根據你的情況可以有許多可能的第一步，但下面列出了一些可能。 這些都對我的旅程是重要的一步。

1. 償還或遠離債務。 當您還在試圖償還抵押貸款、學生貸款或信用卡時，很難啟程前往海外。

2. 前往海外進行實地訪問。 親身去另一個國家可以為您提供前進所需的遠見和理解。 一定要在那裡探訪其他宣教士，並得到一些親身體驗。

3. 接受訓練。有許多優秀的訓練選項。 哪一種適合你，取決於你想做什麼類型的工作。 它可以是聖經學校、神學院、 YWAM 項目等。

4. 讓家裡的人（包括你的教會）加入你的異象。 找一個可以指導你或作為榜樣的人。 聽聽他們怎麼說。

5. 盡可能多地了解你的目標國家或族群，以及如何成為一名宣教士。 這可以包括結交從那裏來搬來你國家的朋友、閱讀、學習當地語言等。 閱讀一些如 John Piper的 Let the Nations Be Glad 或 Robertson McQuilkin 的 The Great Omission 等書籍。

6. 盡可能變得健康，並養成健康的習慣。 這些可以包括有規律地花時間親近上帝，處理過去的傷害/掙扎，以免它們在工場上給你帶來負擔，等等。

首先，我要說每個人走的路都不一樣，所以並沒有真正“正確”的起點。 如果你是那種努力要把這事做正確的人，那就讓自己擺脫這綑綁吧。 如果上帝想要你去某個地方，他會帶你去那裡（記住，他在聖靈裡把腓力從通往加沙的路上帶到了撒瑪利亞——現在那一定是某次旅行！）

多為這事祈禱吧！ 這是非常重要的。 從這裡到那裏的宣教道路通常都不容易。 在你上飛機之前和到達所服事的國家之後，都會有很多機會質疑你是否真地走在正確的道路上。 你需要盡可能地心裏平安地知道這確實是上帝為你所計劃的。

與你的家庭團契（教會）領袖交談。 在您花費大量時間在互聯網上尋找可以去的地方或幫助您到達那裡的機構之前，請使用那些每個星期天都在您身邊的資源。 你的教會可能為那些想要跨文化服事的人提供各種培訓和準備機會。相信我，無論你將來最後是去到那裡，你都將希望在家中有一個堅實的砥柱來“與你同行”，如果你與他們一起開始旅程，他們將能夠做到最好。

與你認識且目前仍是宣教士的人交流。 那些正在做你心目中上帝在帶領你去做的事情的人，是你最好的資源之一。 他們是怎麼開始的？ 他們希望曾經處於你們現在這個階段的自己當時已經知道了什麽？ 他們會建議你如何準備？我們大多數人都至少認識有一位「宣教士」。 通過 Skype（或電子郵件、Facebook、Facetime 等）開始向他們提問並仔細聆聽他們要說的話。 你會得到幫助的，他們也會喜歡的。

為世界祈禱。 我知道，我已經說過要祈禱了，但這次的重點是為那些還需要遇見耶穌的人祈禱。 我們常常忘記，我們工具箱中最有效的工具就是禱告。記住，如果一件事一定會在神的國度裏發生，那它就會發生，因為上帝會讓它發生。 我們實現上帝旨意的主要部分就是祈禱。Operation World （由 Intervarsity Press 出版）是一個很好的使用指南，但絕不是唯一的資源。

進入你周圍的各種文化中。 在我們激動得想要跟隨上帝到地極的興奮中，我們最常忘記的是上帝已經把“地極”帶到了我們的街區中。 美國的大多數地方都有第一代移民在那裡生活和工作。 如果您打算在具有其他文化的其他國家產生影響力，那麼有什麼比在這裡結識其他文化和宗教的人更好的起點呢。你怎麼找到他們的？ 我的經驗是少數族裔的文化傾向群體。 在其他文化中，這種情況也很常見。 從食物開始 如果您附近有一個族群社區，那麼附近會有一個地方可以讓他們購買讓他們想起家的食物。

你可能想知道為什麼我沒有提到短期宣教之旅。 主要是旅行要花很多錢。 我上面提到的一切——除了可能購買 OW 的資料外——都不會花你一分錢。 既然你不需要錢就可以做很多事情，為什麼不從那裡開始，等到前面的路變得清晰再跟隨上帝帶領進入需要花費更多錢的事情當中？

如果，在你嘗試了我上面推薦的一些方法之後（無論如何，這並不是一個詳盡的清單），上帝仍然帶領你往跨文化的工作的方向前進，那就開始尋找一個配搭的機構吧。

你的大使命在等待你。 你還在等什麼？

你可以為宣教事工做準備最好的方法之一，就是積極地參與你教會裡的事工。 不僅僅是出席，而是參與在其中。 一定程度的參與，讓你在那個事工中要對某些人負責。

這樣你就可以展示你是什麼樣的員工、你如何與同事相處、你有多少責任心、反應能力和服事意願。 這是一舉多得。它表明您正在運用上帝賜予的恩賜和技能來服事基督的肢體。 它表明了你對其他肢體的委身。 它讓你有機會參與門徒訓練， 也讓您的領袖有機會觀察您，然後能夠準確地提供您是否準備好接受額外服事（包括宣教職務）。

因此，如果您還沒有參與在其中，我鼓勵您仔細調查那些符合您的興趣、天賦和時間的機會。 請小心，不要僅僅因為一個位置需要被填補而去選擇這個位置。 尋找適合你的天賦的機會。如果您不確定自己的屬靈恩賜，請尋求一些幫助發現你的天賦。 有許多評量工具可以透過您的教會提供，或者如果需要的話，可以上網尋找。

如果你覺得上帝想讓你在未來成為一個宣教士，請有意地讓你教會中合適的領袖知道這一點。 與他們分享你是如何有此領受。 詢問他們的建議和方向。 清楚地傳達你對事工類型、感興趣的地點以及你對時間上的最佳理解。

可能你的興趣與教會已經參與的事工很契合。 如果沒有的話，教會領袖們可能會要求你考慮其他的想法。 這樣做，上帝能以此重新帶領您的方向或重新確認您的興趣。 無論哪種方式，您都希望在您的準備工作中共同努力。

如果你的教會有任何形式的宣教項目，請參與其中。 如果有一個團隊為宣教項目提供指引，並且你有資格以這種方式服事，為這個角色來準備自己。 從你可以的地方開始。 自願貢獻你的時間，當提供時擔起責任。 這將使您能夠充分了解你教會對宣教優先次序、方向和理念。 它會讓你大開眼界，看到廣闊的機會和需求。 這也將使宣教領袖們有機會認識你並了解你最終想在宣教中服事的渴望。

我们服事的是一个了解我们内心的神。 当你跟其他宣教士谈话时，不要惊讶于神对每个生命的指导都是不同的。 当我们领受去中国的异象时，我和我丈夫都还是孩子。 上帝给了我们一颗爱中国的心，我们知道有一天我们会在那里。 我们在大约十五年后相识，从成为朋友开始，后来结婚了。但我们花了十年的时间才去到中国。 为什么要花这么长时间？ 我不知道，但当我们去的时候，一切都感觉刚好！

每天为你的宣教负担祷告，上帝会透过祂的话语、在你祈祷时透过圣灵、以及透过你生命中的其他基督徒，来对你说话。

我们认为重大的行动需要重大的确据，而上帝是信实的，必会为我们提供所需的确据。 我们必须内心确信上帝的指引，才能忍受宣教带来的困难和牺牲。

这个过程对某些人来说比其他人更神秘。 虽然在我们心中渴望有神的神奇带领是可行的，但做一些极端的事情，比如仅仅一时兴起或凭感觉成为一名长期的宣教士，往往会随着时间的推移而产生灾难性的后果。

对你的教会、朋友和宣教机构采取渐进式的请求，相信上帝会在他认为合适的时候开门或关门。 为关于你的下一步的祷告寻求具体且明显的回应。 通常情况下，情况会以一系列不寻常的切有启发性的方式显现，表明上帝在促成某些特别的进展。

在我们的情况中，我们写下所有上帝带领我们去西班牙时所行的微小、详尽的”神蹟“。当我们在西班牙时，我们保存了20个这样的确据在档案中，以防我们开始怀疑上帝交给我们这项任务。这一确据成为力量、安慰和平安的根源。 神对我们很好，作一名宣教士是一个非常大荣誉 – 值得为祂付出任何牺牲，值得花时间去聆听祂的声音。

我开始研究在俄罗斯事工的长期方案。 虽然各机构热切希望我加入，但心里还是有些迟疑。我只知道这不是神想要的。 我开始对上帝的旨意以及他带领我的方向感到困惑，也受够了也许正是在这样的时候，许多人放弃了宣教的整个想法。 我已然很接近那个点了！ 我完全不知道上帝想要我怎么做 。

我决定花一些特定的时间祈祷和禁食来辨别上帝的旨意。 我请求上帝明确地告诉我。在那一周结束时，祂告诉我了。 那时我正如往常一样在看圣经，我翻开士师记下一章，当我读完第18章，上帝的平安充满了我的心。但支派的情况和我的情况一样，我差点因神是多么的特别而发笑！ 我知道上帝要我和同一个机构回俄罗斯，是如此地清晰，在那之后，我从来没有质疑过上帝的呼召。 我只是照祂说的去做了 。

我已经在俄罗斯的西伯利亚待了几年了，我很喜欢这里的生活。 过去几年是我一生中最艰难的几年，但老实说，我从未像在这段时间里一样经历上帝。 我很期待祂在接下来一年中为我所预备的！

我发现，只要愿意服事，上帝常常会找到奇妙的方法，为即将到来的呼召来装备好我们。 通常，我们对自己的呼召会有些误解。 很多时候，不是出于意愿而进行的准备，结果证明正是我们需要的准备。

我知道有些人說，不需要短途旅行在確認神給宣教你的方向。 不過我想說，它們可以是很有幫助的。 可能的話，計劃去幾個月，半年甚至一年。

雖然從 十幾歲起上帝就帶領我進入宣教，但短期旅行改變了關於我應該在宣教中擔任什麼任務或角色的想法。 實際上我完全改變了我的職業方向：我接受了醫學培訓，現在正在為將來的聖經翻譯做考察。

如果您合理確定上帝希望您長期從事宣教工作，請從一開始就選擇長期。 這會讓你馬上進入狀態，并且你將受益於此。

如果你不確定，但願意全心全意地追隨，那麽去到你感興趣的地區或參與到令你有感動的事工中去獲得一個短期的經歷，是一個不錯的方式。

短期旅行，可以是一種寶貴方式去試試水溫並了解成為宣教士會是什麼樣子。但如果您已經做過一兩次短期旅行，那麼是時候進行更具戰略性的思考了。 開始一段更久，或一段更專注於你知道自己將要做的事情的旅途。

更重要的是，與其加入一個有既定行程和日程的短期團隊（同時又想嘗試遵循自己的日程），不如考慮自己或與你的配偶或好友一起去你想去的工場。 如果你不確定，可以嘗試造訪幾個可能會做的事工或禾場，如此你可以比較並瞭解可能會有哪些選擇和阻礙。

這種實地考察不會阻礙你或分散你準備長期工作的注意力，反而會成為找到什麽是適合你的且如何才能達到那裡的重要一步。 您能更好地了解您將要從事的工作，並可以更好地與家人、朋友和支持者分享這一異象。

在我任職的機構中，許多小組都要求新申請人在他們長期任職之前進行實地考察。 我認為這是明智的政策。

使命政治家拉爾夫·溫特用了一個體育的比喻：你所在的球隊比你所在的體育場更重要。 讓主決定祂想把你放在祂的世界中的哪裡。 也許你對明確的、特定的地點興趣，這將會幫助你對焦對機構的選擇。但對大多數人而言，上帝會先給你恩賜和想要回應的渴望。例如，加入 WEC 國際 的人中，約有一半的人並不是從對某地區感到有興趣開始的，而是他們知道自己被帶領加入宣教及該機構。

有些機構有遍佈在全球的機會，所以你可以在世界任何地方找到安置的地點。 其他機構則有聚焦的地區，如大歐洲特派團。 機構名稱有可能有或有可能沒有指出他們聚焦的地地區， 例如，Christian Associates International是一個主要在歐洲工作的部門。

我一直以為宣教士是被“呼召”到一個特定的國家，而我沒有這樣的呼召。 我和招募同工談過我的背景。 當我提到我的新聞學學位和出版的工作時，她的眼睛亮了起來。 她提到了一個在匈牙利做傳播的職位。我對匈牙利從來沒有興趣。 我甚至不確定我能不能在地圖上找到它！ 但事就這樣成了。 我知道這只能來自主，因為我從來沒有興趣離開我的朋友和家人，跨越半個地球去成為一名宣教士！

上帝帶領我到一個在身體、精神和情感上，我都必須倚靠祂的地方。我和主的關係越來越堅強與堅定。 祂總是以愛、確據和祝福來回應我的問題，挫折還有我偶有的順服意願。

西方的基督徒世世代代談論宣教都是討論被呼召到一個國家。 然而，聖經告訴我們要使“萬民”作門徒，使用希臘語來說是”ethne”—或”族群”。 例如，蘇丹這一國家有 500 多個不同的族群。 那麼上帝是如何引導你進入一個特定的群體呢？

宣教士Herbert Kane採訪了數百名宣教士，了解有關他們對去到一個地方或一個族群的呼召的領受。他發現，事後看來，他們所說的呼召通常是一連串好奇、興趣、理解、信心、信念、委身，最後採取行動搬出去生活在在特定族群中。

因此，與其一直等待某種傳統的“呼召”去到特定的地方或人群，不如追隨上帝賦予的好奇心和興趣——並“向列國觀看”（哈巴谷書 1:5）

参与在一个对全世界失丧者没有热情的教会是令人遗憾的。 有些人说你可以这么做:

1. 祷告。是的，祷告。 不，祷告！ 我们可能不再期待上帝行大事，但是我们仍需要去盼望。在教会里组一个小组跟你一起祷告！

2. 开始服事住在你附近或教会周围的国际人士。 有无数种方法可以接触他们。 也许提供英文日常会话或文法的课程。 Internationals Who Live Among Us一书提供了如何与生活在每个社区里七种不同类型的国际人士互动的点子。

3. 找出教会中认识宣教士的人。 在福音中与这些其他夥伴发展关系。 确保传道人受到良好照顾。 Serving As Sender~Today 一书会有所帮助。

有次有位男士打电话给我，说他感受到上帝呼召他去宣教禾场，但教会不感兴趣。 我挑战他花2年的时间去挑望他的教会对宣教的热情， 他做到了。他的教会后来差派了他的家庭出去，有了很棒的九年的事工。 之后他回到了家乡成为教会的宣教牧师。 等候教会完全支持你的使命是值得的。

我懷疑我是否能成為一位有果效的宣教士。 儘管我的心中充滿了想去的渴望，但我對自己能否真正改變阿爾巴尼亞人民的生活充滿疑慮。

這些年來，我的疑慮一直存在！ 一方面，我看著我所開始的事工，並且幫助其他人參與在其中，我很滿足。但我也意識到，無論我做了什麼好事，無論開始了多少事工，或是贏得了多少歸向基督的靈魂，都必鑒於我對基督的順服程度。我的懷疑成 為了一根刺，以至我的成就感或不建立於在我做的工作，而是建立在耶穌基督和祂的公義中。。

我認為我們在工場上的長久取決於我們對上帝恩典的依賴。我們有不確定和感到不足是必須的，幫助我們持續勝任我們眼前的任務。

在我的丈夫是助理牧師時，我在短宣事工服事了一年。之後，我們牧養了一個農村教會五年。 這麼長的時間看起來是如此的困難。 我們已經準備好了，我認為我們可以貢獻很多，來吧!

然後我們去了韓國。 當地的語言、文化、和我們對這個國家的無知，以及我們的傲慢的以為我們知道所有問題的答案，使我們陷入了困境。我們並沒有像我們想像中的那樣已經準備好了。

我們的確需要那幾年的時間。那時我們剛結婚，然後有了2個新生兒。 我們也很窮！ 上帝仁慈地讓我們在那裏等待了5年，讓我們學會了如何一點點依靠他。 我們從韓國的兄弟姐妹那裡學到了很多，我們如今的表現更好了，比之前好多了。

當我們開始談論參與神的國度擴張時，屬靈攻擊就會到來，而且通常在我們服事旅程的早期，作為“同伴之火”到來。我的意思是，反對的人通常來自我們意料之外的人：可能是家庭成員、朋友，教會的會友，或是教會事工的領袖。 我們很驚訝、震驚，然後很快地洩氣，覺得這不應該是如此！

讓人氣餒的是，攻擊常常以指控的形式，並且來自認識我們且有同一信仰的人。 我們認為這些人應該是支持我們的，然後我們發現，他們所說關於我們的事，是不友善且常常不是事實。 同伴之火! 我們該怎麼辦？

首先，我們做經文指示我們做的：堅定站立。 這意味著我們不放棄也不逃跑。 我們也不嘗試攻擊， 我們堅定站立:

– 堅定我們的信念，我們正在順服上帝在我們生命中的指示
– 堅定我們的信心，上帝確切地知道現在正在發生的事情，並且知道如何保護我們
– 堅定我們跟隨耶穌的承諾，不論代價如何
– 堅定我們的認知，敵人會在我們抵抗他時逃跑（雅各書 4:7）

There can be many possible first steps, depending on your situation, but here are some possibilities. These are the ones that have been important to my journey.

1. Get out or stay out of debt. It is very hard to launch out overseas when you are trying to repay a mortgage, student loan, or credit cards.

2. Travel overseas for an exposure visit. Visiting another country firsthand can give you the vision and understanding you need to move forward. Be sure to visit other missionaries while there and get some hands-on experience.

3. Get trained. There are many excellent training options. Which one suits you depends on what type of work you want to do. It could be a Bible school, seminary, YWAM program, etc.

4. Get people at home (including your church) on board with your vision. Find someone who can mentor you or serve as a model. Listen to what they have to say.

5. Learn as much as you can about your focus country or people group and about being a missionary in general. This can include making friends from that place who live in your home country, reading, studying the language, etc. Read books like Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper or The Great Omission by Robertson McQuilkin.

6. Try to become as healthy as you can and develop healthy habits. These can include the discipline of spending time with God, dealing with past hurts/struggles so that they don’t burden you on the field, etc.

First, let me say that everyone’s path is different, so there is not really an exact “right” place to begin. If you are the type of person that strives to get it right, let yourself off the hook with this one. If God wants you somewhere, he will get you there (remember, he whisked Philip from the road to Gaza off to Samaria in the Spirit — now that must have been some trip!)

Pray about this a lot! I can’t stress this enough. The path from here to there in missions is not usually an easy one. There will be many opportunities to question if you are truly on the right path both before you get on an airplane and after you arrive in a country of service. To the extent possible, you need to be at peace that this is, indeed, what God has planned for you next.

Talk to your home fellowship (church) leadership. Before you spend lots of time on the internet searching for places to go or agencies to help you get there, use the resources that are right there with you each Sunday. Your church may have all kinds of training and preparation opportunities available for those wanting to serve cross-culturally. Believe me, wherever you end up in the future, you are going to want a strong foundation at home to “go with you” and they will be able to do that best if you begin the journey with them.

Communicate with current missionaries that you know. People out there doing what you think God is leading you to do will be one of your best resources. How did they get their start? What do they wish that they had known when they were where you are? How would they recommend that you prepare? Most of us know at least one “missionary.” Get them on Skype (or email, Facebook, Facetime etc) and start asking questions and carefully listening to what they have to say. You will be helped. They will love it too.

Pray for the world. I know, I already said to pray, but the focus of this time is to pray for those who still need to meet Jesus. Often we forget that the most effective tool in our toolbox is prayer. Remember, if anything really is to happen in the kingdom, it will happen because God wills it to happen. Our major part in bringing about God’s will is prayer. Operation World (published by Intervarsity Press) is a great guide to use, but by no means the only resource out there.

Engage the cultures at your doorstep. In our excitement to follow God to the uttermost we often forget that God has brought the uttermost to our neighborhood. Most places in the US have first generation immigrants living and working there. If you intend to have an impact in some other country with some other culture, what better place to start than to get to know people of other cultures and religions here. How do you find them? My experience is that minority cultures tend to group. That is common of missionaries too, in other cultures. Begin with food. If there is an ethnic community near you there will be a place close by where they can buy food that reminds them of home.

You may wonder why I didn’t include a short term mission trip. Well, trips cost money, for one thing. None of what I have mentioned above — besides perhaps buying a copy of OW — will cost you a cent. Since there are so many things you can do without needing money, why not start there and let God lead you into the more expensive stuff as those steps become clear?

If, after you have tried out some of what I have recommended above (and that is not an exhaustive list, by any means), God still has you moving toward cross-cultural work then begin the process of searching out an agency family to partner with.

Your Great Commission waits. What are you waiting for??

One of the best ways you can prepare for a missions ministry is to be actively involved in ministries through your local church. Not just attendance: involvement. And a level of involvement that makes you accountable to someone in that ministry.

That way you’re showing what kind of a worker you are, how you get along with co-workers, your responsibility level, responsiveness, and willingness to serve. This does several things. It shows you’re exercising your God-given gifts and skills to serve the body of Christ. It demonstrates your commitment to others in the body. It gives you opportunity to be involved in disciple making. And it allows leaders to observe you and then to be able to give accurate input on your readiness for additional service (including a missions role).

So if you’re not already involved, I encourage you to thoughtfully examine opportunities that are in line with your interests, gifts, and availability. Be careful not to just take a position because it needs to be filled. Seek out opportunities that you’re gifted for. If you’re not sure of your spiritual gifting, ask for some help on making that discovery. There are many assessment tools available either through your church or, if need be, online.

If you sense God has a missions role for you in your future, be intentional about making that known to the appropriate leadership in your church. Share with them how you have come to this understanding. Ask for their advice and direction. Clearly communicate any particular interests you have regarding the kind of ministry, locations that interest you, and your best understanding of the timeline.

It may be that your interests would make a good fit with ministries the church is already involved with. If not, the church leadership may ask you to consider other ideas. In so doing, God can use that input to re-direct your steps or to re-confirm your interests. Either way, you will want to work together in your preparation.

If your church has a missions program of any kind, get involved in it. If there is a team giving guidance to the missions program, and you are qualified to serve in that way, make yourself available for such a role. Start wherever you can. Volunteer your time. Take responsibility when it’s offered. This will enable you to fully understand the priorities, direction, and philosophy of the missions thrust of your church. It will open your eyes to a wide expanse of opportunity and need. This will also give the missions leadership opportunity to know you and understand your desire to eventually serve in a missions role.

We serve a God who knows each heart. As you speak with other missionaries, do not be surprised that his guidance is different for each life. My husband and I were both children when we caught a vision for China. God gave us a heart for China and we knew that someday we would be there. We met about fifteen years later, began a friendship, and later married. But it took another ten years before we arrived in China. Why did it take us so long? I have no idea, but when we went, it was so right!

Pray each day about your burden for missions. God will speak to you through his Word, through the Holy Spirit in your times of prayer, and through other Christians in your life.

We believe that big moves require big confirmations, and God is faithful to provide that. We must have a heart assurance of God’s direction to endure the inherent difficulties and sacrifices that come with missions.

This process will be more mystical in nature for some than for others. Though a mystical sense of God’s leading in our hearts is desirable, doing something as drastic as becoming a long-term missionary on only a whim or a feeling often produces disastrous results over time.

Take incremental steps in your inquiries to your church, friends, and mission agencies, trusting God to open or shut doors as he sees fit. Look for specific and obvious answers to prayer concerning your move. Often, circumstances will line up in an unusual and revealing manner, indicating God’s favor toward a specific move.

In our case we wrote down all the small, circumstantial “miracles” that God did to get us to Spain; for example, the way our house sold. By the time we were in Spain there were twenty such confirmations which we kept on file just in case we ever began to doubt God’s hand in this assignment. This assurance was a source of strength, comfort, and peace. God is good to us, and being a missionary is a great honor well worth any sacrifice for him and worth the time it takes to hear his voice.

I began to look into long-term options for ministry in Russia. Although organizations were eager to have me join, there was a restraint in my heart, and I just knew that this wasn’t what God wanted. I became so confused about God’s will and where he was leading me that I was fed up. Maybe it is at times like this that many people give up on the whole idea of missions. I certainly was very close to that point! I didn’t have a clue what God wanted from me.

I decided to spend some specific time praying and fasting to discern God’s will. I asked God to speak to me specifically, and at the end of that week, he did. I was just reading through the Bible as I did every evening. As I turned to the next chapter in Judges, the peace of God just filled my heart when I read chapter 18. The situation with the Danite tribe was the same as my situation, and I nearly laughed at how specific God was! I knew that God wanted me to go back to Russia with the same agency. It was clear, and after that I never questioned God’s call. I just took him at His word and went for it.

I have been in Siberia, Russia, for a couple of years and am really enjoying life here. These past years have been some of the hardest of my life, but I can honestly say that I ‘ve never experienced God like I have during this time. I am looking forward to what he has in store for me this next year!

I have found that with a willingness to serve, God often finds wonderful ways to prepare us for the calling that lies ahead. Often, our idea of our calling undergoes modification. Many times the preparation that we went through just out of willingness turns out to be the exact preparation we need.

I know that some people say that a short-term trip is not necessary to confirm God’s direction for you in missions. I would say, however, that they can be helpful. If possible, go for several months, six months to a year if you can.

Although I guidance to go into missions since my midteens, short-term trips changed my ideas concerning what tasks or roles I should be doing in missions. I actually changed my career direction completely: I did medical training but am doing surveys for future Bible translations.

If you are reasonably sure God wants you in missions long-term, go for the long-term track right from the start. It will save you in the end and get you on course right away.

If you’re not sure, but are open to be shown with a heart to follow fully, then a short-term experience in an area of the world in which you have an interest, or to a ministry for which you have a heart is a good approach.

A short-term trip can be a valuable way to test the waters and get a sense of what it would be like to be a missionary, but if you have already done a short-term or two, it’s time to think more strategically. Go on a longer trip or one that’s more focused on the kinds of things you see yourself doing.

Better yet, rather than joining a short-term team with its own itinerary and agenda (and trying to follow your own agenda on the side), consider going by yourself or with your spouse or a good friend and visiting the actual field you’d like to join. If you aren’t sure, try to set up visits to two or three likely ministries and locations so you can compare and get a sense of what the options and obstacles might be.

That kind of field visit will not hold you back or distract you from preparing to go long-term, but will instead serve as an important step in finding your fit and figuring out what it will take to get there. You’ll have a much better idea of what you’re getting into and can better share that vision with family members, friends, and supporters.

Many of the teams sent out by the agency I serve with require new applicants to make a field visit before they come long-term. I think it’s a wise policy.

Mission statesman Ralph Winter used a sports analogy: what team you’re playing on is more important than the stadium in which you are playing. Let the Lord decide where he wants to place you in his world. Perhaps you have a clear, specific geographic interest, and that will focus your selection of an agency. But for most, God has given gifts and a desire to respond. For example, about half of those who join WEC International don’t begin with a geographic interest, but they know they’re being led into missions and to that agency.

Some agencies have global opportunities, so you can find a placement anywhere in the world. Other groups have a focused geographic focus such as Greater Europe Mission. The agency name may or may not indicate that focus. For example, Christian Associates International is a ministry that works mainly in Europe.

I’d always thought missionaries were “called” to a particular country, and I had no tug like that. I talked with a recruiter about my background. When I mentioned my degree in journalism and career in publications, her eyes lit up. She mentioned a communications role in Hungary. I had never had any interest in Hungary. I wasn’t even sure I could find it on the map! But something clicked. I know this could only come from the Lord, because I have never been interested in leaving my friends and family and moving halfway across the world to become a missionary!

God has led me to a place physically, spiritually, and emotionally where I have to depend on him. My relationship with the Lord has grown stronger and more confident. He always responds to my questions, frustrations, and my occasional willingness to obey with love, assurance, and blessings.

Christians in the West have for generations talked about missions mostly in terms of being called to political countries. The Bible, however, tells us to make disciples among all nations, using the Greek term ethne – or ethnic groups. For example, the political country of Sudan has more than 500 distinct ethnic groups. So how does God lead you to a particular group?

Missiologist Herbert Kane interviewed hundreds of missionaries about their sense of a missionary call to a place or people. He found that what they referred to in hindsight as a call was most often a sequence of curiosity, interest, understanding, assurance, conviction, commitment, and finally, the action of moving out to live among a particular people.

So instead of waiting and waiting for some kind of traditional “call” to a specific place or people, it makes all kinds of sense to follow your God-given curiosity and interests – and “look among the nations” (Habakkuk 1:5).

The GOer Group videos are a free seven-lesson series addressing the major questions and barriers many encounter as they pursue cross-cultural ministry. Each video features insights and advice from experienced people who have either spent time on the mission field or have helped many people to get there. Though speaking to college students, many issues come up for those of all ages.

In this video, Dick, a mission pastor, along with mission mobilizers Andy, Jessica, Todd, and John, address several questions:

1. Do students need to be involved in a local church?
2. What should you do if your church is not supportive of missions?
3. What should you do if your parents are not supportive of you going overseas?
4. How do you keep romantic relationships from keeping you from the field?

It is unfortunate to be engaged with a church that does not have a worldwide passion for the lost. That being said, here is what you can do:

1. PRAY. Oh yeah, pray. NO, PRAY! We do not expect great things from God, anymore, but we need to. Draw a group from the church to pray with you.

2. Begin ministering to internationals who are living among you in your neighborhood or around the church. There are zillions of ways to reach out to them. Offer conversational or grammatical English classes. The book Internationals Who Live Among Us offers ideas of how to engage with seven different types of internationals living in every community.

3. Identify those within the church who know a missionary. Develop relationships with these other partners in the gospel. Make sure the missionaries are being well cared-for. The book Serving As Senders~Today will help.

A gentleman once called me to say that he sensed God’s call to the field, but the church had no interest. I challenged him to take up to two years to generate a passion for missions in his church. He did. They sent his family out. A good nine years of ministry. Came home to be the missions pastor of that church. It is well worth the wait to have a church totally supportive of your mission.

One doubt I had was whether or not I would be effective. Though my heart was full of desire to go, my mind was full of doubts as to my ability to make a real difference in the lives of the Albanian people.

Over the years, my doubts have remained! On one hand I look at the ministries I’ve started and helped others get plugged into and I’m satisfied. But I also realize that whatever good I’ve done, whether it be the number of ministries started, or souls won to Christ, must be viewed in the light of my degree of surrender to Christ. My doubts have served as a thorn so that my sense of accomplishment may not rest on my good works, but on Christ and his righteousness.

I think our longevity on the field depends on our dependence on God’s grace. Doubts and feelings of inadequacy are necessary for us to remain qualified for the tasks before us.

I was really surprised that the Lord and our mission group waited so long to send us. We pastored a rural congregation for five years, after I served a year in short-term missions while my husband was an assistant pastor. This long period seemed so difficult. We were ready; we though we had so much to give. Bring it on!

Then we went to Korea. The language, the culture, our ignorance of the country, and our arrogance in thinking we knew all the answers threw us for a loop. We were not as ready as we thought.

We had needed that time. We were newly married, then with two new babies. We were also dirt poor! God was gracious to only hold us off for those five years when we learned a little on how to lean on him. We learned so much from our brothers and sisters in Korea, and we are better, much better, for it today.

When we begin to talk about engaging in kingdom expansion, spiritual attack will come, and often early on our journey it comes as “friendly fire.” By that I mean opposition comes from someone we would not normally expect it from: maybe a family member, a friend, or someone in church or ministry leadership. We are surprised, maybe shocked, and quickly discouraged, feeling this just shouldn’t be!

Often the attack is in the form of an accusation, coming from people who know us and are believers. This is what can make it so discouraging. We think these people should be for us, then we find them saying things about us that are unkind and usually untrue. Friendly fire. What should we do?

First, we do what scripture instructs us to do: stand firm. This means we do not quit and run. Nor do we try to attack. We stand firm:

– Firm in the conviction that we are being obedient to God’s direction in our life;
– Firm in our faith that God knows exactly what is happening and knows how to protect us;
– Firm in our commitment to follow Jesus, regardless of the cost;
– Firm in our understanding that the enemy will flee as we resist him (James 4:7).