Your profession in the mission field

OM International

In this century where career-planning begins in middle school, children visit job discovery forums, have access to employment centres and to all sorts of internet sites presenting a variety of educational paths. A young man or woman will start thinking very early on about their future, trying to decide which profession will offer them the most options and security. A Christian asks the same questions and wonders as well what God wants for them. They want to know how to navigate a professional commitment without compromising their Christian commitment. How do you choose a profession that will allow you to be active in service, whether full-time or part-time, or choose training which makes you a more effective worker for God?
 

What does the Bible say?

I think we should first see what God’s Word says. Ever since the beginning, work has been part of God’s plan (Gen. 2:15). Sin’s intrusion modified the meaning of work: it went from being a joy to a burden. Even though work is not bad in itself, it has lost its true value (Gen. 3:16-18). If work becomes an end in itself, that is idolatry (Ecc. 2:4-11) and some people use work to exploit or oppress others (Ex. 1:1).

But by Christ’s redemption, work has been re-transformed into blessing. In the New Testament, idleness - even religiously-motivated idleness – is condemned (1Thess. 4:11). Jesus did the work of a carpenter (Mr. 6:3) thus sanctifying ordinary work. Paul set the example by working with his hands so that he would not be a burden for the church (Acts 18:3). However, he pleaded at the same time that God’s workers (full-time?) receive a fair compensation (1Ti. 5:17). Ordinary tasks are, for the Christian, service to God and should be accomplished in His honour (Col. 3:23) and for the good of others (Mt. 25:40). It’s interesting to note that, especially in the Old Testament, God calls people at work: David was a shepherd, Elisha was a farmer, Amos grew sycamore trees, etc.
 

What do we see today?

How do we apply these concepts in today’s world which seems so much more complicated than Bible times? There are social and administrative regulations, unemployment, the insecurity of the job market, worries about retirement funds… Working full-time in ministry is not that simple. But God hasn’t changed.

I believe that each person committed to the Lord has a task to accomplish for his Master, whether in the setting of his work or outside of this practical environment. God’s call which we read about in Matt. 28:20, Marc 16:15 and Actes 1:8 is clear:

* The call is universal.
* The call applies to all geographical locations.
* The call isn’t tied to a specific profession.

With such a mission before us, we should be asking ourselves this question: “What is God’s plan for my life?” or even “Do I really have a choice in my walk with God?”

It seems to me that in our Christian life, this call applies to everyone with the same intensity and with a single possible response: “What would you have me do, Lord?” I believe that only the type of work and destination vary. God calls his servants to work on roads, in offices and in the context of full-time ministry. Everything depends on the heart of the person in question. If the person feels called by God to do roadwork, they will be the best worker on the team, just like they would be in a full-time ministry.

Our relationship with the Lord is of the utmost importance in this vision of things. Recently, a twenty-year-old missionary intern, having just lived through the February upheaval in Chad within the organization which hosted the “103 children,” wrote how that very difficult time, amidst war and overwork, strengthened their faith. It reinforced their conviction and calling from the Lord for that location and ministry.
 

What training is needed?

One of God’s servants, a missionary aviation pilot, observed that the most effective missionaries were not necessarily those who had theological training, but rather those who had learned a trade and worked in it before entering a ministry (the ideal being professional training followed by theological training). I’m not convinced that any one trade is more helpful in preparing for ministry than another. Obviously, communications training prepares one to be a better ‘witness-communicator’ of the gospel. But practical studies and trades are also excellent preparation for ministry, particularly for overseas missions. Stuart Morton is one such example: trained as a nurse, then an OM team member, then an OM mechanic, and finally a mechanic for the organisation Auto-mission, a ministry which serves pastors and missionaries by repairing their vehicles.

I think the most important thing which goes beyond the choice of training or a profession is one’s willingness to obey the Lord. If our walk with God supersedes our petty ambitions, God can use us, no matter what our professional background.
 

A testimony

The biggest question for me in my youth was to know what God wanted me to do with my life. From a worldly perspective, the road seemed to have been laid out, but I wasn’t satisfied. Then one day, there was an opportunity to do a short internship for a mission in Africa, using the few abilities I had at the time. During that trip, God showed me what He wanted me to do, and forty years later, His calling is just as clear.

Our life was characterised by multiple accomplished tasks, many useful skills, several of which were learned on the field, changes in direction and home-comings due to war. But our vision stayed the same. Now in the ‘evening’ of life, we could ask ourselves if this long road was worth it, since those around us seemed to have lived lives which were so much easier, well-ordered, even humdrum. The answer is a resounding “yes,” as much for myself as for my wife who stood with me in the responsibilities of raising a family. Our training for such a life? Being ready to do anything for God. Difficult circumstances, a simple life-style, even precarious income should never stop us, as long as our faith in a powerful, living God remains firm.

Today, our unions rail against companies which lay off their older employees – people who are still young with much to contribute. I see this as a wonderful opportunity for active people with proven professional and life skills to be extremely useful in service to our Master. Whether in the context of their profession or in sharing their life experience, witnessing on the street or in other ministries, in the church, in evangelism or in mission, they have much to give.

Often we hear objections from people such as, “I don’t have the proper skills!”(However, no one knows what they are capable of when working with God!) ; or “I don’t want to start over again in a new direction.” But in spite of such thinking, when someone does venture out in a new direction, the resulting experiences for the person, his family and the ministry are almost always very positive.
 

In conclusion

I think the conclusion is simple. If we’re a Christian, if we love the Lord, and we’re ready to serve Him, to be useful in His service, and if God calls us from where we are, He will know how to use us and to make us useful for Him. If we are looking for training that will make us useful for His work, God will know how to lead us. But let’s not forget that the best of our life, our training and our ministry must be for God.

May God bless you.

Credit: OM International
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