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Page 8 — Spiritual Maturity and Characteristics

The doctrine of the imminent return of Christ compels us to plan as if this is the final generation of missionaries. “Has God chosen this generation to complete the task of global evangelization?” This generation of servants must be equipped for the task. 2 Peter 3:9f, 1 Peter 4:7.

From Too Valuable to Lose (p. 217-218) “This analysis suggests that 73.8% of the reasons given for missionary loss by sending agencies from old sending countries could be addressed and corrected to some degree by more adequate and appropriate pre-field training.

“The Apostle Paul asserts that step by step we are being changed so that we conform more closely to the image of Christ. He affirms repeatedly that in Christ we find the strength, wisdom, and purpose we need for life. Those responsible for the training of missionaries are obligated to ensure that their training program facilitates the process of being conformed to Christ and of discovering His adequacy for the challenges of life. Spiritual maturity is the key to perseverance and effectiveness in christian ministry.”

Missionary Indispensables

1. Personal Spiritual Walk

sense of calling
regularly practices means of growth
Bible—hermeneutics
prayer
humility—sufficiency of God

Why are these important, and what if we neglect them?

Survey results in Too Valuable to Lose: reasons for attrition #10: lack of call, #12: immature spiritual life. These areas are of vital importance for 'long-haul' workers.

Sense of calling
“Wherever you go, you must know that the living God has sent you. If you get to the mission field via personal choice or to 'meet needs', or a variety of other possible motivations, it is highly probable that you will leave the same way or when the needs or social conditions change. How stabilizing to know that you have been 'called by the will of God'.

“The missionary call is different from the call every believer has. It carries the idea of being sent.“The missionary call has within it the enabling ability to learn, to adjust to, and to be at home in and effective in another culture.”

Kane: to receive and respond to this call requires an open mind, an attentive ear, a clean heart and an available body.

Calling does not refer to a subjective experience. If God is calling you, it will be affirmed by others. In the interview process, we will be talking with your Home Group leader and others who can speak to the area of 'calling'.

Regularly practices means of growth

Bible—hermeneutics
Christian workers and especially missionaries need to be able to feed themselves in the Word. Without the benefit of fellowship, classes, and body life, the spiritual life of the missionary could be compromised. (From Curt's letter) "Members and candidates should be spiritually self sustaining. They should exhibit an ability to take care of themselves spiritually and not need to be discipled in basic Christian growth. This means that they are committed to personal Bible Study, prayer, serving others fellowship and receiving discipline. It is also important that candidates have had experience in searching out God's will for their lives and ministry.

2. Healthy Relationships

committed to local church
marriage
kids/parents
friendly
willing to forgive
shows evidence of ability to work harmoniously with others in service & ministry—team building
conflict resolution
active listener

Marriage
"Family growth is the core of team growth. Strong family units are the basic and most strategic witness as well as the fountain of strength for ministry. Members should look at leading and serving their families as part of their ministry and not as competing with their ministry. Co-workers and non-believers will sense the presence of God in a family where God is the center."

Conflict resolution
Too Valuable to Lose: "The third cause of attrition has to do with the conflicts that develop with the mission organization, with other missionaries, with the national christians, and with the community at large. The consequence of these conflicts can be external, degrading the quality of personal relationships, or it can be internal producing psychological and other emotional and spiritual symptoms. Many of these symptoms are coping strategies to help the person adjust to the developing problems on the outside"

"If we desire to join with Jesus in what He is doing, then we must place priority on building the church.

Active listener
From Too Valuable to Lose p. 220: To move into a cross-cultural environment requires a significant level of social flexibility. Missionaries are confronted with the necessity of reinterpreting their christian lifestyle in terms of the host culture, and to a certain degree with their fellow missionaries. ...missionaries must have developed the ability to be active listeners and learners.

3. Ministry Experience

servant leadership

team work

able to communicate

discipleship

gifts

Ministry Experience
(From Val Hayworth/Elmbrook) “I view ministry experience as the 'bottom line' to determine readiness form missionary service. This is based on the premise that a person won't accomplish on the field in a cross cultural environment what he/she hasn't done at home. This makes the local church vitally important because ministry in the context of the local church is the proving ground. Missionary service is an extension of the ministry of the local church if it is a sending church.

“In my opinion, an individual 'fit' in ministry is the result of a discovery process. Spiritual giftedness emerges from involvement, from engaging in different areas of ministry activity. (I give my definition of a spiritual gift: recognized by others, confirmed by inner personal satisfaction)”

Spiritual Gifts �

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