Why Does God Use Missionaries?

Kate Hanson • Jun 14, 2018

My co-worker and I had everything set to start our mom’s club. The moms were eager, and we’d found a popular American Christian parenting book that’s available in both Chinese and English.

But as the weeks went on, I noticed something strange. We enjoyed good fellowship with the moms, but they all seemed to avoid talking about the content of the book — the very thing I’d hoped would lead to deeper spiritual conversation.

Finally, I got more pointed with my questions: “In this part, he’s talking about how important it is to cultivate an internal system of self-control in our children so that when the external forces dictating their behavior are gone, they still make good choices.”

Silence.

That’s when it dawned on me: This book was written from an American “guilt culture” perspective , in which cultural conformity is maintained through the individual’s internalization of the moral code. You do what’s right because it makes you feel good.

However, the women in our group are all from Taiwanese “honor/shame culture,” where conformity to cultural norms is maintained through external pressures. You do what’s right to avoid bringing shame on yourself or your family.

In short, it doesn’t matter if you translate the book into the Chinese language because the cultural perspectives don’t easily translate into Taiwanese culture.

Why Deal with Cultural Barriers?

More than once on the mission field, I’ve wondered, Why again does God use cross-cultural missionaries ? Wouldn’t it be simpler if God just used locals to draw people into His Kingdom? Why risk confusing the Good News of the Gospel with cultural or language barriers?

To get some insight into my question, I started asking fellow missionaries in all stages their careers this question: Why does God use missionaries?

Their answers have strongly reinforced that the Great Commission was not just directed at the first disciples as a way of inviting Gentiles into the Kingdom of God, but that missionaries are part of God’s great plan until He returns.

Here are some of the many beautiful answers these brave and obedient missionaries gave:

1. God is after the hearts of the missionaries themselves.

By calling us out of our comfort zone and into a place where we have to rely on His grace, not theoretically, not in times of crisis, but on a daily basis, we learn to trust Him in a way that may not be possible in our home culture.

2. It makes us shed our cultural perspective.

By calling Christians from different cultures together to read and respond to the Bible together, we are all forced to lower the lens of our cultural perspective and separate it from God’s unchanging truth.

This is a messy process, and this is why I think we have had some trouble. Just because our cultural perspective says something is right, that does not make it biblical truth. The Bible is relevant to all readers at all times regardless of their background.

3. We aren’t bound by the same things.

The missionary can go against cultural norms in a way locals can’t illuminate a contradiction to Scripture in the host culture. This is best done in one of two main ways.

In hierarchical and honor/shame contexts, missionaries can violate cultural norms by lowering themselves in status. Admitting faults, confessing sins and refusing to take advantage of pastoral roles can make for a powerful testimony.

As missionaries build relationships, they can also confront cultural norms with their friends. As locals understand your heart, they’ll realize you aren’t trying to attack their culture; you’re trying to help their people. And with that understanding, they may be willing to hear what you have to say.

4. It keeps the global Church from stagnating.

Global missionaries help to keep the fountain of the living water fresh and flowing, not only in the community they are going to, but also the communities they came from. One missionary described it as cross-pollination. It helps to keep the pool of believers both from the sending culture and the receiving culture from stagnating.

When we read Paul’s letter to the Philippians today, we are basically reading a letter he wrote to a supporting church. A missionary’s ministry extends across their network to bring all people closer to the glory of God.

5. It helps us get out of our ministry boxes.

When people have known you forever, they may design expectations for what you can or should do — expectations that don’t always line up with God’s call. Sometimes, it’s easier to step out of the box when those people aren’t around to push you back in. One missionary quoted Luke 4:24 : “‘Truly I tell you,’ he continued, ‘no prophet is accepted in his hometown.’”

6. Because God asks us to.

The words of the Great Commission are as true today as they were 2,000 years ago: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Do we need another reason?

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.
Share by: