This is a little more complicated, so I'll have to break it down into a few posts.
First a missionary should be supported in 3 primary ways
- Sending -missionaries are responding to a biblical call from God to serve the lost and hurting in whatever mission field they might be working in. It is better to be one who is sent, than to be one who went. Even Jesus Himself was sent by the Father (John 5:23). The act of sending, whether it be by a local church, a missions board, or other body... allows the person who is sent to act with the blessing and authority of those who sent him.
- Financial support -I just heard a wonderful message about this yesterday, the gentleman speaking said "God's people, using God's money to do God's work" It doesn't get much more straight forward than that. Individual missionaries and missions organizations as a whole put their faith in God that He will provide, and the way that God in His sovereignty has chosen to do that is through other believers. In a 2008 study of missionaries in Kenya by Patrick Nabwera "Lack of financial support" as the #1 reason missionaries leave the field
- Prayer -I'll keep it simple missionaries (pastors, leaders, sunday school teachers, etc...) need your prayer. (1 Thessalonians 5:25).
I praise God that I am blessed to have a home church, family and friends that get this 3 key ingredients.
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