A prepared missionary.
By Frank Decker

Sometimes we at the Mission Society are asked, "What are you looking for in a cross-cultural worker?" Whether someone is considering service overseas for a number of weeks, months, or years, we believe that a prepared missionary.

.has a love for others and is sensitive to their needs. We tell new missionaries, "If you find that you do not love those to whom you were sent, pray until God gives you a love for them, or ask to be removed from the field." No matter how much you may accomplish during a term of service (even if as a member of a work team that is in the country for only two weeks), the degree to which you love and listen will far outweigh any other accomplishments for the kingdom.

.has a passion to serve. Of course, we are aware that we should emulate Jesus' model of servanthood ministry, but this does not come naturally to most people. Someone once asked Lorne Sanny, the late president of the Navigators, "Mr. Sanny, how can I know if I have a servant's heart?" He replied, "By the way you respond when someone treats you like one." Sometimes we put missionaries-in-training into circumstances that allow them to discover this axiom personally.

.exercises Christian principles in all of his or her relationships, including marriage and family. Some agencies require that missionary children be sent to boarding school, enabling both spouses to "work" in the mission. Our agency also believes that both spouses are missionaries, but we emphasize one's "job description" is only part of one's ministry. A missionary's life-including familial relationships-enables a family to model the gospel, and that is more difficult to do when the children are absent. In addition, any propensity towards fear, anger, or depression in the life of an aspiring missionary will be magnified in the context of a cross-cultural setting and must be tended to prior to departure.

.has a teachable spirit and is willing to learn language and culture. Perhaps the single most essential question we ask when considering a missionary candidate is, "Does this person have a teachable attitude?" Missionaries preparing for departure are often asked, "What are you going to do?" American supporters place a high value on efficiency and want to know that they are making a wise investment. So, while the idea of spending time in a new culture to learn the language and discover bridges into peoples' hearts is counterintuitive to our Western values, it is an essential attribute in the life of a fruitful missionary.

.is disciplined in prayer and the study of the Word of God. When new missionaries think about being absent from the nurture of their home church, they may wonder, "How will I get fed?" At some point prior to departure they realize that they may not hear another sermon or teaching in their own language for years. They, therefore, must to learn to thrive spiritually-even if all of their spiritual nourishment comes from their own personal devotions. We also remind them that in the natural world, it is babies who depend on others to feed them. One should not depart for another culture if their spiritual vitality depends on "being fed" by someone else. It is no wonder that the devil always seeks to lull missionaries away from the spiritual disciplines.

.is able to share the gospel clearly and to teach the truth. We send missionaries who are specialists in education, agriculture, medicine, and other domains, but each is sent ultimately to make disciples of Jesus-regardless of his or her specialty-in fidelity to the Great Commission. If a missionary applicant indicates that he or she has little or no experience in leading someone to Christ and discipling new believers, we address that. In a cross-cultural context one is unlikely to accomplish that which they have not done at home. Or, as we tell our missionaries, "You are not going to change when you get off the plane."

.is prepared for spiritual warfare. The subject of spiritual warfare is one that is often not addressed in American churches, largely because of our Western worldview. That's one reason why it is a major theme of our training program. When a missionary returns from his or her initial term of service, the comment is often made that this was one of the most useful and practical tools that they were given prior to departure.

.is able to cope with political and economic uncertainty and trusts God for his or her needs. As a mission agency, we naturally seek to provide the appropriate preparation and resources for contingencies. However, missionary work can be risky, and no one can guarantee the health and safety of cross-cultural workers. "Am I willing to die for Jesus?" can serve as a defining question regarding the resolve of a potential missionary. The paradox of preparedness for overseas service is this: It is wise to be appropriately prepared. But at the end of the day, the Lord who calls us is the one on whom we must lean.

After all, dependency on Jesus is the crux of our message.