The Lay of the Land

“You’re just a young squirt!”

It wasn’t the response I expected when I mentioned celebrating my 60th birthday in a casual conversation. But age is a matter of perspective, and I was talking to a woman in her 90s. People are living longer and healthier lives than ever before, and it may soon become more commonplace to think of 60-year-olds as “young squirts.”

It sounds strange now, but life expectancy in 1776 averaged about 38 years.¹ George Washington considered himself an old man at the age of 53.² Despite some recent fluctuations, life expectancy now approaches 77 years in the U.S., 80 in the U.K., 83 in Australia, and 84 in South Korea.³ I suspect that Christ-followers, due to lifestyle choices and social factors, may live longer than the general population. If God gives you “discretionary years” later in life, when you have fewer work and family responsibilities, how will you steward them? Are you, like Betty, open to a new adventure with God? I invite you to consider investing your next five, 10, or even 20 years, should the Lord bless you with the time, in cross-cultural missions.

The Invitation of Missions

God’s people have been working for 2,000 years to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). We have made tremendous progress. The global Church is now growing faster, both in terms of numbers and diversity, than at any other point in history. Still, much work remains to be done. Eighty percent of people who do not know Jesus as their Savior also do not know a Christian who could tell them about Him.⁴

Hundreds of millions of unbelievers could not go to church or read the Bible, even if they wanted to, because churches and Bibles aren’t readily accessible.⁵ That’s the core of global missions: Christians intentionally crossing language and cultural barriers to explain the gospel to people who have little opportunity to hear about Jesus.

“I don’t think God’s command had an age limit. I don’t see where it says, ‘Go into the world if you’re under 50.’”
Charlotte, at age 58, preparing to serve in Southern Europe

Missionary sending organizations typically focus on recruiting young people who haven’t yet settled into careers and can potentially serve for decades. We describe them as “the future of missions.” For the record, I wholeheartedly support efforts to engage college students and young adults in Great Commission work. But is the Great Commission only for the young?

The global population is aging. For example, the 2020 U.S. census estimated that 100 million Americans were over the age of 55. That’s an astonishing 25% increase since 2010 and projected to keep rising as Baby Boomers flood into the retirement demographic. What if many of God’s answers to Jesus’ prayer for more harvest laborers (Matthew 9:35-38) are among the millions of mid-life and retirement-age Christians?

Rethinking Retirement Dreams

I live in Florida, where many people come to fulfill their retirement dreams of endless sunshine and leisure. Almost 5 million Floridians, more than a fifth of the state’s population, are over the age of 65.⁶ And while few people actually achieve a care-free retirement, Western culture insists we deserve one as a reward for a lifetime of hard work. No doubt there is some truth to that, but for people used to productivity, the allure of a permanent vacation often wears off after a few months. The typical anecdote usually involves an annoyed wife desperate to get her cranky husband out of the house. Boredom and lack of purpose are a real problem for a lot of people who step away from busy lives. From executives missing the adrenaline rush of high-stakes business deals to professors pining for an audience, not everyone finds the kind of retirement they envisioned to be fulfilling. Purpose and productivity are hardwired into us, no matter our phase of life.

“I hesitated at first because I kept thinking, ‘Lord, I wanted to go when I was in my 20s and it sounded exciting. Now I’m quite satisfied with my life, and I’m really comfortable.’ And the Lord was like, ‘That’s the thing—the comfortable part.’”
­Denise, at age 56, serving in Southeast Asia for six years and counting

While the aging process is as old as the Garden of Eden, the idea of retirement as a work-free stage of life is relatively recent. For most of history, people worked as long as they physically could as a matter of survival. The Industrial Revolution changed the employment landscape. In the 1880s, Germany’s Otto Von Bismarck is credited with introducing the world’s first government-sponsored pension system for workers over 70.⁷ Labor unions, urbanization, and rising life expectancies in prosperous times reinforced the idea. Retirement gradually became a Western ideal and an integral part of the American Dream.

I’m not suggesting retirement is bad. There is something legitimately attractive about an extended season in which we have the freedom to set priorities on our own terms. It’s an amazing privilege. I am suggesting that these societal developments offer us opportunities for thoughtful, biblical stewardship over a significant segment of life, including our most precious assets—our time, skills, relationships, and resources. It’s a season to reorient ourselves for renewed focus on eternally strategic priorities.

If you’re already retired or counting down the days, you may have opportunities to be more intentional and global minded. And if retirement feels unlikely or still a long way off, this invitation is for you, too. Maybe you’ve entered an in-between stage, with an established career and no young children at home anymore. You might think you’ve already aged out of global missions, but I doubt that’s true. On the other hand, there’s no need to wait for total financial independence or gray hair before getting involved.

Moses’s Multiple Careers

Every stage of life is meaningful and God-glorifying as we walk with Him, but He often has a particularly fruitful season waiting for us at a later part of the journey. It’s like rounding a curve on an unfamiliar road and suddenly encountering a vista you didn’t expect.

Moses provides a great example. He spent 80 years unknowingly preparing to lead the nation of Israel. The first 40 years, he was raised in the Egyptian court, learning about leadership, literature, and government (Acts 7:20-23). Moses may have been one of the most educated people in the world at the time, which would have come in handy when writing the Pentateuch. And then God provided Moses with 40 years of desert training as a fugitive shepherd in Midian (Acts 7:30). He learned to find water, start fires, keep livestock, and navigate the desert. What must have seemed like two totally disconnected chapters of Moses’s life collided when God announced, “I have an assignment for you: Go back to Pharoah and deliver my people from slavery.”

The encounter at the burning bush overwhelmed and disoriented Moses (Exodus 3-4). God had never spoken to him in such a vivid way before. The command to return to Egypt, confront Pharoah, and demand the emancipation of his labor force (who didn’t necessarily accept Moses as one of their own) must have sounded dangerous and futile. Moses didn’t feel qualified for the assignment, and he certainly wasn’t excited about it. Not all Christians today are excited about pursuing a challenging new career in missions either, especially later in life. God reassured Moses with signs, provided a helper in his brother Aaron, and sent him off. He might do something similar for you.

Moses’s time in Midian had its own value (he got married and had kids, for example), but his main kingdom contribution came late in life. Everything leading up to his confrontation with Pharoah had been preparation. He still had a lot to learn, but God used him far beyond his wildest dreams or desires.

Age as an Asset

Moses wasn’t unique in being used by God for a special purpose in his later years. Abraham was 75 years old when he set out for the land God promised to give him (Genesis 12:1-4). We don’t know how old Nehemiah was when he took on the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, but he had already established himself in a respected and lucrative career. In fact, Nehemiah had risen about as high as he could go as the trusted cupbearer to King Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 1:11). He needed that prestige, relationship network, and administrative experience to accomplish the next task God had for him. He knew how to approach the king, what letters he would need for supplies, and how to handle diplomatic complications. Other biblical examples include Noah, Caleb, Daniel, Zechariah, Simeon, and many others.

Our culture tells us we’re becoming less and less relevant as we age. In a missions context, you might hear that you can’t learn a language anymore or don’t understand technology. You might be accused of being stuck in your ways or too opinionated. There’s probably some truth to those assertions. Older people can be opinionated and out-of-date. But consider the amount of change we’ve navigated, going from corded phones to AI-enabled smartphones. We can keep learning and adapting. Grumpiness is not inevitable. Flexibility is a renewable resource.

The Bible gives no indication that at a certain age, we stop being useful to God. According to Scripture, long life brings wisdom. If you have reached or are approaching retirement age, your relationship with God may have weathered many storms. Gifts like experience and perspective come with gray hair. The Bible exhorts us to encourage and mentor the members of our churches (Titus 2:1-5). We can help protect younger generations from our mistakes. And in a lot of ways, we have more flexibility in retirement than we do in our youth, since we’re not as tied to office jobs or school schedules. And it helps if you don’t feel you have to prove yourself anymore. You’re there to serve, available for whatever role God provides.

“I never dreamed I would have such an exciting life at this stage.”
Anita, at age 79, serving in Southeast Asia for 10 years and counting

Many cultures value age far more than we do in the West. As a missionary who first moved overseas at age 69 puts it, “Asia likes old ladies and white hair.” A couple who started working in a refugee community in the U.S. in their late 50s noted, “In our Muslim people group, we are highly respected because of these gray hairs we’ve earned. There’s not a door that won’t open to us and we are welcomed right in.”

Key question: How might your retirement dreams change if you embraced your later years as a ministry asset and a stewardship rather than a liability?

A Warm Welcome

It’s not only retirees themselves who report their usefulness on the mission field. Their teammates and leaders agree. I asked missionaries for feedback on the idea of intentionally mobilizing people over the age of 55. While some brought up legitimate concerns (which we will address in coming chapters), every one of the dozens of responses was positive overall. So don’t worry, it’s not just agency leaders who want you to consider a new career in missions. Our missionaries are asking us to send them more experienced teammates.

Here’s an example of how many missionaries feel about older people joining their teams, from an experienced leader in Europe:

Whether mid-life or post retirement, people often self-select themselves out of mission service because they don’t fit some perceived demographic of the people God calls. They may think they lack the right skills for mission work, they aren’t at the right stage of life, or they encounter other obstacles. The Lord’s persistence and creativity can overcome all of those barriers, and many retirees are a great benefit to teams on the field. We’d do well to help them re-imagine what they might contribute to God’s kingdom work.

One of the most succinct expressions of enthusiasm came from a team leader in Central Asia: “Honestly, my team needs some age.” A leader in South Asia also recognized the value of life experience and job skills: “I would highly value workers and teammates with more life and work experience, and a retiree comes with a lifetime of knowledge and experience! It’s an untapped and undervalued segment of the population.”

“Having skills and maturity on the field could be a stabilizer for any team.”
A team leader in Central Asia

For some missionaries, older co-workers aren’t just a good idea; they’re a vital part of their personal story. Another leader in South Asia wrote:

I’m on the field today because of two couples who came and served for 5-10 years at the 55-plus stage. They couldn’t speak the local language well and needed frequent breaks, but they poured all their wisdom and grace into a newbie during a rough first term. I’m still here 13 years later because of it.

A team leader in East Asia expressed a need for experienced people, not only for the stability of the team, but also for outreach:

Older missionaries can effectively reach older people, who make up a large part of the population. Our retired teammates have joined an over-60 ground golf club, a volleyball team, cooking classes, and music groups. Team members in their 30s wouldn’t be able to participate, so it’s been a real blessing to have access to those activities and people. We love being part of a multigenerational team.

In the Middle East, a missionary explained the practical advantages of team members coming later in life:

In my part of the world, they really look up to high-status people. If you’re a successful businessperson or high-ranking in your field, people will really respect you. You’ll have a voice in the community, and you’ll have access to people I don’t have access to because I’m considered low status. A lot of retirees already have the financial means, and so they don’t have to raise support or don’t have to raise as much support. Their kids are grown, so they’re free as a couple or as a single. In many ways, it’s easier to get out onto the field if you have those things. And you can make a big impact.

You may be unusual if you choose missions as your next career, but you’re certainly welcome on many missionary teams across the world. So, view retirement biblically with lifted eyes. Start dreaming. If the corporate world doesn’t need you anymore, that’s okay. You’re needed just about anywhere on the globe you can think of, and in many places you probably wouldn’t think of. Your time left on earth is valuable. Don’t squander it. God’s harvest fields are ripe and there is no mandatory retirement age for harvesters. It’s a matter of finding your fit and stepping out in faith.

Key question: What did you find most interesting or surprising about the responses of missionaries to the idea of older people joining their teams?  

Same Song, Different Verse

Does the idea of becoming a missionary at this point in your life sound completely random? I admit, setting out on an adventure of this magnitude in your 50s, 60s, or 70s isn’t common. But it isn’t really new. At Pioneers, the sending agency I lead, we’ve always welcomed people of all ages. Our founders started the organization in their late 40s after a successful business career. When I began collecting examples on this topic, dozens of people immediately volunteered their stories. This book includes only a sampling. The new development for us as an organization is a deliberate emphasis on recruiting people who have already established a career, raised their children, and even formally retired. We’ve done it before, but now we’re doing it on purpose, at scale.

“I feel like in the Western world, missions has been on a decline. Maybe the older people need to be an example for the younger people.”
Charlotte, at age 58, preparing to serve in Southern Europe

Another aspect of the new-but-not-really dynamic is that, if all goes well, missionaries who start out young stay to grow old. Early in my time with Pioneers, our average age for a missionary was 27. Now it is 45, which means we have hundreds of people in their 50s, 60s, and beyond. If you decide to join us, you might not meet many other people in your orientation program or language school who have gray hair and opinions about blood pressure medicine, but once you connect with a team and ministry, you’ll soon find yourself in good company. Many missionaries will show you photos of their grandchildren at any and every opportunity.

If you’ve walked with the Lord for many years, presumably ministry isn’t all new, either. You’ve probably shared the gospel, facilitated small group Bible studies, taught Sunday School, or encouraged friends in their relationship with the Lord. Much of missionary life consists of activities just like that. Giving your testimony in a new language is different, but the story of what the Lord has done for you remains the same. Your small group might be divided by gender, sitting on the floor in a tent, but you’ll still pray for and encourage one another. The children you encounter might speak four languages and read from right to left, but the Bible stories won’t change. And your friends might have unfamiliar names, outfits, and perspectives, but the God you point them to will still be the same.

“That’s part of having 62 years behind me—I’ve failed a lot of times and I’ve succeeded a lot of times, and those experiences are all lessons on what hurts and what works.”
Thomas, at age 62, preparing to serve in Sub-Saharan Africa

Key questions: What are some of your favorite ministry memories? Can you imagine doing something similar in a new culture and location?

More Possible Than Ever

Although the idea of becoming a missionary over age 55 isn’t really new, it has become newly possible for a lot of people. We can travel in a wider variety of settings for more years than previous generations. Westerners are also wealthier than generations past in key ways, and costs have dropped. It often feels, with inflation, like life gets more and more expensive, but a lot more of us can afford to fly across the country or around the world on occasion than a few decades ago.

The environment for missions is also much more broadly accommodating of members of the body of Christ than it used to be. For example, you don’t necessarily have to sell off all your possessions and move away for years at a time. Trips home are faster, easier, and cheaper than ever before. My parents spent weeks on a ship traveling to their place of ministry. Today, I can fly to the same island in 48 hours. You also don’t have to learn advanced linguistics and decipher an unwritten language. Schools, dictionaries, and translation apps make communicating in many of the world’s languages, at least at a basic level, relatively easy. Many countries now welcome visitors from the West with advantageous exchange rates, retirement visas, and inexpensive healthcare. None of that makes missions easy at any age, but it does make it possible for a lot more of us.

The growing accessibility of missions to a broad swath of the Christian community sometimes generates skepticism. Will the quality of ministry suffer if we start sending all kinds of people as missionaries rather than just seminary-educated “professional Christians?” Clearly, we need trained and skilled missiologists, ethnographers, theologians, and linguists to tackle challenges and guide the Church in effective ministry. At the same time, I believe we need a lot of laborers for the harvest, and not all of them need to be expert “agriculturalists.”

Normal, everyday Christians now have opportunities to participate in ministry in ways that used to be possible for only a few. If you are a normal, everyday Christian, welcome to the wild and wonderful world of global missions! God has promised to redeem people from every culture and place. If you follow Him, you’re invited to be part of that grand adventure. Are you ready to join Him, along with Moses, Betty, and many other faithful, bold, and silver-haired saints?

“We sit in churches. We go to Bible studies. And yet we say, ‘I’m not ready to share the gospel.’ We’re the most educated Christians on the planet. Just do it.”
Miriam, at age 63, serving Afghan refugees in North America for four years and counting