My experience within the SBC has been quite different from yours, I’m happy to report. I always felt like we could have done a better job of bringing missionaries and churches together, but I never remember feeling that they were a special category. One of your observations, though, I would wholeheartedly concur: that a missionary candidate would need to go through four years of college and at least 3 years of seminary. That’s ridiculous and probably puts a lot of people off. Other than that, I felt that anyone, even I, could go for it if we really wanted to.

I would be so happy to see churches rethink the “summer missions team” concept: to get away from the “vacation with a twist” or the “let’s go impress another culture with our talents” approach. A more humble approach that says, “I’m here to learn a new culture and see what God has to say to me” would be quite refreshing indeed!!

Blessings on your venture of faith, brother! Perhaps we could meet up sometime and share our stories.

1. You mention that the SBC has historically been good at educating about missions. I grew up in the SBC. Part of the reason I failed to follow my call to missions was because the “education” I received about missions portrayed quite a small box of what a missionary was. A missionary was someone who didn’t really fit in America and who went to seminary for years prior to going and being a preacher in another culture, often the hardest, darkest place on earth. There seemed to be little use for “regular” people in missions. I’ve since learned that God can use all His children (and in fact has plans for all His children) for His mission. And, after years of pulling a Jonah stunt have finally landed in missions with my wife and 3 children. It took an SBC IMB Trustee telling me about YWAM, however, to help lead the way, not the SBC’s missions education.

2. It appears to be an uphill battle to help people realize that they can take more time, but it is definitely something to pray for the Body of Christ about. I have so many friends who think only in terms of a vacation – when they don’t realize that leaving their “lives” for 6 months or longer really wouldn’t wreck them.

3. I’m grateful that Guy Muse pointed out your blog. I’m in Nuneaton, Warks., England as a YWAMer at The King’s Lodge, and would love to know more about your ministry and needs.