Ask a Missionary - Catch The Fire

Q:
Should I go with my denomination,
which provides a salary, or with a
nondenominational agency and raise my
support?
A: Consider the advantages of both.
Before joining your denomination’s missionary force, ask
yourself these preliminary questions: Am I happy with the work my
denomination is doing? Am I happy with their policies and their history?
Is my denomination serving in areas or geographical situations
where God is leading me?
If your answers to the questions above are positive, then consider
the following advantages of being sent as a missionary under
your denominational board:
• You’re familiar with their theology, traditions, and
methods.
• You may not have to raise support, since denominations
usually have a mission budget, so if they accept you, they
will support you.
• You have a ready-made support system in the churches
that make up the denomination.
• You’ll feel more a part of your home church.
• You’ll have an influence in your denomination as the years
go by.
You may, however, be unhappy with your denomination’s mission
work, policies, or history. Or your denomination may not work in
the area where God is leading you, yet you feel led to serve God as
a missionary. Then you might want to explore a nondenominational
agency. However, don’t leap too quickly. Take time to explore.
When we were ready to go abroad, we were not happy with
the theological orientation of our denomination, even though I had
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