provide tutoring or classes in whatever language you need to learn and you will learn quickly because you will be immersed in the country. I'm not sure if missions organizations pay or not though. I know many churches fund missionaries but I do not know how missionaries who do not get funded by a church work out the whole finance issue. If it is God's will for your life, then that won't be an issue though.

A lot of Christian universities will have majors along the lines of Christian ministries. I think they focus more on intensive study on the scriptures and such but I'm sure there are still classes related to ministry and the logistics of it. There is a Christian ministries program at my uni, but I'm not familiar with many of the classes they take.

I can't really help with any of your other concerns :/ I hope the little info I was able to provide helped though

 

[Mike]

Cheyenne,

I never would have guessed that you were only 14. I knew you were young, but not 14. You have tremendous insight for someone your age :o

And, from what I've seen of your insight and faith, you would be used to do amazing things as a missionary! From what I can glean, you are thinking local now and abroad later?? I went on a few trips to Brazil short term and know the missionary there pretty well. It would be important to show them that you've prepared to encounter their culture with some of their language, but to yoamocuy's point,

By the way, welcome to the board yoamocuy. I don't think we've crossed paths!

you will be amazed at how quickly you would pick up the language and be functional when you're there and immersed in it. By the end of my first 2 week stint, I was speaking Portuguese better than I could have ever spoken it in a year of study at home. When you're wherever you would be, people would make a big deal out of an American visiting and show you a lot of welcome. Some not, but some would. I think it's amazing and would suggest short term trips for everyone, long term for those that are called.

So, pray on it, and ask to be led. I've no doubt that God will lead you to the right person with the right organization. That's awesome!

 

[Cheyenne K]

I'm not familiar with the NJ area but any town is going to have local ministries that reach out. Down here in the south many of the churches do some sort of ministry focused towards giving out food and clothes, and ministering to people. I imagine the churches up there are somewhat similar so I'd just check with yours and see what's available.

I actually hadn’t thought about that. Our church deals with a lot of causes and my grandpa does his witnessing a lot in the hospital or prison, so I should probably ask him. Thanks. I didn’t even think about those things.

Even if you don't know the language of the people group you are wanting to be a missionary to, missions organizations will still take you. You will, however, need to learn the language once you get to whatever country you are doing work in. I believe most missions organizations will provide tutoring or classes in whatever language you need to learn and you will learn quickly because you will be immersed in the country. I'm not sure if missions organizations pay or not though. I know many churches fund missionaries but I do not know how missionaries who do not get funded by a church work out the whole finance issue. If it is God's will for your life, then that won't be an issue though.

Oh okay. Thank you.

A lot of Christian universities will have majors along the lines of Christian ministries. I think they focus more on intensive study on the scriptures and such but I'm sure there are still classes related to ministry and the logistics of it. There is a Christian ministries program at my uni, but I'm not familiar with many of the classes they take.

I can't really help with any of your other concerns :/ I hope the little info I was able to provide helped though

Yeah, the college I want to go to (Houghton) provides courses in Religion and since it was a Christian college, it was mainly the Christian faith and how to apply it. So I was curious as to whether or not ministry would go hand-in-hand with that or be a separate major altogether. Thank you.

Cheyenne,

I never would have guessed that you were only 14. I knew you were young, but not 14. You have tremendous insight for someone your age :o

And, from what I've seen of your insight and faith, you would be used to do amazing things as a missionary! From what I can glean, you are thinking local now and abroad later?? I went on a few trips to Brazil short term and know the missionary there pretty well. It would be important to show them that you've prepared to encounter their culture with some of their language, but to yoamocuy's point,

Thank you.
Yeah. Neither I or my family really has the money to go abroad and finding a job is hard enough now, and finding an easily enough accessible job that it willing to hire a fourteen-year-old is even harder. So right now, I am keeping it local, but in the future, I really would like to minister in other countries, as many really need it.
At the moment, I’m thinking of going up to Central Park sometime in the near future and seeing how I am at witnessing there.

you will be amazed at how quickly you would pick up the language and be functional when you're there and immersed in it. By the end of my first 2 week stint, I was speaking Portuguese better than I could have ever spoken it in a year of study at home. When you're wherever you would be, people would make a big deal out of an American visiting and show you a lot of welcome. Some not, but some would. I think it's amazing and would suggest short term trips for everyone, long term for those that are called.

So, pray on it, and ask to be led. I've no doubt that God will lead you to the right person with the right organization. That's awesome!

Okay. That sounds good. Because I was really worried, as in school I am not so great in Spanish. I have a good memory and can memorize phrases well enough, but applying grammar and rules is more difficult. It may just very well be that I don’t have enough practice with actually speaking with it because I’m never really forced to.


Thank you both.

 

[bigllama]

Last summer, I went on a trip with some of the youth in my church through an organization called Youth Works. They offer a lot of short term mission trips across the US, and it was a really great experience. Maybe that might be something you want to try.

 

[Nick]

I haven't done what BigLama suggested, but YouthWorks is over here as well, and they do some great stuff here in Sydney. Might be worth a try.

 

[tjw]

Is it possible to be a missionary for a lifetime?... Like, for a career (for lack of a better word).

I would love to work for God for my entire life, helping people that need help... Like people in Africa and other poor nations.

 

[Caroline H]

Is it possible to be a missionary for a lifetime?... Like, for a career (for lack of a better word).

I would love to work for God for my entire life, helping people that need help... Like people in Africa and other poor nations.

Of course, it's called being a career missionary As a matter of fact, short term missions, where people go on a trip for 1 or 2 weeks, has only become popular in the last 15 to 20 years.

 

[tjw]

Of course, it's called being a career missionary As a matter of fact, short term missions, where people go on a trip for 1 or 2 weeks, has only become popular in the last 15 to 20 years.

What is life like for a career missionary?

 

[Nick]

Is it possible to be a missionary for a lifetime?... Like, for a career (for lack of a better word).

I would love to work for God for my entire life, helping people that need help... Like people in Africa and other poor nations.

Of course! That's how it's traditionally been done, actually. The Apostles are probably the first examples. Our church sponsors at least twelve overseas missionary partners, and many of them are long-term missionaries - that is all they do. We've got some people in Pakistan that have been there for at least twenty years.

I would suggest going on a short to medium term mission trip to see what it's like first. It's a huge commitment.

 

[Caroline H]

Of course, it's called being a career missionary As a matter of fact, short term missions, where people go on a trip for 1 or 2 weeks, has only become popular in the last 15 to 20 years.

What is life like for a career missionary?

Well It's different for everyone, but I can tell you it is a life where you are constantly aware of how solely you depend on God for your every need, you often are on the move a lot and at short notice, depending on many different factors, and it is a very grueling job at times because you are dealing with a completely different culture than your own and that is a huge adjustment. But the rewards are incredible in this life and the next. You meet so many people that even if you planned it yourself wouldn't work out the same way, and you have so many experiences that you couldn't even fathom, and living a life so dependent upon God really makes you keen in spiritual matters, and you see things you never will if you don't obey His call if that is what He is calling you to do. It isn't something you say you would like to do and do it. If that is the case, you will fail. It's not something you choose to do because it would be fun, because in reality the fun is tucked away in between harsh reality. But if it truly is what God wants you to do with your life, then He will provide your strength and you will be satisfied doing nothing else in your life. This coming from the child of former missionaries to England.

 

[Mike]

I agree. A full time missionary is a calling, not for everyone. I would imagine sincere Christian organizations would probably not put someone out there without a LOT of preparation and some short term trips before placing them. That would be very important. Working alongside a missionary for some short term trips would be a good way of knowing if this would be in line with someone's gifts. We spent over 8 months preparing for 10 days on ours.

Sometimes I think it would be amazing to get away from "the world" and devote my life to that service. The missionaries I've met have had such a peace about them, though they were in the heart of serious spiritual warfare every day.

 

[tjw]

When people do mission work (long term), like, in Africa, for example, how do they live? Do they make/save/collect money here (in the U.S.) and then bring all of that money to the people who are starving (for example) and also use the money that they have collected in the U.S. on themselves (for food and essentials)?

Is it difficult to start your own mission? What goes into starting your own mission?

I don't have any mission experience, but I would love to get involved with it. I'm guessing I should get some experience before starting my own thing.

 

[Mike]

The career missionaries that I know are either sent by a missionary organization who sends them periodic resources or they are sponsored by a number of churches/organizations who do the same. I don't know how the latter ones got started. I just know how they continue their ministry now.

If someone's clearly being called to the field long-term, I would think there needs to be a lot of preparation. During this time, the Lord would either affirm this calling or take it from his/her heart. I would think it wouldn't be wise to go without serious prayer, consideration and preparation. If you get there and realize it's not for you, no one benefits and people feel abandoned. You'd also need to be prepared linguistically and otherwise to assimilate with the people and show that you've made an effort to meet them on their terms.

 

[Caroline H]

Yes, there are organizations called mission boards that send people. Sometimes they are quite involved in what you do and how you live, and sometimes they are mainly there to be a point of contact for you and help you get to and from a place and send you where they see a need and give minimal instructions as far as your ministry. If you're really looking for answers I suggest you look up mission boards and contact some of them with your questions. It never hurts to ask while you're praying about God's will.

 

[PouringRain]

bump....... testing

 

[Chan]

Right now, I'm giving serious thought to being a missionary. I'm kind of young, but I want to get some experience in now. I have a few questions though and if any other Christians could answer them, that would be great.

1. Does anyone know of anything for teens? I'm only fourteen (fifteen this September) and can't get my driver's permit until I'm sixteen and my liscense until i'm seventeen. So I'm kind of restricted to the NYC/NJ area and even NYC is a bit of a stretch there. I understand missions do involve traveling and can do that when I would need to, but I kind of need a local base right now.

2. Language. I'm really terrible at applying my knowledge to language. How important is it in the field and what are the extents of having to learn it? Phrases and words I can do. Applying grammar and rules - not so much.

3. How much training would I need and are there any good colleges that provide good courses that teach it?

You should DEFINITELY go on some short-term missions trips. Check with your pastor to see if there are particular missions organizations he recommends. Otherwise, Google is your friend (but run any particular missions organizations by your pastor).

If you hope to be a full-time missionary, most missions organizations require you to have a college degree. Many will insist on you learning a language (or will put you through language training). Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta, Moody Bible Institute in Chicagoland and Wheaton College all have excellent missions training programs. Liberty University (the school from which I got my bachelor of science degree in multidisciplinary studies with emphases on religion and special education) also has a good program (http://www.luglobal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=26).

An alternative to consider, given that more and more countries are being closed to professional missionaries, is tent-maker ministry. That's missions work where you go to a foreign country to work (e.g. as a teacher or engineer or business person) and then avail yourself of opportunities to share your faith (e.g. by hosting a home Bible Study or sharing your faith with co-workers) and to involve yourself in the work of a local church.

Ultimately, what it comes down to is what God is calling you to and where. Seek God's direction!

 

[Nick]

Cheyenne, how's this going for you? Any more thoughts/developments since you considered this last year?

Since I posted in this thread, I went on a 2 week "beach mission" trip, and am about to go on it again in January. Fantastic experience. I highly recommend going on a few short-term missions to discover if a career missionary is something you are called to be. Even if you don't feel like it's the right thing for you, short-term missions are great anyway.

 

[Gazelle]

In one of the colleges I attended, my major was the missionary course. If you are not good at languages, then that will limit you as to what countries or peoples you go. It might also limit which missionary board you go out "onto the field" under.

I would really suggest you do as many mission trips and events in your own country, and from your own church, as you can. Work your way up, from experience in going on so many, to where you are part of the planning and organizing the actual events. Knowing the ins and outs of all of it (how to contact cold leads, who to let help and how to delegate jobs, the financial aspects etc are all important. ) Once you're on the field, while you will be trained from any coursework you take, you'll do better and feel more at ease from all the actual hand's on experience. (I learned not to let mealy bugs bother me, you know, in the flour...cause if you have flour on the field, odds are you're going to have mealy bugs.)

Plus, you may find out it isn't all you think it is. Many people feel the call of God and only sense the "glorious" nature of being a missionary. Frankly, it's very lonely, tough, delayed reward work.