Why not a missionary in your own country?

A question we sometimes get is why we didn’t remain in the Netherlands to serve as missionaries there. Great question!

This week, a fellow missionary who is preparing to leave was asked the same question. Unfortunately, that conversation did not go smoothly, and, in fact, became quite uncomfortable.

At first glance, there seems to be nothing wrong with the question. After all, let’s be honest: there is certainly a significant need for capable, professional missionaries in the Netherlands. Once a sending nation in terms of mission work, the Netherlands has now become a receiving country. And that is troubling news for the Netherlands. The once-Christian nation has sadly lost much of its faith. So yes, the need for missionaries, even within the Netherlands, is substantial. (And, this is not only true for the Netherlands.)

So, why didn’t we stay? Our personal response has always been:

It was not our choice to do this, in this manner, at this location, or for these specific target groups; it was God’s choice. And when God directs us to go somewhere, we go. His choice, not ours.

And then we explain how God made this abundantly clear to us. When God asks if you will go to Nineveh, what do you do? Do you also follow His request with complete trust? Or do we respond to God by saying, “Well, God, why not in my own country?” Or perhaps, instead of going to that other country, we choose to flee (just to give an example) to Tarshish. We often jokingly conclude that thought with, “We’re not too fond of fish.” 😊

And that is the only appropriate answer for any missionary. How one receives such guidance from God is another topic entirely (which we’ve discussed in other blog posts and podcasts).

When God directed us to come here to do the work He has assigned us (coaching, counseling, therapy), we didn’t fully understand why He asked this of us so specifically, or why His timing was so precise. This aligns with the message of the following verse:

For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

And why does God ask this of our sister in this example? I have no idea. Only God knows, and I trust that He has a reason for what He does. I have no doubt about that.

And with that, we now transition to a less pleasant topic that we must address. A very, very painful subject. After explaining (as outlined above) that God specifically directed us to this country for this particular mission and that it was His choice, not ours, we unfortunately sometimes receive the following response::

But isn’t it much cheaper to stay in the Netherlands and work there as a missionary?

The missionary we spoke with this week received the same question, even after she had just explained that her mission and its location were not her choice, but God’s.

If you truly understand who God is (as the person asking), where does such a question still come from after hearing an explanation about God His calling? To be honest, I am always quite concerned about what the underlying question might actually be.

• Are you genuinely interested in why the person wants to undertake this mission?
• Are you curious about how God has chosen that person for this task?
• Are you concerned about how that person is doing and what their motivations are?
• Do you lack trust in that person?
• Do you doubt God’s calling?
• Do you believe you have a better or cheaper plan than God’s?
• Are you afraid that the person might ask you for financial support?
• Do you feel apprehensive about the person going to country X or Y?
• Did you not know how to respond and this question, which you hear so often, was the first that came to mind?
• Or are you genuinely curious about why that person dares to undertake this mission with God?

When the real question is “disguised” as “Why not serve as a missionary in your own country?” and is posed with incorrect intent, it can be a tremendous demotivator for someone who has just taken a significant step of faith to go further with God than the unfortunate 99.9% of all Christians do.

This question was not asked by Jesus to Paul, Matthew, Luke, John, and others. Did Jesus ask them, “Why don’t you stay in Israel?” No, He did not. Jesus had a very different message—not just for Paul, Matthew, Luke, John, and others. For this reason, we never ask this question. We may or even must inquire about the calling, but that is a different question.

It’s also possible that you are still uncertain about what you should do for God (which is perfectly fine, and you’re on the right track!). However, if you ask someone else, “Why not serve as a missionary in your own country?” you might be using that question as a way to find an answer to your personal dilemma. Regardless of the answer given, it will never be satisfactory because the question “Why not serve as a missionary in your own country?” is not what it appears to be… oops.

When someone’s calling is clear, asking “why there?” is an odd question. When God calls, you go. Even to Nineveh.

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Matthew 9:37-38

Does this question always go awry? No, thankfully not. Fortunately, that is not always the case. But sometimes… Would we dare to ask God the same question with the true intent behind our query? Oops.

As I write, I am in tears. We cause God so much sorrow with what we, as humans, are doing… Instead of being grateful that someone is willing to go, questions are sometimes raised that make me uneasy and create obstacles, rather than helping with the clear calling that God has given that person.

However, now that we have discussed some of the problems with that question, we can also consider what a more thoughtful, intelligent, and honest question might be. For instance, if you ask the following question:

How good that you want to go out with God, tell us what and to what place God has called you and how He told you that. That’s exiting news, please share that with us!

And if the answer is not clear, feel free to ask further questions. The calling is very important, and it is good to examine whether we are doing something for God or for our own learning, enjoyment, or personal development. There is nothing wrong if someone embarks on a journey with God for their own growth, pleasure, or development; however, it may not be considered missionary work but rather serve another purpose. There is nothing wrong with this, but we need to be open and honest about what the true purpose is and how we can support each other in that endeavor. Assistance for others is not only support for a missionary but for every brother or sister.

Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

And if the answer regarding the calling is clear—that God has indeed called that person to that place for that role—then help them. Yes, with prayer, but also by asking further questions.

Thank you for your explanation. Now that God has called you to work for Him, in that specific place for that purpose, how can I really help you?

And the last option: don’t ask a question. Nothing. Just be happy, delighted that someone did want to go.

• The number of Protestant missionaries worldwide is estimated to be around 140,000 [6].
• The total number of Protestant Christians worldwide is estimated to be between 800 million to 1.05 billion [1][3].

Using these figures, we can calculate the percentage:

140,000 / 800,000,000 = 0.0175%
140,000 / 1,050,000,000 = 0.0133%

Therefore, the percentage of Protestant Christians who are full-time missionaries is approximately 0.013% to 0.018%, this includes missionaries who are missionaries in their own country. Wow…

Sources:

• [6] Statistics – About Missions https://www.aboutmissions.org/statistics.html
• [1] Protestantism by country – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_by_country
• [3] The Size and Distribution of the World’s Christian Population https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2011/12/19/global-christianity-exec/