Voice In The Wilderness

This weekend I wrap up my time in the states and head back to Asia. I look forward to getting back to the work I enjoy the most, i.e. training nationals in cross-cultural ministry. I have enjoyed being in the states as well, but the work here is harder for me. Speaking in churches, trying to paint the picture of our work, though important, it's challenging. Why?

Missions is not a hot button issue for most people. If they did a Gallup poll on what people want in a fulfilling church service experience I suspect it would look something like this:

Music/Worship 48%
Interacting with friends (with coffee and donut’s) 23%
Hearing a good message 22%
Getting a good parking place 6%
Learning about missions 1%

That's not sour grapes, it’s not a criticism, it's reality. While people admire missionaries and they understand missions is vital in fulfilling the Great Commission, it’s not where they live. The average American Christian is weighed down with debt, conflict and busyness. They watch the misery of Katrina victims on their televisions and the last thing they want to hear is another sad story about billion’s of people in Asia who are eternally doomed without Christ. Hand me another donut, but please don't tell me I need to be more involved in world evangelism.

Though often referred to as “heroes,” among some American pastors, in reality missionaries are perceived more like IRS agents. “I know we have to give you something, it’s the law,” they seem to say, “so we’ll give what we owe and not a cent more.” Certainly that’s not true of everyone, but, like I tell my student’s, it's not what people say, but how they live which determines worldview.

In spite of the reality of my role, I am always grateful that I can be a voice in the wilderness for the 90% of God’s creation that lives outside the continental U.S. I am grateful for that 10% of the people in any church who see missions as important as their praise songs. And to those who are preoccupied, I pray that God will use what we have said to make them more aware of the world around them. Who knows, maybe one day I will see them on the road raising support.