Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Why Missionaries Fail Part 4

Since neither missionaries nor mission boards know what they're dong, unqualified people are routinely sent to the mission field. What missionaries often don't realize is that God works in certain ways, at certain times, in certain places.
Here in Mexico, I have asked missionaries to teach a children's Bible lesson for me, as I cannot learn Spanish. One missionary, who did an outstanding job, complied one time. Others have told me that God didn't call them to work with children. So those missionaries go home empty-handed, while people who are teaching children's classes are getting something done.
Children's ministries do not carry a lot of status. But if God is making a children's ministry successful, His servants will be blessed if they work in it.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Why Misionaries Fail Part 3

With no Scriptural authority to exist, mission boards usually contain some experienced missionaries who can spot potential failures before they get through. But since most missionaries fail, mission boards are not eliminating enough candidates.

One fellow here in Mexico has been driving a van for years, without pay, for an orphanage. He has accomplished far more than most missionaries in the area, but no mission board would accept a candidate whose only service is to drive a van. I'm a Baptist who drives a van on Sunday for a Pentecostal church, and on a typical week-end I'll bring more Mexicans to church than most missionaries ever will. But no mission board would ever accept me.

A retired doctor and nurse have started a successful Christian orphanage here, but with no experience in the ministry, they are here on their own. And my pastor came here after being rejected by a mission board, took a church running a dozen, and five years later is running over 100.

Mission boards must be doing something wrong, but what is it?