By Sean Richards, Director of Mobilization

Baptist Missionary Association. These are the three words used to represent us collectively. We are Baptist and we are Associated; those go without question. It’s that middle word, ‘Missionary’, that sometimes causes a bit of dissonance between the ideal and real. Would you say that ‘Missionary’ accurately represents what your church is about? More personally, does it accurately represent what you are about? I’m going to share with you how we can all more effectively cultivate the ‘M’ in the middle of our BMA name.

Not everyone is called to go to the mission field. However, all believers were commissioned to the task (Matt. 28:18-20). That means we are all given the agency and responsibility to participate in the task of making disciples (not simply converts) of every tribe, tongue, and nation. Let’s increase our level of participation by intentionally Sending more missionaries. However, before we can send them, we need to first make them.

Let’s consider cookies. If we were committed to sending out Christmas cookies, we could just buy a pack of cookies and mail them out, but that undermines the whole purpose behind sending cookies in the first place; we want to express our love and care for those afar. Homemade cookies are clearly the best way to go, so let’s look at missionaries in a similar manner: homemade. To do this, we need to read the recipe and prepare the ingredients. Missionaries have many ingredients that are uncommon and can be neither replaced nor left out. 

Here are the main ingredients that require cultivation over time:

• One Part: Heart for the Lost and a Passion to Share the Gospel 
• One Part: Heart for the Nations and a Familiarity with Missionaries and Their Work
• One Part: Practical Righteousness 

Heart for the Lost and Passion to Share the Gospel

Cultivating this ingredient starts early in one’s Christian life. This ingredient is cultivated in homes, churches, and college ministries when one learns that believers are to take light into the darkness rather than barricading the light away from the darkness. It’s cultivated when parents and churches teach, encourage, and model for young people to pray for and evangelize their unsaved family members, friends, and neighbors. This ingredient does not cultivate itself accidentally; it takes intentionality on behalf of those leading new or young believers.

Heart for the Nations and a Familiarity with Missionaries and Their Work

Most children say they want to be doctors, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, or teachers when they grow up. This is because they learn at a young age that these are important and noble professions that serve the greater good of society. Churches and families must intentionally educate young believers about God’s Word regarding missions, the people groups of the world who need missionaries, and the missionary work that still remains today. Learn about people groups in need of missionaries and, as a group, begin praying for them. Specifically, pray that God would raise up laborers for the harvest. Individuals, families, and churches can familiarize new believers with missionary work by regularly building relationships and connecting with church planters, faithfully investing financially to support those missionaries, discussing their work with new believers, and together praying for them regularly. When someone gets a heart for the nations, is familiar with missionaries, their value, and the importance of their work in the Kingdom, then the idea of wanting to be a missionary is as normal as wanting to become a police officer, teacher, or nurse.

Practical Righteousness

This ingredient makes or breaks the recipe. Any attempt to use an alternative that looks similar will lead to catastrophic results. Practical righteousness is uncommon and sometimes confused with self-righteousness. The key difference is that true righteousness comes from a righteous source, Jesus. Whereas self-righteousness comes from managing and hiding one’s own unrighteousness. True righteous living has a transparent quality to it that reveals one’s imperfections. Don’t let those imperfections scare you away, as they are evidence of the transparency that comes with a righteous life. Self-righteousness looks shiny and clean, but that appearance is an illusion that uses good works to deflect away from underlying sin. Hidden sin grows and destroys from the inside out. The best way to truly discern practical righteousness is not to simply look for a lack of sin, but look for the fruit of the Spirit instead (Gal. 5:22-23). Practical righteousness increases when revealed areas of sin are addressed and freedom is gained. Cultivating this ingredient requires a culture that places a higher value on spiritual health than it does on spiritual appearance. This takes intentional deep personal relationships built on love, trust, and safety.It will require steadfast intentionality over time as an association, a church, a family, and individual to better cultivate the ingredients that make up the ‘M’ in BMA. If you are interested in further discussion, consultation, or resources to help cultivate missionaries to send out, please reach out by email: sean@bmaglobal.org.