Types of Missionaries

First I don’t claim to know every kind of missionary but 25 years in missions I can claim to know a few. Also I don’t claim one as being better than the other. There are advantages and disadvantages in every type of organization they might  follow.

1. Denominational missionaries in general follow a set working structure sent down from a hierarchy of leadership and work within the framework of that denomination, especially traditional churches.  They work to build that particular denomination.  Some of these missionary are totally financed through that denomination and have a set budget to follow. I like that part of it! However they must follow guidelines set my that particular denomination. Some missionaries in this category never visit supporting churches except  possibly their own home church. They don’t have to do fund raising because the denomination supports them totally. This is not the rule for all denominational missionary some do have to raise their on support through churches within but not restricted to their own denomination. They are given a budget to reach and can’t go to their field until that budget is raised. Some spend years raise their support base.

2. Missions agency missionaries, I’m one of them.  I am with International Gospel Outreach. Some agencies have raised support for their missionaries but this is almost unheard of these day if support is given to them through the missions agency then much like denominational missionaries they follow guidelines, strategies, protocol etc. set by that missions agency. I do know of one agency that raises the missionaries support but expect him or her to raise their own support then the agencies support is taken away.

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Can you imagen a city, town or community without a church?

Think about it, especially in the south peoples are use to seeing churches many people go to church and I believe some take the church for granted. Over the years I have been to many places in the world that are without churches. No place to hear the Word of God preached, No place to fellowship with believers, No place to share your joys and sorrows, No place to pray and ask for prayer. Can you imagen your town without a church?

It is soooo exciting to plant a church in a community that has no church and see the people receive Words of hope, Words of faith and Word of salvation and love.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that who so ever believe should not perish but have everlasting life.

On a recent trip to a Tojolobal Indian village I was offered a mule to ride back to where I had parked two hours walk away.  Two ladies the day before ask if they could ride in my car back to a town where they lived. Sunday morning a Christian brother brought me the mule but the two ladies also showed up one carrying a baby on her back and the other lady their  luggage. I told the owner of the mule to let one of them ride the mule and I would walk. After some heated conversation the owner insisted I ride the mule the ladies also insisted. The road was difficult and it was hot. I felt bad, real bad that the ladies were walking and I was riding I tried again on the way down the mountain to get the ladies to get on the mule without success.  On arriving  two hours later to my car I waited  for the ladies and they got in my car.

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