There’s no definitive list of missionary qualifications in the New Testament. But does that mean churches should send just anyone overseas to do gospel ministry? I don’t think so. Unqualified missionaries have caused people groups to suffer, and they’ve stunted the advance of the gospel. Missionary sending is not always a net positive for the kingdom. Churches should use wisdom to discern who should and should not be considered for sending.
Missionary sending is not always a net positive for the kingdom.
What Does the Bible Say About Qualifications for Missionaries?
It’s not entirely true that there are no formal qualifications for missionaries. There is one kind of missionary for whom the New Testament provides very clear parameters: pastors. Some missionaries will serve as pastors––vocationally or not––where they are going. In their case, the qualifications for elders listed in Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3 are binding. There’s no warrant for churches to send less qualified would-be pastors to the mission field. If anything, brothers pastoring overseas should probably be overqualified given the difficulty of cross-cultural ministry.
But what about everyone else? I don’t assume all missionaries will be pastors, especially given the considerable number of female missionaries commissioned and doing faithful, non-pastoral work. Younger men, who may not be quite ready to be an elder, can also be very strategic for gospel good among the unreached.
So, what should local churches require of their prospective missionaries? They should only send maturing disciples who make disciples and have a proven track record of loving and serving the local church.
Brothers pastoring overseas should probably be overqualified given the difficulty of cross-cultural ministry.
Send Maturing Disciples
We’re not talking about perfect followers of Christ—those don’t exist because we are all human, therefore, sinful. Missionaries should, however, have a reputation as someone who fights their sin and pursues righteousness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Culture shock isn’t a remedy for immaturity. Life in another culture, if anything, exposes areas of immaturity in the lives of those who are sent. If a member of your church has a hard time following Jesus where they are, odds are they are going to have an even harder time in a new, unfamiliar place.
Setting this standard is a simple act of love. You love the team someone would be joining. You love the people they would be serving. And you love the person by not confirming them in their immaturity by commissioning them as one sent out for the sake of the name (3 John 1:7).
Who Make Disciples
It’s almost cliche at this point, but the old adage is true: getting on an airplane won’t turn you into an evangelist. Why would you send someone to be a missionary to an unreached people group when they aren’t consistently taking opportunities to reach their family, friends, and neighbors at home? The task of evangelism is made more difficult when you add a new language and a new culture on top of the usual temptations to fear man or be apathetic. Prospective missionaries should be building those muscles now or else be found too weak for the task ahead.
Lord willing, people will be saved by the supernatural, sovereign grace of God and become Christians. Missionaries have to know what to do next. How do you help a new convert grow in grace? Anyone your church sends should be able to answer. Do they read the Bible and pray with others? Can they answer questions about doctrine or at least know how to find the answers? Only appoint missionaries who are actively helping others follow Jesus.
With a Proven Track Record of Loving and Serving the Church
The biblical pattern is to gather believers into local churches. This can’t be stated too often: a missionary who doesn’t love the church is a contradiction of terms. The Great Commission is about churches, so missionaries must be about churches. Don’t send people overseas who are on the fringe of your congregation. Don’t send the people who want your church to rubber stamp their aspirations without being vitally connected to your life together.
Send the people in your church you’d hate to see go, but would happily recommend to a sister church.
Try to send the people in your church you’d hate to see go, but would happily recommend to a sister church. Look for those members who build relationships with a healthy cross-section of the congregation. You might find your next missionary behind the pulpit, but you’re just as likely to find them serving in children’s ministry or taking out the garbage. Giftedness is a dime a dozen. Filter down to those who use their gifts for the building up of the body (1 Corinthians 12:2).
Don’t Just Send Anyone Overseas
Don’t just send anyone overseas. Send maturing disciples who make disciples and who love and serve the church. Your church will have to use wisdom to determine who those would-be missionaries are among you. Take your time, assess prospective missionaries the best that you can, and send your best members around the globe to the glory of God.
Colton Corter lives in Richmond, Virginia. He and his wife have three boys and are members of River City Baptist Church.
