Questions about missions went through our minds 3 years ago as DH made plans to go to Uganda and again 2+ years ago as we were being prepared to 'go it alone' outside the box:

1. "Could the money we'd pay to send DH to Uganda be better used for the people there?"
2. "How do we get sent as missionaries if we don't belong to a church?"
3. "How do we support ourselves if we don't belong to a church?"
4. "What is a missionary?"

1. The answer to the first question seems quite obvious -> an airline ticket plus accommodation and food for 3 weeks could spawn a family business that could support an entire village instead. [In the end we had a family crisis and DH stayed home to serve here.] We also read the book "Revolution in World Missions" by K P Yohannan.



2. The second answer came through a 'closed door' and an 'open window'.

The doors that closed on us were being sent by a church (as we were leaving one) and not finding an interdenominational missions organisation that would send us otherwise as we were not American.

The open window was something we read in the bible, surprise, surprise. Galatians 1:1

From Paul-an apostle sent not by any group or individual but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who brought him back to life...

I think that speaks for itself?!



3. The answer to the third question was for us very tied up with questions about tithing and the cost of living.

We were giving our tithes to the church building and administration in the belief that it would be used wisely to extend the kingdom of God. We observed several great community projects terminated by the administrators as it didn't fit their mission objectives. Our mindset was also that we gave up our responsibility to help those in our direct neighbourhood around us as we were tithing and therefore the church knew better where to provide for peoples real needs (ha!).

So......when we reached the point after 3 months of taking a break from the church we had been attending, and withdrawing our tithe, we had also read this above bible verse, listened to heaps of podcasts, read plenty of theologically challenging teaching and were making progress with exploring going overseas (for our own "pleasure" - our hearts desire).

The conclusion was that if God was sending us overseas and all that we are given belongs to Him then it would not be wrong to set aside that money towards our mission. In fact if we ignored Gods plan for our life and were giving away resources that He had given us to achieve that, then it would almost be a sin.

Coupled with the reality that the cost/standard of living in the country we want to go to is higher than our own it become evident that we would not be able to survive without earning a living in this economic system - so having a job would be imperative.



4. Previously we were also trying really hard to give our trip a purpose - a mission. Be it, completing Video Bible School together as a family to gain a degree, or finding a ministry to append ourselves to, to plant churches, to run an English-speaking bible study group etc. We began to question just who we thought we were to waltz into another culture and assume roles of authority. This led to us re-think how we could best serve - what resources we needed to have to survive: language and cultural understanding.

As we live in another culture we will grow in understanding and skills to relate. We humble ourselves by being vulnerable. I think of that adage "people don't care what you know until they know that you care".



Combining all these ideas changed our concept of missions.

Now we see it as - going, being, relating, living, waiting on God wherever we are.

Our mission first is our family. If we can achieve another in the place that we live then well and good.

Life is a Mission

We have to rely so much more on God for our hearts desire to go overseas to happen - for the job, for renting out out home, for visas (we may be refused), for selling our business, for the future upon our return.

Yes, after almost 2 decades of holding the dream and 2+ years of 'trying' and being willing for this desire to bear fruit, and nothing major happening, we are low on faith and putting our roots back down where we are, but underneath it all still believe He is able, and He is in control.



A friend suggested that nothing will happen until we are 100% ready and have 100% given it all to God - which, um....brings up other theological questions....but perhaps they are for another post!