The Modern Missionary

The term "missionary" in the minds of most interna­tional circles today is a mis­nomer. They believe that mis­sionaries are called such only to cover over a campaign of intrigues and politics carried on by the country from which the missionaries were sent. This concep­tion of present-day missionary activity has not come suddenly. Foreign nations have arrived at these conclusions after years of observation and sometimes bitter experi­ences.

A certain African country which had for many years aspired to independence finally achieved that aspiration and faced the world as an independent nation. Within its boundaries were established religious missions of long standing. In a time when without political involvement these mis­sions could have helped a backward, emo­tionally complexed people take a respect­able place among the sisterhood of nations by urging Christian attitudes and responses, they failed. Instead, some of these missions urged the nationals to revolt. They sup­plied them with plans, food, clothing, and incentive to rebel. After much bloodshed and bitter feuding the "would-be" seces­sionists were subdued. But a low opinion of missionaries and religious groups from outside was established. Today that coun­try is for all practical purposes unentered as far as our mission organization is con­cerned.

This experience of an African nation is not an isolated situation. It is one of the more dramatic and tangible responses to indiscreet approaches of some mission groups. However, there are more subtle involvements and attitudes that imperil the advancement of the truth in countries away from the home base.

It is expedient that we as an organiza­tion and as individual missionaries and prospective missionaries, analyze our ap­proach and attitudes in our social and spiritual services outside of our homeland.

We are always thrilled and inspired with the accounts of our pioneer mission­aries who braved hostile tribes, wild an­imals, and primitive living in order to es­tablish our message. Thousands have been added to the great family of God by these sacrificial and noble efforts. The modern missionary can be no less dedicated. He will not build himself a station and minis­ter to hundreds who come to his doorstep. Few places are left where pioneer mission life is the approach. Most missionaries to­day are faced with highly civilized society. They are faced with intelligent peoples who aspire to the highest material stand­ards of life. They are faced with refined paganism clothed in the disguise of re­spectable religion. The days of the out­stretched arm and the cry "Come over and help us" are almost, if not completely, passed. It is to this challenge of indiffer­ence and self-satisfaction that the modern missionary is called.

Missionary Qualifications Needed

What are the qualifications needed for a missionary to meet the modern challenge of our mission program?

There is nothing that can take the place of a consecrated Christian life. This is basic in any approach to mission service. Much money can be fruitlessly spent and much damage to our mission program can take place where consecration is lacking. Government officials and society in general are keen to observe a lack of consecration in those who represent religious groups. It creates suspicion and conclusions that ulterior motives are present.

The Missionary Must Be Dedicated

As a ship docked in one of the great African ports, the captain said good-by to a young missionary couple. "I will never understand why you have left your home to come here, but anyway, God bless you!" Yes, it is difficult to understand why men and women will leave their homeland and give themselves in service in strange lands. But to those who feel impelled by the gos­pel commission and to those who have ded­icated their lives to service for God, it is not strange. This dedication to a cause must shine bright as the missionary pur­sues his mission. This leaves no time to en­gage in intrigues and political shenani­gans in or out of the organization. These things kill the good influence of a mission­ary. Furthermore, such a pattern in the life of a missionary is quickly detected by the indigenous society.

The Missionary Must Have a Burden for Missions!

Some may think to enhance their posi­tion in denominational activity by becom­ing missionaries. Others refuse to go as missionaries because of a fear of losing out in the denominational advancement scale. Both of these approaches and concepts are devastating. The successful missionary will have no time or thought for position seek­ing. His mind, energy, and life will be wrapped up in problems concerning the pursuit of mission advancement that are peculiar to these times. His burden for missions must exceed innumerable pres­sures that will play upon his emotions in an effort to keep him at home. (If he does not have those pressures, then he is not a qualified missionary.) It is further devas­tating when qualified prospective mission­aries have not developed a burden for mis­sions. They find countless reasons why they should not engage in foreign mission work. One must pray for more than human hon­esty lest ulterior motives mar the purity and integrity of decision.

The Missionary Must Have Tolerance

As the children of Israel left Pharaoh's oppression and started marching toward the Promised Land, they were a spectacle of degradation in some respects. They had wandered far from the standards God had set up for man. Their conception of God had become confused with paganism. Yet, God saw in them the potential of a "chosen people." He could take them from their motley background and make a mighty na­tion out of them. The missionary must see beyond and deeper than the surface of custom and tradition. He must see in the people he works for potential and intrin­sic value. He must not sacrifice standards, yet he must ever be tolerant of back­grounds.

The Missionary Must Have Adaptability

This touches the everyday activity and responses of the home. The purchase and preparation of food and clothing may be different quite different. Customs and approaches to problems can be strange, yet they may be worth while, usable, and quite practical in the country in which the worker is laboring. Life is different! The successful missionary will find himself adapting his approach, program, and en­tire life in order to work with indigenous workers for the salvation of those around him.

This adaptability must carry with it a zeal that does not allow compromise or indifference. Many a tragic chapter in mis­sion life could have been left unwritten had the missionary couple learned the les­son of adaptability before they proceeded to the mission field.

The Missionary Must Be a Specialist!

The modern missionary does not neces­sarily go to a mission field in which the government and people are more back­ward than those in the home base. Back­wardness today depends to a great extent upon one's sense of values. This is particu­larly true with nations. Therefore the mis­sionary today must not approach his new field as a "know it all," yet he must be able to approach his work with confidence that he has the ability to deal with a special­ized program. just as important, the in­digenous society must recognize this.

When governments issue work and resident permits to foreigners, they do so fully expecting a contribution. The missionary must make himself indispensable to the welfare of the country in which he serves. Nations want men who will be recognized as a benefit to society, men who are sym­pathetic and eager to assist in the welfare of the country. They want men and women who are happy to live with them and who are not sources of complaint and adverse propaganda.

Nations recognize and appreciate men and women who come to their boundaries to reside if they are outstanding in the speciality they profess. There have been doors nearly closed because some mission­ary has entered and been unable to live up to the standard of profession or contribu­tion that has been expected of him.

The problems of mission life and ap­proach today are not ordinary. Their so­lution demands more than mediocre men and women. The day of heroes is not past. Heroes today are perhaps not surrounded. with such drama as the heroes of pioneer days. But these closing hours of earth's his­tory are and will be filled with heroic deeds in mission lands. There will be many heroes who have not fought the lion or been challenged by the cannibal. There are heroes in our mission fields today, liv­ing in civilization, but struggling with in­security and problems that stir and try the soul to its very depths.

No longer need we say that God's Spirit will be poured out in latter-rain experi­ence. It is being poured out. Spiritual power and spiritual gifts are being experi­enced commensurate with the tremendous problems and complications of modern mission activity. Many even in extremely difficult lands are being prepared to take their stand for truth. By radio, by litera­ture, and by travel, men and women in unentered countries have come in contact with the truth. The modern missionary has wonderful and unique privileges. Some of the greatest victories of mission adventure are just before us. Multitudes in countries that heretofore have seemed impossible to enter, will be thrown into a vigorous move­ment of truth seeking. Seeds that have been sown one by one will multiply into a large harvest. As the great family of God is sealed, the modern missionary stands in an ad­vantageous spot to witness the mighty climax of "this gospel to all the world."