Martha and I recently sat with a missionary family opening a new field among a new people group, helping plant a new church alongside a new national partner.
On top of all that, they are newly married and recently welcomed their first child. That is a lot of “new” all at once.
New opportunities can be exciting, but they also come with uncertainty. When you enter a new season of ministry and life, you face decisions you have never made before, problems you have never encountered, and questions you may not even know to ask yet.
As we talked with this family, what struck us was how confident they were that they did not have to figure it all out by themselves. They spoke about the trust they have in their team leader and their confidence that ABWE has their back. Our financial team has helped them navigate difficult decisions, HR has walked them through the maze of health insurance, and teammates and leaders have been there to encourage them and help carry the load.
That is a practical expression of what Scripture teaches about the body of Christ. God has joined us together so that we care for one another and share one another’s burdens (1 Corinthians 12:25-26, Galatians 6:2).
As Martha and I listened, visited, prayed, and tried to encourage them, I realized that we had become a small part of that support system too. We did not have to solve a crisis or come up with a new strategy. Sometimes serving one another is as simple as being present and offering the encouragement Scripture tells us to give freely (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
That conversation reminded me that missions has always worked this way.
Paul traveled and preached, but churches sent him, believers prayed for him, ministry partners labored beside him, and Christians gave sacrificially to meet his needs. He thanked the Philippian church because they had repeatedly supported him in his missionary work (Philippians 4:15-16). John likewise described Christians who supported traveling gospel workers as “fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 7-8).
The same thing happens today. Behind every missionary entering a new field are dozens of people most will never see. Some process paperwork or answer financial questions. Others lead teams, solve problems, give generously, pray faithfully, or serve in the churches that send them. And sometimes what a missionary needs is simply another believer sitting across the table saying, “We believe in you. Keep going.”
The missionary may serve at the front edge of the Great Commission, but there is a whole family of believers standing behind them.
I left our visit grateful for missionaries willing to embrace so much that is new, but also grateful for the churches, supporters, teammates, leaders, and staff who make that ministry possible. It is a privilege to play even a small part in helping those whom God has called to go.
When missionaries go, they should never have to go alone.
