6 Things to Evaluate Before You Go

I have had many candid conversations with college students who are considering a call to missions. When these conversations happen, I often recommend the Journeyman program of the International Mission Board. It is an ideal opportunity for recent college graduates to gain hands-on experience while discerning whether God is leading them to a long-term career in missionary service.

It is easy to say, “I am called to missions,” after spending a week or two on a short-term trip. But committing to two years of service provides clarity. Over time, God often confirms whether cross-cultural ministry is truly a long-term calling.

Even for those who do not serve overseas long-term, the Journeyman program produces something valuable. Most return home with a deeper love for the nations, a greater appreciation for Southern Baptists’ commitment to missions, and a renewed passion to mobilize others to go. Our churches need more individuals like this!

If you are considering a call to missions, here are six things to consider before you go.

Pray, Pray, Pray

Paul instructs us to “pray without ceasing.”[1] Prayer is essential to the process of discerning where God is leading you to serve. Two years is a significant amount of time!

A common mistake I see is choosing a job that “looks right in our own eyes” without regularly consulting the Lord. Instead, pray without ceasing as you search the job board and consider different opportunities. Do everything you can to strengthen your prayer life before you go. A strong prayer life is essential for this work.

Prayer is not merely a part of the ministry—it is the work of the ministry.

Consult With Those Who Know You Best

As you regularly talk with God, talk with others as well. It is imperative to seek the wisdom of others when making major life decisions. We all need people in our lives who know us well and can be honest with us.

As you are considering where to serve, invite these people into the process. If they know you well and want your best, they can help you discern whether a particular role or location is a good fit.

This is why being an involved member of a healthy church is crucial. Your church should be intimately involved in this process. They have seen your life up close. They know your strengths and weaknesses. They know your passions and gifts. Because of this, they can offer a unique and valuable perspective.

Our church was indispensable to us during this time.

Break Down Barriers to Going

Several common barriers prevent many from going to the mission field.

Student debt is one of the most common obstacles for people at this stage of life. If that is your situation, be aggressive and do whatever you can to pay it off as quickly as possible.

Unrepentant sin is another major barrier. Pornography is a rampant sin problem that should be addressed quickly, whether you are going to the mission field or not. Unfortunately, pornography addiction prevents many from serving.

For others, unresolved trauma from the past can become an obstacle. If that is the case for you, invite a loving, biblical counselor to walk with you through the healing process.

One of the most difficult barriers is the reluctance of family members and loved ones to let you go. This can weigh heavily on missionary candidates and sometimes prevent them from going altogether. You must count the cost. Are you willing to put this on the altar? Loneliness is a real challenge for missionaries. Celebrating Christmas in another country far from family is difficult. Being far away from loved ones is never easy.

What barriers to going do you need to address? Address them now. If these issues are not dealt with before you leave, they will only be magnified on the field.

Competencies

What are you good at? How has God gifted you? What are you passionate about?

There is a wide variety of opportunities available for many different skill sets. For example, I once heard of a journeyman who served as a scuba diving instructor in a closed country. He could not enter the country on a missionary visa, but his unique skill opened the door for him to live there, build relationships, and share the gospel with people who had never heard it.

Are you a teacher? Are you a nurse? Gifted in business? Skilled in technology? God has opened doors around the globe for people with these competencies and many others.

Your gifts and passions may be exactly what God intends to use to bring the gospel to an unreached people group.

Team Chemistry

When I served on staff as a pastor with my sending church, we routinely discussed the “Three C’s”: character, competency, and chemistry.

Whenever we hired new staff, elevated volunteers to leadership, or appointed new elders, we evaluated each person through these three lenses.

Character always came first. If someone does not possess the character of Christ, they should not be placed in leadership.

Competency also matters. Leaders must be capable of doing the job that we are asking them to do.

Finally, chemistry is critical. Even if someone has strong character and excellent skills, a lack of chemistry with the team can create tension that negatively affects the entire staff—and by extension, the church.

I am convinced that team chemistry matters even more on a missionary team.

Missionaries are learning a new language, living under constant cultural stress, and often surrounded by deep spiritual lostness. There are already enough challenges in that environment. The last thing you need is a dysfunctional team.

A lack of team chemistry will surface quickly in that context. As you discern which team to join, do everything you can to ensure there is healthy team chemistry. This can make or break your term on the field.

Ask Lots of Questions

As you explore different opportunities, you will likely go through several interviews. Potential team leaders will interview you—and you will also be interviewing them.

Ask plenty of questions. Do not assume anything. These are the people who will mentor you and lead you during your first term on the field. Do your homework to make sure that this is a good fit.

What kinds of questions should you ask? That is a conversation for another day.

But the larger point is this: going to the nations is too important to approach casually. It deserves persistent prayer, wise counsel, humble intentionality, and careful preparation.