Support Ministries Are the Foundation
When you think of support roles, you think of accountants, field leadership, those doing printing or writing ministries, donors, and many more. They really do support and are foundational to “front line” ministries. How on earth could we do missions without these humble servants?
Where would the money come from if not for ministry partners? As a missionary, I can’t get to the field without those who donate. Because of their obedience and generosity, I have seen firsthand the fruit of their sacrifices—in souls saved and lives transformed, including my own.
Where would we be without prayer warriors? People who commit to pray diligently are the soul of the foundation. Not only do they bring prayer concerns and praises to the throne, but they also call, send notes and emails, and offer encouragement.
Where would I be without my leaders? WGM leaders keep people like me in line and on task. They have helped me see that I may be in a certain circumstance “for such a time as this,” and they remind me to not run ahead of Jesus but to walk faithfully beside Him. They challenge me to grow in my faith and in knowledge and experience, and they support me so kindly and lovingly when I fail. They hold me accountable. If not for our servant-leaders, ministries would be flailing and falling everywhere.
I was called out of Uganda last year and into a year of unknowns and “Where to next, Jesus?” It’s been a difficult transition. I love Uganda, its people, and our ministries there. Yet now I am called, at least temporarily, into a support role ministry myself. I get to participate in training Latin American missionaries by helping direct an accelerated English learning program in Argentina. I will be working with other missionaries to help grow the next generation of missionaries, some of them coming from the very places we used to consider the front lines of missions. They have heard the call themselves and are now seeking to follow the Lord as He continues to expand His kingdom.
It reminds me of the backwardness of the kingdom of God. In order to lead, you follow. In order to gain, you give. In missions, we are a picture of the backwardness of Christ’s kingdom. We start out in what the world perceives as a frontline ministry, but really, in order to grow His kingdom, we work until we are seen no more. Only His hands and feet are seen, and that is how it ought to be.
GO: Do you have a particular skill set that needs to be passed on to others on the mission field? A variety of training positions are available. Visit www.wgm.org/go for more information.
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