Your senders and your supporters are a critical part of the ministry God has called you to. You need to be serving them in addition to the people you’ve been sent to.
Why? It all comes down to a partnership between you and the people who are supporting you.
Many missionaries and gospel workers I’ve met over the years have been familiar with Neal Pirolo’s book, Serving As Senders Today.
Indeed, this book was formational for me and my wife years ago when we realized that we were not supposed to “go” during this season of our life. (You can read a bit more about our scouting trip to Peru here.)
After a year or so of floundering with my purpose in life, I picked up Pirolo’s book and became deeply convicted - if we couldn’t “go” right now, then we needed to become the most devoted senders we could be. Here’s how he put it:
Today no cross-cultural worker should leave home without a strong, integrated, educated, knowledgeable, excited-as-he-is, active team of people who have committed themselves to the work of serving as senders. Neal Pirolo, Serving as Senders Today
Pirolo proceeds to provide a framework for senders to do a better job of sending and identifies six areas of missionary care that senders ought to invest in. He argues that each of those areas lining up with our individual spiritual giftings and strengths. Those areas are
- Moral support: giving an encouraging word
- Logistics support: helping with the administrative details
- Financial support: funding the missionary and the mission
- Prayer support: engaging in intense spiritual warfare
- Communication support: keeping in touch
- Reentry support: helping the missionary to acclimate when returning to their home culture
God is still working on me and my wife; still sanctifying still. Still molding us to be better senders and supporters. But by God’s grace, I believe he’s grown us tremendously over the years in at least a few of the six areas Pirolo highlights in his book.
But perhaps the most wonderful and joy-giving truth of that book came for me in the very first chapter. Pirolo says,
God’s call on your life to serve as a sender must be just as vibrant as the call on the life of the one you send. Likewise, the commitment you make must be as sure as that of your cross-cultural worker. The responsible action you take is as important as the ministry your field worker performs. Neal Pirolo, Serving as Senders Today
Mic drop.
Here was the reminder I’d been needing! I can have a global gospel impact even if I’m staying home during this season of my life!
The church still needs to be reminded of this today! If we’re not called to go physically, we’re still called to obey Jesus. It’s still our job to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever [Jesus has] commanded [us]”.1
Gospel Partners
Enter the term “gospel partners”. That’s how I’ve begun to view my role.
When I pray for a missionary we support, I’m a partner in the work God is doing through them.
When I write a note of encouragement to send their way, I’m their partner in the work.
When I send money each month to help fund the ministry and their family, I’m partnering with them to see the gospel move forward.
When I read a newsletter and get to hear of the amazing things God is doing, or when I learn of new prayer requests, I’m their partner in the work. And to some degree I’m responsible for a portion of the fruits that are being born out of the ministry, even if only in a small way.
The apostle Paul utterly confirms this truth as he writes to the church in Corinth about the body of Christ.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 1 Corinthians 12:14-20
That drives me. That encourages me.
That reminds me that even though I have a full time day job here in the States which has nothing directly to do with the great commission, I can still have an enormous impact on making disciples among every nation, tribe, and tongue. And it’s becoming a true joy to play the role of gospel partner that God has given me for this season.
Tooth-to-Tail
It has been said that for each soldier on the field of battle, several other people are needed in support roles.
The military often refers to this as the tooth-to-tail ratio), and there are roughly six to eight support personnel (the “tail”) behind every single combat soldier (the “tooth”).
I have no idea what the actual ratio looks like when it comes to missions, but I’m certain that the model is similar.
Gospel workers, missionaries, friends - you need the partnership of your senders. As Paul said, “God has so composed the body… that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.”2
You need for your supporters and senders to do more than merely write checks. You need logistical support. You need moral support and encouragement. You need understanding and encouragement when you return from the field for sabbatical. You need prayer support that goes deeper than surface-level prayer.
You need gospel partners. And we need you, too!
The other side of the coin
Here’s the thing: healthy partnerships are not one-way!
As your gospel partners, we need to be reminded of the God is doing through our partnership together.
If we are partners with you in the work, then we need to know how we are contributing to the Gospel of Jesus Christ going forward.
If we are your partners, then we want to know how we can pray specifically for you.
If we are your partners, then we want to know when you have particular financial needs, whether for yourself or the ministry.
If we are your partners, then we want to properly encourage, love, and support you when you enter the emotional fray of returning from the field for sabbatical.
So let me tell you - a once per month newsletter (at best) is not cutting it! We need more opportunities to celebrate with you. To grieve with you. To pray specifically for you.
As a partner in the work with you, I’m telling you: proactive and regular communication is merited and necessary. It’s one of the very best ways you can involve us as your gospel partners.
We, your gospel partners, want more of a relationship with you. Some of your gospel partners just don’t know it yet. It’s incumbent on you to start growing those relationships with your gospel partners.
And I am sure of this: if you’ll commit to regularly investing in these relationships, you will experience and enjoy the blessings of connected and engaged gospel partners for years to come.
Start serving your senders today.
Soli Deo Gloria
Zach
PS: Lest I heap a burden on you that feels too heavy to bear - regular communication does not have to be complicated or time-consuming.
Life as a missionary is hard enough. Financial stress and lack of support make it harder. I can help. Schedule a free call to find out how you can build better relationships with your gospel partners and increase your support.