What does it mean to be mission-minded? It means you are willing to go wherever people need to hear about Jesus. The apostles left everything when Jesus said, “Follow Me” (Matt. 4:19). (Interesting side note…Jesus said “Follow Me” in 12 different conversations!) Paul traveled the Mediterranean world to spread the gospel (Acts 13-20). The early Christians “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). Today there are missionaries serving in foreign countries and in “mission fields” in our own country. Some have the un-fun job of raising full-time support in order to live and teach somewhere that’s not even their culture. That means they’re stepping out of their comfort zone twice over! Some have taken on multiple jobs just to make it possible to work with tiny congregations who can’t afford to pay a preacher. God bless the mission-minded!
God can use US to bless the mission-minded. What if we all adopted a missionary this Christmas? Here are some ways we could make theirs a little more merry:
- Add them to your prayer list and let them know your family is praying for them every day.
- Send a card of encouragement in the mail (the REAL mail). Include Scriptures that will remind them God sees their efforts.
- Arrange to send them a Christmas bonus. Sometimes churches give their ministers a holiday bonus and this is often used for family gifts or special needs. I imagine there are many missionaries who would appreciate something like that. Perhaps your church family could gather monetary donations to send.
- Send the good stuff. Instead of sending used curriculum that we couldn’t give away for free (not that there’s anything wrong with that, ha), how about sending brand new, shiny, current curriculum and visual aids? You could send a link to an online store and ask them to create a wishlist.
- Put together a care package of their favorite treats. Their idea of treats might be different than ours. They often crave things they no longer have access to (things that we take for granted). Ask what they miss the most and they’ll probably include things like taco seasoning, Crystal Light, and certain shampoo brands. Again, your church family can help. Put out a list of items for everyone to gather and then ship them with an encouraging note.
Bonus points for asking another friend or family to join you in adopting a missionary!
“Go into all the world…” I thank God for the mission-minded who have taken this command to heart, who, in some cases, have literally moved to other lands. They see the big picture and had the courage and faith to take the big steps. God is using them the world over! Let’s zoom in on an individual or two and hold up their hands this season. We can call it the Aaron and Hur Project (Exodus 17:11-12). 🙂