Having the support and encouragement of your pastor will be a huge blessing to your ministry.
Silk Road Mission exists to identify, connect, and support Gospel Workers to the peoples of the Silk Road. It’s my ambition to see a new generation of missionaries raised up to take the name of Jesus Christ to places He has not been named. His name will one day be praised by every tribe and tongue. I want to be a part of what the Lord is doing and I hope you do too.
This post is the sixth of ten that will lay out the life cycle of missionary service. Whether you are simply exploring the idea or have already chosen an agency, these posts are meant to encourage and inform you. Let me know below if they helped in anyway!
We have previously outlined the first steps of Missionary Service. You can check those out by clicking on the link. Now that we’ve discerned a call from the Lord and acquired the support of our family, friends, and Christian community there is just one more seal of approval needed: The Pastor.
The Qualification of Pastor
In Scripture, the office of the pastor-elder is held in high regard. 1st Timothy 3 and Titus 1 outline in great detail who can and cannot be a pastor. This is important to our discussion for one reason: a qualified pastor needs to affirm your calling to the mission of God. Affirmation from one who is unqualified is not to be regarded as legitimate. The pastor has been charged with the important task of shepherding Christ’s sheep. This means that he cannot allow the sheep to wander astray or go on a journey not meant for them. Having the support and encouragement of your pastor will be a huge blessing to your ministry.
What I’m about to say next will not be popular however I cannot neglect the Word. If you serve under a woman, homosexual(including trans of any kind), or one who violates any of the qualifications of the above scriptures then you need to get out of that church as soon as possible. Seek a congregation that has qualified leadership, become known there, and then seek their support for overseas mission work. This will take time but it worth it to be accountable to Biblical leadership for your future in ministry.
Conversation with Your Pastor
Okay, your pastor is qualified. Check.
You have the support of your family, friends, and community. Check.
You’ve prayed, researched, and sought the Lord on your calling overseas. Check.
It’s now time to broach the subject with your pastor. This shouldn’t be an overly stressful meeting but it shouldn’t be a casual chat either. You’re talking about going to a foreign land and sharing the Gospel with (potentially hostile) unreached groups. This is not a talk to be taken lightly.
Remember that plan we wrote down back in a previous step? Yeah, pull it out again and dust it off. Make sure there are no glaring mistakes and polish it into a formal mission plan. We’ll write more about that on a later date. For now, you simply need a document that shows you’ve put some serious thought into going as a missionary and that it’s not some passing whim.
The conversation itself will go similar to your talks with friends and family. Explain that you’ve prayed about going overseas and have researched which people group you wish to serve. Then once you have explained the mission to your pastor give him time to ask questions. Finally, after you have answered his questions, simply ask if the church would be able to support you and what that would look like. Don’t do this half-way. Ask plainly and with no innuendo. If you ask straight out, you will get a straight answer. Accept whatever is given and don’t whine.
Please, if your church cannot give financially then don’t withdraw from that congregation. Let them support you in other ways. Let them PRAY for you. That is what you need the most anyway. Keep them informed and the Lord might open the door for financial support later.
Finally, the close-to-ideal end to the conversation is one where even if the pastor can’t pledge the church at large’s support he will endorse your pursuit of missions ministry. That’s the goal right there. You now have clearance to make your way to the starting line.
With your pastor’s approval the next step comes into view: time to look to the mission field itself with your home field’s support. The next few articles in this series will be focused on the foreign field itself and how to get there.
That’s all for this time travelers. I hope these articles have been helpful for you. If so, let me know in the comments below!
May the Lord bless and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, be gracious unto you, and give you peace.
Kenneth See
SRM Founder