Key missiological concepts illustrated by the lives of missionaries
TL;DR: Missionaries such as Mary Slessor, William Carey, Francis of Assisi, Susan Fitkin, and Steve Saint illustrate identification, holistic ministry, indigenization, empowerment, and humility. Their lives show that effective cross-cultural ministry requires cultural sensitivity, respect, resilience, authenticity, relationship-building, and perseverance. A FAILURE acrostic highlights harmful attitudes and practices, including arrogance, ethnocentrism, and rejection of local leadership.
Newly translated Bible in the Jahut language of Malaysia | Image source
How should we handle cultural, ethical, and power-related issues such as colonialism, paternalism, dependency, and respect for indigenous leaders?
What is missionary work, and what does it involve?
What are the best roles missionaries can play in the expansion of the Kingdom of God?
What have missionaries done to make a lasting impact?
What can we learn from the missionaries of the past?
Missionary Biographies and Lessons — Doing World Missions Well
A series of biographical sketches published in Engage, an online missions magazine
How did missionaries in the past contribute to the spread of Christianity?
What do the British missionaries Mary Slessor and William Carey have in common with Francis of Assisi, an Italian; Susan Fitkin, a Canadian; and Steve Saint, an American? What each one did during years of service to the cause of world evangelism illustrates important concepts in missiology.
These essays offer examples of missionary heroes. That does not mean these missionaries were perfect. It does mean that God used them in extraordinary ways and that they can serve as models for us. They helped spread Christianity through how they lived and how they treated the people among whom they ministered.
Need sermon illustrations about missions? Use some of these stories!
Missionary Examples
Mary Slessor and "identification" — It was said of this redheaded British lady who went in the 1800s to what is now Nigeria that she was "more African than the Africans."
Boniface and power encounters — When he escaped unscathed from cutting down a sacred oak tree in what is now Germany, Boniface demonstrated that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is more powerful than any other spiritual force.
Paul Orjala and "indigenization" — By empowering Haitians to lead churches and other ministries in Haiti, Paul Orjala set the course for an energetic and fruitful church-planting movement.
William Carey's holistic ministry — By insisting that our mandate is to minister to the whole person, Carey followed the example of Jesus' earthly ministry.
Francis of Assisi and ministering incarnationally — At a time when those who called themselves Christian were sending armies to wipe out the "infidels," Francis went to see a Muslim leader and talked of the life and message of Jesus Christ.
Foresight: Harmon and Lula Schmelzenbach — Harmon's vision of what could be in southern Africa went far beyond what he himself was actually doing.
Humility: Gladys Aylward — Rejected by a mission board, Gladys Aylward went to Asia anyway and found work to support herself so she could fulfill her missionary call.
Dedication: Ansgar (or Anskar) — During thirty years of ministry in Scandinavia, Ansgar saw no evidence of lasting fruit. Still, he felt that was where God had called him, so he ministered faithfully.
Missions mobilization: Susan Norris Fitkin — Though illness kept her from becoming a foreign missionary—a "go-er"—Susan Fitkin poured her energy into serving as a sender and mobilizer who promoted world evangelism, drummed up enthusiasm, painted a vision, and raised money.
Empowerment: Steve Saint — Steve Saint insisted that the Waorani people, some of whom had taken his father's life and later became Christians, must determine their own future rather than simply receive whatever foreigners decided to provide.
Strategic Action: William Cameron Townsend — Townsend realized that the absence of the Bible in a people group's mother tongue severely limited evangelism and discipleship among that group.
Pioneering: Earl and Gladys Mosteller — Missionaries are not duplicate copies of each other. Earl and Gladys Mosteller had the gift of pioneering new works.
Lessons to be Learned from the Past
What characteristics of cross-cultural missionaries of past centuries would we do well to
emulate? Here are seven items:
Cultural Sensitivity
Respect for Human Dignity
Adaptability and Resilience
Moral Integrity and Authenticity
Humility
Relationship-Building
Patience and Perseverance
Acrostic: What Leads to Failure in Cross-Cultural Ministry?
F – Failure to learn and embrace local traditions A – Arrogance that rejects the path of servanthood I – Ignoring the need for a holistic approach to the people being served L – Lack of genuine relationships or long-term commitment U – Underestimating the complexity of local religions and beliefs R – Rejection of local leadership and indigenous expressions of faith in Christ E – Ethnocentrism, which sees other cultures as inferior or at least more corrupt and immoral than one's own
Other Missionaries from Europe and the USA Who Inspire Us
Twenty more heroes and heroines of the Christian missionary movement:
David Livingstone: A Scottish missionary and explorer in Africa, his work helped open up the continent to Christianity.
C. T. Studd: British missionary and one of the Cambridge Seven, a group of Cambridge University students who became missionaries. Studd served in China, India, and Africa, and founded the Worldwide Evangelization Crusade (now WEC International).
Adoniram Judson: One of the first American missionaries. He served in Burma (now Myanmar), where he made valuable contributions to Bible
translation and evangelism.
Hudson Taylor: Founded the China Inland Mission and was instrumental in the spread of Christianity in China.
Helen Roseveare: A British medical missionary who served in the Congo for many years. She established hospitals and medical training centers. She was also known for her writings and speaking on missions.
Jonathan Goforth: A Canadian Presbyterian missionary to China, he was a key figure in spiritual awakening movements in Manchuria. He was also influential in early-20th-century Christian missions in China.
David Brainerd: Although his missionary work was short-lived due to his untimely death, Brainerd's ministry efforts among Native Americans and his posthumously published diaries inspired many future missionaries.
Lottie Moon: A Southern Baptist missionary to China whose service helped shape Southern Baptist world missions.
Amy Carmichael: An Irish missionary in India who founded the Dohnavur Fellowship that ministered to children and women.
Jim Elliot: An American missionary who was killed while trying to evangelize the Waorani people of Ecuador. The name is also spelled "Huaorani," reflecting a different way of representing the sounds of the people's language in English. His story inspired many people to become missionaries. His wife, Elisabeth, continued his work after his death, focusing on ministering to the Waorani and sharing their story with the world.
Eric Liddell: A Scottish Olympic athlete and missionary to China, his story of faith was popularized in the film Chariots of Fire.
Henry Martyn: An Anglican missionary and translator in India and Persia. He translated the New Testament into several languages.
John G. Paton: A Scottish missionary to the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) in the South Pacific. His efforts led to the conversion of many islanders. His autobiography has inspired generations of missionaries.
Samuel Zwemer: Known as the "Apostle to Islam," he was a pioneering American missionary to the Muslim world. He founded the Arabian Mission and promoted Christian-Muslim dialogue and evangelism.
Betty Greene, one of the founders of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), was a pilot who used her skills to support mission work and relief efforts in remote areas by transporting missionaries and medical supplies.
"Brother Andrew" van der Bijl: Also known as "God's Smuggler," this Dutch missionary smuggled Bibles into communist countries during the Cold
War and founded Open Doors, an organization supporting persecuted Christians.
Ida Scudder: An American medical missionary in India who founded the Christian Medical College & Hospital in Vellore. She was a pioneering female doctor who greatly advanced medical care and education for women in India.
Paul Carlson: An American medical missionary in the Congo who was martyred during the Simba Rebellion. His life and death brought attention to the humanitarian needs in the Congo and inspired many to continue medical missionary work.
Florence Young: A New Zealand missionary who founded the Queensland Kanaka Mission and the South Sea Evangelical Mission. She worked primarily among laborers from the Solomon Islands and other Pacific nations, focusing on their spiritual and social welfare.
Isobel Kuhn: An American missionary and author who, together with her husband John Kuhn, served with the China Inland Mission among the Lisu people of China and Thailand. Her writings have inspired many to pursue missions.
