9/14/2017 7 Steps from Student to Missionary

Ministry

7 Steps from Student to Missionary

Darren Carlson / December 17, 2016

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Youve come to Christ through a campus ministry. Youre excited about your faith. Youve read Radical or
Dont Waste Your Life or Let the Nations Be Glad.After some discipleship, you feel a called to serve long-
term in a culture not your own. What should you do next?

My primary aim in this articleis to offer guidance to college students considering missions, and to those
discipling them. Yet these things could be applied to anyone desiring to serve in cross-cultural ministry.

Here are seven steps to going from student to missionary.

1. Practice Faithfulness
When I used to regularlydisciplehigh school students, Id tell them Gods will is crystalclear: They needed
to honor their mom and dad. Student ministries often use phrases likeDo something big for Jesus or God
has huge plans for you if youll follow him. Truth is, you dont have to do something big for Jesus; you just
need to be faithful where you are.

Dont worry about tomorrow without first worrying about today. Youre not going to magically know the
Bible well enough to teach it. Spiritual disciplines dont spring out ofnowhere. Sexual temptation isnt
overcome in a second. So sit alone or with others to pray and read Scripture. Share your faith with people
you know. Stop spending more money than you have. Dont become an entertainment junkie. Love your
siblings. And yes, honor your mom and dad.

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The list goes on. Start today. Be faithful with what the Lord has given you to do right now.

2. Get Involved in a Local Church

The majority of missionaries Ive met have almost no connection to a local church. This is true of them both
in the country theyre from and the country theyre living in. Its been one of the most shocking things Ive
learned. Yet it isnt new. Even William Carey, the so-called founder of the modern missions movement, had
a tough time working with churches in England. He felt they were too slow and held him back. He, as well
as Hudson Taylor, spent most of his time recruiting on university campuses.

But its the local church that commissions and sends. If you want to be sent, you need a local bodywho
knows and loves youto confirm your call. So talk to your eldersnow. Submit to their oversight and
care.Think of ways you can serve. Start talking to people who might support you with prayer and money.
Let the elders map out a short-term and long-term plan to get you where you want to serve.

3. Talk to Your Family

In my experience, one of the greatest hurdles to serving overseas isChristian parents, especially if you
have children. Whether your parents are believers or not, broach the topic with them early and often. If they
attend a church that knows you well, askyour pastor to help you talk to them. Please dont skip this step.
Honor your parentsby sharing your desire to serve the Lord in a place far away from them. If theyre
Christians, ask them to let you go, like an arrow off the bow theyve pulled back.

4. Look for Ways to Minister Cross-Culturally

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Cross-cultural experience isnt required. The United Arab Emirates was openedby a Canadian woman
whod never been out of her country. Many of the heroes of the modern missions movement never
ventured outsidetheir country before they went; the rigors of travel back then made it nearly impossible.
But today we live in a globalized world. I write this article one mile from the most diverse neighborhood in
the country. If I felt the Lord had called me to serve refugees in Greece or Turkey, Id start by plugging
myself into a refugee ministry herein Minneapolis. If I werecommitted to Muslim evangelism, Id spend time
with Muslims from the region I plan to go to. The ability to serve cross-culturally close to where you live is a
new phenomena. Take advantage of it now.
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5. Connect with a Missionary

Find a missionary who will tell you the truth about the hardships, heartbreaks, and lonelinessas well as the
joysof serving as a missionary. Learn about support raising, transitioning to a new culture, culture shock,
and reverse culture shock. Learn about how to make friendships in other cultures. Learn about whats going
on beneath the surface understanding that can be gained on a short-term trip.

If possible, consider serving alongside a missionary for one to threemonths near the location you wish to
serve. The convenience of airplanes allows you to test it out. It allows you to get both experience and the
missionary to confirm (or disconfirm)your calling.

6. Talk to a Mission Organization

Dont put off this step. Many people approach mission organizations thinking theyve thought through
whatsneeded and are ready to go. Mission organizations have people committed to mobilization, and they
can help answer all your questions and guide you through the process. Theyre going to want to interview
you a few times, see you in action, and hopefully talk to your church. That process could take six months to
a year. From there you have to raise support, which takes on average18 months. You also need to interview
the mission organization to see if you feel comfortable with their theological convictions and practices.
Some organizations serve as clearinghouses, allowing you to serve however you want. Others will put you
on teams that decide day-to-day practices. Still others will want to provide a lot of guidance from back
home. Choose carefully and wisely.

7. Get Trained
Know from the start that formal degrees from trusted theological schools will open doors non-formal
trainingcant. So fortify your understanding of Scripture by taking theological courses. Take classes in
anthropology to understand the world better, or economics to understand the effects of charitable
donations, or whatever else it takes to serve in the way you desire.

Ill note two things that might sound contradictory. Ive met many missionariesdoctors, pilots, social
workers, and morewho regret not getting an MA in theology or MDiv before going overseas. Having a
strong theological foundation wouldve equippedthem to better understand the issues theyve
encountered in the field. On the flip side, its easier to get into some of the most closed countries with a
degree from a secular institution than with a Bible degree from a Christian school.

I cannot overstress the importance of a local church in preparing you for cross-cultural work. They
willeventually confirm your call, help you prepare and raise support, pray and care for you.

Learn to love the local church so that you can serve the global church.

Editors note:Are you a student interested in global missions? Consider attendingCROSS Conferencein
Indianapolis, December 27 to 30, 2016. Speakers include John Piper, David Platt, J. D. Greear, Thabiti
Anyabwile, Trip Lee, Conrad Mbewe, and others.Find more information and register here.

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CROSS 2016 Trailer

from CROSS

01:51

Darren Carlson is the founder and president of Training Leaders International. Carlson oversees the general
direction of the ministry and serves as an advocate for pastors with little access to formal training and thoughtful
cross-cultural theological engagement. He is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he earned a
master of divinity and master of theology in New Testament.

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