Taking Stock

Who do you picture as the ideal missionary? A 25-year-old man with 15 years of ministry experience, a seminary degree, and an innate understanding of tonal languages? A 30-year-old woman who can simultaneously run an orphanage, eradicate malaria, and quote all four Gospels from memory? In reality, missionaries come in all shapes, sizes, ages, professions, and temperaments. While some characteristics like spiritual maturity and flexibility are always helpful, there is no missionary mold, ideal profile, or universal job description. I’ve met many excellent missionaries, but never yet a perfect one.

God calls most of us to be wholeheartedly engaged in His mission from our homeland (more on that later) and proportionally few to uproot their lives and move overseas. Much of this book focuses on those who do go for lengthier periods of time. That’s because the stakes are quite high when that level of disruption and sacrifice are involved, and because the need for such workers is so great. Long-term cross-cultural ministry isn’t for everyone, but don’t be too quick to assume it’s not for you. Don’t discount yourself just because you don’t match your own image of a good missionary. And if the term “missionary” carries unhelpful baggage, try substituting “cross-cultural witness” or “ambassador for the gospel.” The title isn’t that important, so don’t let semantics trip you up.

The world is a big place, and every ministry scenario you can imagine (and many you probably haven’t) exists somewhere. It’s a matter of finding the right fit without being overly idealistic. Global missions invariably includes surprises. You don’t have to have all the specifics figured out now—or ever—because the Lord will work it out. He can use simple, mundane factors to direct our steps as well as more dramatic spiritual indicators.

Hopefully, the stories in this book will help expand your image of effective missionaries enough to include yourself. This chapter isn’t intended to make you decide right now whether you’re going to become an international missionary, where you’ll go, or how you’ll serve. That will likely take some time, prayer, and the counsel of other people. This chapter is about taking stock of who you are, what skills and experiences the Lord has given you to steward, and where you might be able to invest a few (or many) years in ministry to the unreached.

“I had always seen missions as very defined outreach roles. On my first short-term trip, I saw mechanics, office workers, pilots—so many different roles. And I had fun. I was like, ‘Is that allowed?’ I grew up hearing all grunt and groan.”
Charlotte, at age 58, preparing to serve in Southern Europe

Key questions: In what ways do you match your image of a good missionary? In what ways do you not?

What Do You Want?

Does it sound strange to start by considering your desires? Some people expect that if they love a particular place, God will inevitably send them somewhere else. But I believe God created us to do good works He prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10), and our personalities and interests should be part of our discernment process. Not the entirety of the process, certainly, but an important part.

What attracts you about ministry or life in another culture? How might you contribute to global missions by doing what you enjoy? It could be a slightly altered version of your life and career now. Or it might be different from anything you’ve ever done. Now, don’t immediately buy a plane ticket to whatever beautiful place you pictured, but acknowledging your preferences can serve as a helpful first step and make the rest of the process feel less intimidating. Missionaries are allowed to like the places they serve and to enjoy ministry.

As we will explore later in this chapter, there are needs everywhere in the world. In a sense, cultures have personalities, and some of them may be a more natural fit for you than others. Some places and cultures are loud and colorful and brash and others more delicate and reserved. People groups emphasize different values, communicate in different ways, show joy through different types of celebrations and art forms, and respect different kinds of leadership. For some of us, a city where road markings are decorative and horn-blowing is conversational represents a chaotic nightmare. For others of us, it’s energizing, freeing, and endlessly entertaining. Don’t choose your future ministry location based solely on driving habits, but do pause to consider your personality and preferences. If you need someone’s permission to consider what you want, you have mine. And don’t worry, you will still encounter plenty of hardships, even if you go somewhere you expect to love.

Key question: Is there a part of the world where you would love to live and could make an impact for the gospel?

What Are Your Circumstances?

The circumstances of your current life will have a big impact on the possibilities for your next stage of life. Take stock of these general categories:

Family obligations: Who depends on you? What does your family need from you now and in the next few years? How are they likely to respond to the idea of you moving overseas, or to a different part of the country?
Spiritual maturity: How strong is your walk with the Lord? How involved are you at church? How well can you explain the Bible and the basics of the Christian faith?
Physical health: How healthy are you? How much energy do you have? What doctors, medications, or treatments do you need access to?
Emotional resilience: How good are you at managing change and handling stress? What situations make you anxious? How much do you feel a need to control your surroundings?
Finances: How much longer do you expect to work? What income sources do you have or anticipate in retirement? What ongoing financial obligations do you have?

It’s helpful to get outside input in these areas as well. A conversation with your pastor and some close friends might give you a fuller picture.

People often get involved in missions for the first time following a significant life change. For people in their 50s and 60s, that life change might be retirement or the loss of a spouse. After the initial transition, you may look for new opportunities. Or perhaps you’re realizing you have real financial freedom for the first time, and you want to make the most of it. Maybe your children or grandchildren don’t need you as much during this season. If you have flexibility and a sense of adventure, pay attention to what the Lord is doing in your life.

“It was really God saying, ‘You’re allowed to dream again. You’re allowed to take that passion you had in your heart, and just do it.’”
Laure, at age 61, serving international students in North America for two years and counting

Key question: What life circumstances affect your availability for global missions?

What’s Motivating You?

What’s driving your interest in missions? Maybe you’ve wanted to be involved since childhood. Or perhaps a message at church or a course like Perspectives on the World Christian Movement has opened your eyes to the needs of people who live in places where Jesus isn’t known. Maybe others encouraged you in this direction. In any case, why are you considering it now?

Most of us operate with a mixed bag of motives, some more noble and important than others. Our reasons may be theological—we want to see the lost saved, the Church established in new places, and God glorified by more people in more languages. We want to make our lives count for eternity in alignment with God’s purposes. Other motivations are more personal or practical—we love travel, we enjoy experiencing new cultures, or we’re eager for a new challenge. Some can be reactive—escaping a bad job or a painful relationship. And some reasons can even be ungodly—we desire more prestige, hope to earn favor with God through our sacrifices, or harbor a savior complex.

“I realized I could have an adventure and use English as my superpower.”
Anita, at age 79, serving in Southeast Asia for 10 years and counting

Be honest about what appeals to you about becoming a missionary, then consider whether you’re satisfied with that answer. Ask the Lord to reveal hidden motives and purify your heart. If you discover desires you want to change, join me in a regular prayer of mine, echoing Psalm 139:23-24: “Lord, take away any motives that are not from You and replace them with Yours.” That prayer serves as a motivational antiseptic over time.

Later-life decisions provide opportunities to recalibrate our priorities and activities in light of what’s eternally prudent. Toward the end of his life, my father-in-law (who founded Pioneers), had a frequent saying: “I want to finish well.” In fact, those were his last words before he went to heaven. As you anticipate a season of fewer demands and more options, how can you leverage your life for God’s eternal glory?

Key question: What does finishing well mean to you?

What’s Holding You Back?

I suspect many people miss out on global missions because they’ve simply never heard about it. International missions is not as prominent in as many American churches as it used to be. Our evangelical community focuses more and more on serving the disadvantaged in our own neighborhoods, sometimes to the exclusion of global needs. Many churches initiate an international project or short-term trip from time to time but no longer send career cross-cultural workers.

A second reason many people don’t pursue global missions later in life is because they have never been personally invited to participate. They haven’t encountered a “burning bush” or heard God speak to them through a person they respect. They may be well aware of the Great Commission, but it hasn’t occurred to them that they could play a first-hand role. Others have been invited but aren’t willing or available.

One reason people of any age don’t pursue missions is fear. We’ll unpack that in the next chapter when we consider the costs. Another possibility, which may be more common in an older age group, is an assumption that they’ve missed the window of opportunity. Perhaps they sensed a call to missions early in life, and then circumstances or disobedience carried them in another direction. They might look back and think, If only I had made better decisions when I was young. I missed my chance. There may be some truth to that, but it doesn’t mean the Lord can’t extend the same call again, like He did for Jonah (Jonah 3:1-2). If you regret not being more involved in the past, God may be offering you a new opportunity.

Whatever your story, you can trust God with all the twists and turns. Past experiences won’t be wasted, especially if you confess any disobedience to Him and yield to His Lordship for the road ahead. The important question now isn’t, What have I missed? but, What opportunities is He placing before me? If you are awakening to global missions later in life, be encouraged by the parable about the vineyard harvesters who joined at different times of the day (Matthew 20:1-16). They all received equal pay, which made the ones who had labored longer jealous. They were more interested in justice than grace. But their issue is their issue, and the parable is a rebuke. For the people who joined late, God’s mercy offers reassurance.

“Don’t put God in a box; don’t rule out how He might use you.”
Janet, at age 63, preparing to serve in the Middle East

Rather than living in the past, let’s ask ourselves, Has God prepared me for a new challenge at this stage of life? What could that be? Whether your time remaining on earth is two years or 20, you have an opportunity to plant significant seeds. You have time to impact people you’ve never met in places you can’t yet locate on a map. You might mentor a handful of people, or you might do something on a bigger scale, like start an organization. Whether the Lord gives you a few more months of service or many years, there’s no telling what the ripple effect might be.

It’s entirely possible that by this point in your self-evaluation, you’ve decided not to move to another country. That’s okay. You can still contribute to the Great Commission. The next questions are relevant to any believer, and in Chapter 4, we’ll explore some specific ways you can serve closer to home. Are you ready to dream? Willing to listen? Brave enough to explore?

Key questions: What is holding you back from wholehearted involvement? What do you need to process? Are you ready to move forward in confidence and faith, whether you go to the mission field or not?

How Has God Prepared You?

We’ve examined what you are naturally drawn to about global missions and what might motivate or hold you back. Now let’s take some time to consider how God has prepared you for future ministry. Do you have a “particular set of skills” to offer the global Church?

I suggest you start by evaluating your spiritual gifting. How has the Lord used you in the past? What kinds of ministry involvement have been fruitful? What have other people recognized in you? The longer you’ve walked with God, the more track record you have of how He used your obedience for His glory. How could you do more of the activities the Lord has already used to bless others through you? For example, if you have a gift of hospitality, you could expand your influence by running a guesthouse in a city where missionaries come to rest and debrief.

A second category to consider is your career and skills. The Lord used Betty’s training as a nurse to grant her access to a Central Asian valley where no foreigners live. Frank’s spreadsheet skills relieved a tired leader of conference logistics. What credentials do you have that could open doors? How can you bless a missionary team or the people they serve?

“A lot of times people come to Christ at a point of need. If you can relate to that need, at any age, you have something unique to offer.”
Charlotte, at age 58, preparing to serve in Southern Europe

Next, consider your life experience. What factors and events have shaped you? What has God helped you overcome? For example, if you raised a child with a learning difference, maybe you can support parents doing the same overseas. If you were adopted, perhaps your story has prepared you to love at-risk children in a unique way. God doesn’t waste our lives, not even if we think we might have. He is equally able to bless our work in areas of strength and skill and redeem areas of weakness or pain.

Key question: What skills and experiences has God entrusted to you that could benefit the global Body of Christ?

Where Are the Needs?

The world is full of physical and spiritual needs, most of which, realistically, you won’t be able to meet. We have to accept our limitations. But in that vast array of possibilities, there will be some tasks you’re well-equipped for. The challenge is identifying them. When I asked missionaries how they envision older adults contributing to their ministries, they responded with an abundance of ideas. Here are some common themes:

• Friendship evangelism
• Befriending and discipling new believers
• Teaching English as a second language
• Prayer ministry
• Logistics, finances, and administration
• Fundraising for sending agencies and field-based ministries
• Teaching missionary children, either homeschooling or at   international schools
• Administrators and dorm parents at boarding schools for missionary kids
• Medical work of all kinds
• Mobilizing more new missionaries
• Mentoring parents raising young children overseas
• Providing stability and a listening ear for new missionaries going through transition
• Hosting retreats and guesthouses
• Serving as helpers, advocates, and adopted grandparents for refugee families in Europe and North America
• Providing childcare and being surrogate grandparents for the children of missionaries

Do any of these examples resonate? If not, what’s missing?

As believers, we are meant to work together as a Body, and the Lord has given us diverse gifts to contribute. A task that feels overwhelming to one person might be someone else’s specialty. For example, Sam and Janet are headed to the Middle East with professional backgrounds in business. They don’t speak the language yet or know the culture. It would take a lot of time and effort before they could contribute to front-line church planting efforts among Arabs. So, instead, they plan to partner with a local ministry that enables dozens of Arab believers to share the gospel and disciple new Christians. Sam and Janet will help with infrastructure, change management, succession planning, and donor development—all areas where they are skilled and experienced. “We want to help them do what they do best,” Sam explains, “which is the church planting.”

Or picture a retired pastor who loves encouraging people in their walk with the Lord. Imagine what a blessing he would be at a retreat center in Mediterranean Europe, welcoming tired missionaries from the Middle East and North Africa to debrief and be encouraged from the Word. He could have a wonderful shepherding role.

What about a stay-at-home mom who now has grown-up children? I would love for many more grandparents like Frank and Lynn to serve on teams with children. Missionary kids raised cross-culturally have an increased risk of mental health challenges in adulthood. Having at least two supportive adults in their lives in addition to their parents can reduce that risk.⁸

Perhaps none of these examples fits you. Keep asking the Lord, and asking other people, how you might participate with excellence and with joy.

Key question: What kind of needs on ministry teams or in sending agencies can you envision meeting?

How Will You Decide?

One way to organize the world is in terms of where you’ve been and who you know. Many people start off in missions by joining a ministry their church already supports. That’s how Betty took her first trip to Central Asia. Or, like Frank and Lynn, you might decide to join a friend. I encourage you to work through your relationship contacts, but don’t limit yourself to familiar places and ministries. There are plenty more opportunities to explore. As you learn about the world and discern your place in it, here are some factors to consider and questions to ask:

Unreached people groups: All unbelievers need the gospel equally, but in certain places, it is far less accessible. The phrase “unreached people groups” (UPGs) describes cultures with so few followers of Jesus, people are unlikely to hear of Him without the help of an outsider. It would be difficult for them to find a church, a Bible in their language, or a person who can explain the gospel. Reaching UPGs requires extra effort and intentionality. That’s why many organizations focus their efforts here. Some of the largest concentrations of cultures with the least access to the gospel are in South Asia, the Caucasus, and along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert.

State of the Church: For several centuries, Europe and North America had the highest concentration of Christians and sent the most missionaries. In recent decades, the center of gravity of the Church has shifted dramatically to the east and south. More than two-thirds of the world’s Christians (defined broadly) now live in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.⁹ Many countries in these regions, often referred to as the Global South, have strong churches and a vision for reaching the rest of the world. They now send missionaries to Europe and North America. Wherever you consider serving, ask about the local church. Are there believers? Are they sending missionaries to other peoples? What roles are foreigners playing, and how might you contribute?

How the Lord is moving: God is always at work, but most of us only witness what’s happening in our immediate context. Ask potential missionary teams about how the Lord is moving. Some places truly feel like ripe fields where the workers are too few to keep up with the harvest. In other places, missionaries have prayed and sown gospel seeds for decades, but see little growth. Both contexts need more workers. It’s helpful to set your expectations based on current reality, with the continual hope of increased fruitfulness in the future.

How people are moving: We tend to expect people groups to live in a particular country (e.g., Swedes in Sweden). However, more people are on the move today than ever before. At the end of 2024, the UN estimated over 123 million people had been forcibly displaced from their homes by persecution and violence.¹⁰ Millions more relocate for education and job opportunities. New York City is home to native speakers of over 700 languages.¹¹ Some 3.5 million Indians live in the United Arab Emirates.¹² More than 4 million people in 101 countries are legally stateless, meaning they have no recognized nationality.¹³ As you learn about UPGs, research where they live both inside and outside their homeland. If you can’t go to them, some might have come your way.

Once you have the big picture context for a particular ministry, I suggest asking about a few categories that will impact your experience living there.

Access: Most countries require visitors to have a visa, meaning permission from the government to travel or live in the country for a specific reason. In some places, you can apply for a retirement visa, a major advantage of serving at an older age. Some countries offer visas specifically for missionaries or spiritual advisors. Sometimes, extended tourist or cultural visas are a good option. In other places, you’ll need a reason for relocating such as starting or working for a business. Depending on your background and ministry goals, some of those options will be a better fit than others.

Medical care: The older we are, the more likely we are to face significant health issues. High-quality (and affordable) medical care is available in more places now than ever before. If healthcare is a concern for you, ask prospective teams what resources are available locally and where they go when they need more specialized care. A location with limited medical options might be an easy flight away from a major hub like Nairobi, Dubai, Chiang Mai, or Singapore.

What makes it hard: As you talk with missionaries in a place you’re considering serving, ask what’s most challenging about their ministry. Is it the difficulty of the language? Persecution? Poor air quality? Political instability? Lack of spiritual fruit? What are the most common reasons for people to leave prematurely? Identifying the challenges specific to each location will be helpful as you plan.

What makes it fun: Don’t forget to ask what missionaries love about the place they serve! How do they refresh? What do they miss when they return to their home country? What makes it all worthwhile?

Who can help you expand your understanding of world missions? Does someone on your church staff or missions committee have a broad overview of the world? Could they introduce you to someone who does, or recommend a book? A missionary sending agency can also be a great resource. It’s not as awkward as it sounds to pick up the phone or send an email saying, “I’m 65 and just getting interested in missions. I’d like to use my accounting skills to support a church-planting ministry. I hate hot, humid weather and am allergic to shellfish. Can you use me?”

Key question: Who do you already know who might be able to help you learn more?

What Are You Retiring To?

The best and most exciting life we can live is one in which we surrender control to the ultimate Creative, the God who made and loves all the many peoples of the world. In a sense, we’re along for the ride. We’re connected to the Vine, and He promises that when we abide in Him, He will trim and prepare us to bear fruit for His glory (John 15:1-8). That applies whether you’ve known the Lord since you were young, or you found Him later in life.

Choosing a ministry location and role is quick and easy for some people and a lengthy process of discernment for others. The sending agency you join will probably connect you with a coach and a database to help you investigate your options. Be honest about your professional and ministry skills, spiritual gifting, life situation, finances, personality, family concerns, and health to avoid anyone wasting time trying to turn you into somebody you aren’t. There is no perfect ministry fit, but it’s helpful to be realistic about what you expect and hope for. You won’t turn into a different person when you arrive at your destination. You’ll still be you, just maybe with more colorful clothing or a newly developed taste for yak butter.

“This is exciting. It’s boring as well. Life is life wherever you live. But when you step back, you think, My goodness, what a privilege to go and serve God and see how He uses us.”
Ingrid, at age 57, serving in Western Europe for three years and counting

If you are planning for retirement, remember you are retiring to something as much as from something. It’s not wrong to enjoy playing golf, fishing, or spending more time on hobbies and grandkids. In fact, that’s great! But let’s stay Christ-centered, not self-centered. For Charlotte, who is preparing to serve in Southern Europe, the decision to pursue global missions eventually came down to a simple pros and cons list. She says,

The list against going came out way longer than the list for going. It was the worldly things: my house, my car, my doctors, my hairstylist, my stuff—all the things I’d worked for all these years. Really, the only item on the other side was, “Because God placed it in front of you.” When I looked at it that way, it would have been hard to not say yes to missions.

If you have been faithful to the Lord all your life, don’t stop now. If you haven’t, why not make a new start? The Church has been praying for 2,000 years for more workers for the harvest Jesus described as “plentiful” (Matthew 9:37). You might be one answer to that prayer.

Key question: What is God giving you a new opportunity to do?