My involvement in missions unfolded one step at a time. It started in childhood; my parents were missionaries, and seeing how they applied their talents and creativity to preach the gospel was inspiring. Dad, skilled in ventriloquy, kept children spellbound with a little formally-attired dummy he called "Jose Luis." Mom's accordion stirred enthusiastic voices, if at times monotone, singing the choruses of the faith. Rapt audiences grew quickly; children were saved. Children brought their parents. A church was eventually formed. Mom and dad's devotion to the Lord was inspiring.
There was a stretch during my preteen years when I read every missionary biography I could get my hands on. The voices of Carmichael, Brother Andrew, Bruchko, and Don Richardson challenged me to dream of a life of abandonment for God.
Commitment came during my college years. At Emmaus Bible College the Lord used professor Ken Fleming's enthusiastic challenges in class, student organizations, visiting speakers, a trip to the Urbana Conference, and an Emmaus summer trip to Peru to forge the conviction in my mind that someday God would use me also in missionary service. During these years I met an attractive young student who would elicit a different kind of commitment, one we've celebrated yearly for some 23 years now. Together, and a few steps later, we arrived on the mission field.
The moral of the story? involvement in missions does not happen by accident, or as result of a single event. Becoming a missionary is a multi-step process. The Lord will lead you through his word, through his Spirit, and often through many conversations, circumstances, and experiences.
So, take the opportunity to teach that Sunday School class. Take that short-term missions trip. read that missionary biography. But while you do, don't miss the larger picture: this may be one more step in God's overall direction for your life!
