Interesting thoughts...

These are just some interesting thoughts or questions that have come up in the past few days as I've read different blogs and just explored the internet and my mind...

1) I have met very few (foreign) m's in my life. Why is that? I've been involved in church my entire life, and I actually don't think we've had an m* come to my church... Why is that? What has happened in c'hurch culture that people aren't connected to m's?

2) I had to move overseas to meet m's. Some are independents and some are with an agency. There are benefits and challenges to both. In the end, it's up to each person. There is no right or wrong way to get onto the field.

3) There are less and less people on the field, and more and more are having funding issues. We should take a cue from David. In his last days on earth he gave all of his earthly possessions to be used in the building of house of the L'ord on Mount Moriah. Following his example, the people also gave freely of their possessions. Why don't we do that? Why are we so selfish? As David says, everything we have comes from G'od, so why don't we give it back to Him? It's never really ours to begin with.

4) In general, people misunderstand the purpose and process of being an m*. When someone is on the field, it is important to understand what exactly their m'inistry is. For some, it is e'vangelistic, others are outreach, others are relational... it will look different depending on the culture, the goal, and the service.

5) Europe is historically C'hristian, but few people in Europe actually practice or believe any more. This area is just as much a field as a third world country. They need the same prayers and funds as other fields. Maybe more. The cost of living is higher, and 'civilized' cultures like to believe they don't need G'od.

6) The standard of living of an m* will vary based on where they live, but it is almost always safe to assume they do not live in a hut. Most times they will match the culture around them in status. This may seem "posh" to people funding them, but remember, they're people, too. Just because they have been called to a life of service, doesn't always mean a life of poverty, as well. It means living among another culture and trying to establish relationships and teach people about a love they have never known the likes of.

7) M's, no matter how long they've been on the field, need encouragement and pray continuously. Hopefully prayer is an everyday part of your life, and it's just a matter of adding another sentence to your prayer. Use names if you know any. I have plenty if you'd like to pray specifically for people. Or just pick a particular type of m'inistry you are interested in and pray in general for those working in that area. Or pick a country. There are numerous ways to p'ray.

8) M's need support. They need a foundation at 'home' that is willing to fill in the gap on behalf of them. People who are willing to share about their work when they can't be there to do it themself (which is often when they are full time on the field...maybe once every few years). People behind them that are passionate about their work on the field.

9) People can't forget about m's. We can't let our family (our C'hristian family) forget that we have brothers and sisters all over the world. The less we talk about the work going on all over the world, the sooner the generations forget, and the less support (of all forms) comes in. In order to keep doing the work we are called to do as C'hristians, we can't forget!!! We can't!

I'll stop there for tonight. A lot has been said here. As you can see, I've been thinking a lot. Hope it's gotten you thinking.