10 Not-So-Silly Questions You May Have About Missions

Suzanne Pearson • Mar 25, 2022

Growing up I had a high school teacher with a poster in his class that read, “The only silly question is the one you didn’t ask.” In Mr. Johnson’s case, this referred to the complex world of algebra, but for potential missionaries, the dilemma can be the same.

If you’re considering going to the mission field, you’ve likely already thought about the “big” questions – what type of ministry you’ll do, where you’ll go, etc. But often, potential missionaries wonder about the day-to-day aspects of missionary life as well. Maybe you have some of these details swirling around in your head but feel silly asking about them.

In the spirit of good old Mr. Johnson (and with a little help from our friends at askamissionary.com ), here are 10 Not-So-Silly Questions You May Have About Missions:

1. Can I be a missionary if I’m an introvert?

“Absolutely,” says Linda Brucato a TEAM Appointee Mentor who works with new missionaries. “Some of the best missionaries are introverts!”

As the Bible tells us in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 , God gifts each believer differently, but all are equipped to serve Him and be a light to the world.

So rest assured, God uses different personality types on the mission field.

2. How poor will I have to be as a missionary?

TEAM requires all missionaries to raise what we call a ‘living allowance,’” Linda explains. “This is a sum that is generally based on the average US teacher’s salary. TEAM also offers a retirement fund for Long Term missionaries to invest in as well as medical coverage.”

Anna Price, TEAM’s Director of Mobilization gives great insight on this issue as well. “Some missionaries feel called to marketplace ministry, taking a paying job overseas and being a light to coworkers,” she notes. “Either way, you may struggle with the idea that advancing your career looks entirely different as a missionary in comparison to the American dream. As God makes His call to global work clear in your life, talk to Him about your desires and expectations in this area, and be prepared for your lifestyle and career to look different than you thought it would.”

Read more about finances and raising support .

3. Will I have time for hobbies?

TEAM Mission Coaches assure potential missionaries that not only is leisure time accounted for on the mission field, but hobbies are an important part of missionary life. “Each missionary has a weekly day off,” says Linda. “Missionaries are encouraged to connect with their community and to find ways to relax and enjoy others.”

Further, hobbies can also open up new opportunities for ministry. TEAM’s Steve Dresselhaus ( Mexico ) is a great example. His current ministry was born out of his love for kayaking .

To hear from more missionaries about how God has used their hobbies, read here .

4. How will I get around? (Will I get a car? A motorcycle? Can I bring my bike?)

Transportation options are in large part determined by where you go. Many missionaries have cars, bikes, or motorcycles, and some use public transportation. Another consideration is the laws for driver’s licenses in the country where you serve – some will require you to obtain a license from that country while others will allow you to drive on your US driver’s license.

Joshua Kuhns, a TEAM Mission Coach who served in Southeast Asia, is an avid cyclist. He shares that he was able to bring 2 bikes with him to the mission field. “Cycling continued to be an integral part of my life and ministry there in South Asia in much the same way it had been for me in the US.”

Regardless of where you serve, your ministry supervisor will help you figure out the best transportation options.


5. Can missionaries get tattoos?

The short answer according to Linda is “Yes.” TEAM has no policy against tattoos, but it is important to know how tattoos, piercings, etc. may be perceived by the culture you serve in. For some regions, tattoos might create barriers to ministry, while for others, they might open doors for conversation and connections.

Read more here from missionaries on both sides of this topic.

6. How often can I go back home?

This will likely depend on your ministry area. In most cases TEAM missionaries get what’s called a “home assignment” every 2-4 years. There are also sometimes trips home for special circumstances like illness/medical needs or a family emergency. This is typically decided by your ministry supervisor.

Joshua notes, “There are lots of experiences and studies that show it is pretty important for reasons related to culture adjustment and community with the host culture, to not travel back home more than once per year. The timing of all travel, whether leisure or work-related, needs to be communicated with one’s supervisor in advance as much as possible.”

7. How do missionaries date and find spouses?

“Great question! How do you find them here?” laughs Linda. Like every good love story, the circumstances for dating and courtship will be unique for each missionary, and guidance is provided by the ministry supervisor.

“Many single workers wrestle with their call to missions and their desire for a spouse,” shares Anna. “TEAM encourages you to talk to God and your church community to give you peace about what may be a sacrifice in this area. Nancy Sturrock, a TEAM retired missionary once shared, ‘I need to be single with my whole heart and go about what He’s given me to do today.’”

8. Can I learn the language from an app?

“Language is essential, so TEAM puts a high priority on learning the language of the people you are going to serve,” says Linda. To that end, most missionaries attend a language school in the country where they will serve. Others have language tutors. Apps like Duo Lingo and others like it may be a good way to supplement a more comprehensive language study, or just to practice, but they shouldn’t be the main source of language learning.

Joshua warns that apps often fail to distinguish between a more formal way of speaking and everyday usage or slang. “You also miss out on learning the culture of the person you are learning from as you are engaging with technology versus building a relationship with a native speaker,” he adds. “Rarely would learning via even the best-constructed app program compare to learning from a native speaker in the native environment.”

9. Can I bring my dog?

Your best furry friend may be jumping in your suitcase, ready to travel the world with you! But it will depend on your ministry area and the details of your service as to whether he’ll be able to tag along. “It is dependent on the country, the ministry, and the recommendation of the ministry area leaders,” says TEAM Mission Coach, Trudy Kutz.

Trudy also cautions that it is important to remember that the time constraints and demands of learning a new language and culture at the beginning of an assignment may make it unwise to have a pet during the initial stages of your ministry.

10. Is there a place for “regular” Christians without special training?

Many potential missionaries wonder if they have the right qualifications for missions . The reality is that the mission field is filled with ordinary people doing extraordinary things for God’s Kingdom! But that doesn’t mean that you can jump on a plane tomorrow and be ready for effective ministry. TEAM mobilizes people with a heart to reach the world for Christ and then prepares and equips them to do just that!

Linda says it best: “TEAM will make it very clear what the requirements are and then help you meet them! We train all new missionaries before departure and then there will be further training in the ministry area.”


Deciding to answer the call to missions is a very big decision and it’s important to know the challenges and opportunities that may lie ahead. Talk to a TEAM Mission Coach today to have ALL your questions answered! (Mr. Johnson will be very proud of you for asking.)

By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. Q: What do you love most about being a part of TEAM? Why TEAM rather than other organizations or job opportunities? A: The TEAM community is full of people who have faithfully served God’s mission and have given up a lot to do so. It is a privilege to know many of our global workers and be counted among them. I am also fascinated by the fact that TEAM has existed now for more than 130 years! There is something to be said about the resilience and faithfulness of an organization that has continued to impact the world for so long. The rest of our conversation with Justin will be coming soon on blog! We’ll hear more about how God called Justin to the role of International Director, and what Justin sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church.
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