Associations

Can I just say I'm thankful for the way we send, support, and take care of missionaries? I sometimes hear grumbling when I'm in the States about how things are done, how people are sometimes treated, and other negative stories, but being on the other side of the pond the care and the support from sister churches makes me very thankful. Just to know that we have other churches out there who are like-minded makes me happy.

There are obvious benefits for following the scriptures. God didn't lay out a plan for us to follow for no reason, and the more I talk to other missionaries here on the field, the more I'm convinced I have a lot to be thankful for. Here are just a few of the benefits I've seen and experienced.

1. We have a particular church that is responsible for us, knows us, prays for us, and holds us accountable. We answer to them and not a board. They're involved with us, have the heart for our particular field, and love us. They take care of our finances. Although we may not have the newsletters and other administrative perks of going through a board, we also don't have to pay the administrative fees. And throughout the churches that associate with our church, there's probably somebody already called to do the ministry that we might need the services of already anyway. We have contact with people who will bring teams, provide missionary care, health services, etc. What a blessing!

2. We have a great network of churches that support us both with prayers and finances. I've heard from other missionaries that just come over here maybe even with a sending church who are not affiliated with any one group and they struggle to raise support. Even though the churches of the association are independent autonomous bodies, we still have a network within which to work and visit. It's a great blessing to know people from seminary days, messenger meetings both local and national, camps, preaching meetings, etc. One lady told me that they had a hard time raising support because there was nothing to recommend them to churches they visited. Another lady told me that as long as they were in the States visiting churches, they were able to raise support, but as soon as they got back on the field it dwindled down to almost nothing.

3. This might seem a strange one, but I'm thankful for deputation. Yes, we have to spend a lot of time traveling and visiting churches, but it really is worth it. You experience God's provisions day by day, you make friends with the people who will send you that encouragement just when you need it, you start learning to adapt as you're always in a different church with a different way of doing things, and you start learning what it feels like to be on the outside. Heh...I guess you even start learning about the freak factor. You begin to realize that you're the weird person no matter what country you're in. :D

4. We have freedom to minister. We have a calling, we present it to others, and they decide if God wants them to be involved or not. We don't have guidelines other than the Bible in the sense that other missionaries have told me they were not allowed to try certain things as outreach because it was not part of their "job description."

5. It's interesting that while I was writing this post, we received a message that one of our supporting churches dropped our $100/month support. Interestingly enough, that's another benefit of following God's word. His churches have the ability to follow his leadership and direct their money where they feel lead to. It also means that another church might step up and fill that $100 void.

I know this is not an exhaustive list, but it's what is on my heart right now. I'm just thankful for the blessings God has given us.