In-Depth Answers for Training Cross-Cultural Workers 

EMQ » Oct – Dec 2024 » Volume 60 Issue 4

ReReviewed by Nathaniel (Than) Veltman who serves as mission scholar in missiology and community development with United World Mission’s theological education initiative at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

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Many books have been written about mission and missionaries, but what does the life of a missionary look like? On Being a Missionary provides an in-depth answer to this question. This volume is an abridged version of the original book first published in 1995 and subsequently revised in 2012. 

The goal is to equip and sustain missionaries to be their best for Christ, “All who answer God’s call should be first-class witnesses, wherever they are” (4). The authors do not idealize missions or put missionaries on a pedestal. Instead, they acknowledge the human nature of missionaries and call instead for humility and faithful Christian living. The result is a flexible guide for missionaries who remain attuned to the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit. 

With real-life stories of both success and failure, the authors cover a wide range of topics. On contextualization, the authors suggest that “Instead of teaching young leaders how to deliver three-point sermons, why don’t we just teach them how to read Scripture? Once they know how to study it, they will quite naturally explain it through speech forms they are familiar with” (52).  

Furthermore, while they prioritize the proclamation of the gospel, they recognize the need for gospel demonstration through professional skills in the areas of health care, education, and development (146–152). Perhaps most importantly, the missionary’s relationship with Christ is central, “If we want the inflow of Jesus’ life and power in our lives, we must walk with him intimately” (154). This spiritual life begins and ends with the Holy Spirit and all fruit that comes from the lives of missionaries is of the Spirit (156). 

Other topics include preparation and fundraising; language learning and building relationships cross-culturally; lifestyle choices; the dynamics of teams; concerns of singles, married couples, and children; home assignment; and the variety of missionary ministries. In all these topics, the authors illuminate missionary life without minimizing the challenge. “The way of discipleship is never easy, and we do a disservice to the cause of Christ if we seek to make it such” (52). 

This updated volume reflects the growing internationalization of mission (e.g., cross-cultural teams) and the different dynamics of missions today, such as the internet, technology, and urban contexts. However, this update did not extend to the bibliography; with one exception, all books listed are from 1992 or earlier, leaving no mention of all the recent missiological thinking and research of the past thirty years. Further, perhaps the next update could include contributions and stories from missionaries from the Global South, better reflecting the growing reality of missions “from everywhere to everyone.” 

Many readers will benefit from this book. While it is meant for those considering or preparing for cross-culturally ministry, it is also a helpful reminder for current missionaries to contemplate whether there is an area of “being a missionary” that has been neglected or overlooked. Additionally, missionary-sending congregations will benefit from a deeper glimpse into the “challenges, heartache, and joys” (2) of being a missionary. 

For Further Reading

Christianity Rediscovered, 25th Anniversary ed., by Vincent J. Donovan (Orbis Books, 2003) 

No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions by Matt Rhodes (Crossway, 2022) 

Serving Well: Help for the Wannabe, Newbie, or Weary Cross-Cultural Christian Worker by Jonathan Trotter, Elizabeth Trotter, and Marilyn R. Gardner (Resource Publications, 2019)    

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EMQ, Volume 60, Issue 4. Copyright © 2024 by Missio Nexus. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from Missio Nexus. Email: EMQ@MissioNexus.org.