“I just don’t really want to do the whole support raising thing and so I thought I could have some sort of business to provide all my support.” A college student told me while I was out recruiting. “I understand” I said as we continued the conversation.
As it turns out, that student is not alone as a main concern posed by potential missionary candidates has to do with raising support. Of course, the alternative is tent-making, which comes from Acts 18 where it talks about Paul making tents as a means of income so as to not be a burden on the churches. So is support raising wrong; is tent-making wrong? Of course, we all know that neither are wrong, but lets talk about the pros and cons of tent-making.
The motives behind the decision are important. We are on mission to make disciples and so in each situation, we must see if it better helps us make disciples. Tent-making can provide a great source of contacts as the missionary will interact each week with plenty of clients or other workers. This is a great way to make disciples!
If the main reason for tent-making is to avoid support raising, you may not have that high of view of the ministry. I experientially understand the fears associated with raising money, but serving the Lord in a foreign country is a huge privilege of which one should not be ashamed. God provides and it is a sanctifying process to see the ways in which He does provide.
If you do go the route of the tent-maker, you will most likely have less time for ministry. The route would probably look like two full time jobs. One day time job and one night and weekend job. That may be alright if you are single, but where does the land the wife and kids in your priorities? It will be tough to maintain an intact thriving family in this situation (and that all depends on the type of secular job you will have).
Also, is there a temptation in your life to chase money? If so, you may struggle with money being the goal rather than the job being the means to the end. I heard about a doctor who was working in the hospital while at the same time ministering and he could either get paid or volunteer, but either way he would be doing the same thing. Get paid! Then use that money for ministry or to offset costs. There was another situation in which a pilot could use his plane to fly government officials and get paid. He was not already doing this, so there was a decision to be made on where the focus would be laid. If he just flew all the time, he may have influence and less money to raise, but what about the church he was planting? He would at least have to set boundaries time-wise as to how it would all work out.
Years ago I watched a video about a Philippine pastor with a vision of sending out thousands of missionaries as workers! Awesome! They would go into different countries with different professions and be a witness wherever they went! That is a quick way to send a lot of missionaries! I have friends that are in closed countries working in the field of education. They are able to be witnesses to the nationals there and have a church. One term for them would be “kingdom professionals.”
There are many opportunities in missions today. Consider what is best for you, how your time can be managed, how affective you can be with a tent-making workload, and what your motives are. Do not be afraid to raise support, but do not be afraid to be creative as well. For some, tent-making would not give them time to devote to ministry; for others, it provides more ministry. Whatever you do, make disciples and give glory to God!
Thanks for this balanced view. One other factor to consider is that of prayer support. I currently don't receive any prayer letters from tent-making missionaries. Our church used to get one prayer letter from one tent-making missionary - because she specifically sought out prayer support. (She has since left that field and is now serving in a different type of ministry.) At this moment, I don't have any tent-making missionaries occupying a place on my prayer list.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any suggestions for those who avoid "the whole support-raising thing" to get the backing of prayer support that seems to come more naturally with the financial support?
If I were a tent-maker, I would probably try to have a sending church. Some of my friends have made up prayer cards as they are tent-makers. So yeah, some do go for the prayer support. I am pretty sure the church in the Philippines are praying for the thousands of tent-making workers that they have sent out.
ReplyDeleteSo have a sending church and then if possible, keep people updated. I say if possible in relation to facebook that is sometimes blocked in countries where tent-making is more normal. I would think that churches would be receptive to tent-makers speaking, especially when they tell you they do not need financial support. So in this case, talk to some friends in your area about getting to talk at their church and hand out prayer cards.