icon
close-icon
image description image description
image description image description
image description
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Where We Work
    • US Regional Reps
    • Our History
    • MTW Staff Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Pray
  • Go
    • Search Opportunities
    • Mission Trips
    • Summer Internships
    • 1–11 Months
    • Longer Term
    • Specialized Ministries
      • Medical
      • Workplace Ministries
      • Arts, Music & Media
      • RUF Mentored Internships
    • Multicultural Mobilization
  • Give
    • Donations Hub
    • Missionaries
    • Projects
    • Estate & Gift Planning
    • Disaster Response/Compassion Fund
  • Stories & More
  • Events
  • Resources
    • All Resources
    • Cultivate
    • Videos
    • 1% Challenge
    • Resources for Kids
  • My Account
    • My Giving
    • My Profile
    • Giving FAQs
    About arrow-dwn
    • Who We Are
    • Where We Work
    • US Regional Reps
    • Our History
    • MTW Staff Careers
    • Contact Us
    Pray
    Go arrow-dwn
    • Search Opportunities
    • Mission Trips
    • Summer Internships
    • 1–11 Months
    • Longer Term
    • Specialized Ministries
      • Medical
      • Workplace Ministries
      • Arts, Music & Media
      • RUF Mentored Internships
    • Multicultural Mobilization
    Give arrow-dwn
    • Donations Hub
    • Missionaries
    • Projects
    • Estate & Gift Planning
    • Disaster Response/Compassion Fund
    Stories & More
    Events
    Resources arrow-dwn
    • All Resources
    • Cultivate
    • Videos
    • 1% Challenge
    • Resources for Kids
    My Account arrow-dwn
    • My Giving
    • My Profile
    • Giving FAQs
Donate
image description image description
menu-icon menu-icon

Should We Still Send Missionaries?

Why should we send missionaries around the world when there are so many needs here?
Mark Bates|21 Mar 2023
image description
Unsplash: Owen Cannon

As home to dozens of ministries like The Navigators, Compassion International, and Focus on the Family, my city of Colorado Springs is often viewed as a Christian “Mecca.” Yet, even with all the ministries that call her home, the city desperately needs the gospel. Only 25% of the residents attend an evangelical church. While the exact numbers might be different, your community is probably similar. That raises an important question: With such great spiritual needs in our communities, why should we send missionaries across the world? After all, sending cross-cultural missionaries is expensive and inefficient. Wouldn’t it be a better use of our energy and resources to reach the people in our own community than trying to save those across the world?

It is true that our communities need the gospel. We need missionaries who will tell our friends and neighbors about Jesus. The good news is, God already has hundreds of thousands of missionaries in our American communities. They are the members of our churches. The great need is not for more missionaries, but to equip and deploy God’s people to be His witnesses where they already live, work, and play.

Yet, the situation is different in other parts of the world. Here are just three of the reasons why we must continue to send missionaries to other regions of the world.

1. We need missionaries to reach those who have never heard.

Only 0.5% of the people of Japan are Christian. The situation is similar in India, Cambodia, and the countries in the Middle East. Even in England, which is officially a Christian nation, less than 5% attend any church of any kind. In Scotland, the home of Presbyterianism, only 2% of the people are evangelical Christians. Most people in these countries will live their entire lives without ever hearing the truth about Jesus and the hope of the gospel. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14–15a).

2. We need missionaries to help young churches.

While it is true that sending global missionaries is expensive and seems inefficient, it is highly effective. There were only 9 million Christians in Africa in 1900. By 2000, there were over 335 million. By 2025, that number is expected to double to nearly 700 million. Clearly, missionary evangelism efforts to reach the people of Africa have been effective.

Yet, even in the case of Africa, there is still a great need for missionaries. To a large degree, the gospel that is being preached in Africa and other parts of the world is no gospel at all, but man-centered religions of legalism and the prosperity gospel. It is not transforming lives. The theological education is so poor that people have exchanged one form of spiritual bondage for another. As MTW’s International Director for Africa and native Zimbabwean Victor Nakah has noted, the African Church is suffering from a severe lack of discipleship. “If our problem is discipleship, it then means that the best thing the American Church can do to help the African Church is help disciple the leadership of the church,” Victor said. “We need pastors who will come alongside African pastors to disciple and mentor and coach and help mature the leadership of the African Church.

3. We need missionaries to be obedient to God’s mission.

Jesus’ commission to His Church is not merely to make disciples, but to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19–20). God’s mission is to bring salvation to all nations. That means that the gospel must spread from one culture to another culture until it spreads to all cultures. For the gospel to spread from one culture to another culture, someone must leave the comfort of their own people and culture and go to another people and culture. There is no other way to accomplish God’s mission for God’s people than cross-cultural missions.

God’s vision for the world—a vision that one day will be a reality—is that people from every tribe, nation, and tongue will gather to worship Him (Revelation 7:9). Until that vision becomes a reality, it will be the mission of the church to make disciples of all nations. In order to be faithful to this mission, the Church must continue to send and support missionaries.

We have many ways to serve. Browse opportunities at mtw.org/serve.

author-img
Mark Bates

Mark Bates is MTW's senior director of U.S. Operations. Mark has a B.A. in Greek from Bryan College and a master's degree from Reformed Theological Seminary. He served as youth and singles pastor at Orangewood PCA in Maitland, Florida. In 1991, Mark and his wife, Tricia, founded University Presbyterian Church in Orlando. From 2007-2021, Mark served as senior pastor of Village Seven PCA in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Mark and Tricia have three daughters.

Get Involved

video

Ministry Expanding: Join a New Team in Southeast Asia

Longer More right-arrow
video

Join an Expanding Team in Occidental Mindoro

Longer More right-arrow
video

Madagascar: New Team Forming

Longer More right-arrow
video

The Joys, Challenges, and Lifelong Impact of Growing Up Overseas: A Conversation with Four Former Missionary Kids

Missionary kids grow up traveling to new places, eating good food, and meeting different types of people—all leading to an adventurous childhood full of opportunities to experience the beauty, diversity, and complexity of God’s great, big, wonderful world.

See More right-arrow
video

Timothy House: Church Planter Training in Community (VIDEO)

A two-year intensive church planter training model is producing fruit in Muslim-majority Senegal, where new churches are greatly needed.

See More right-arrow
video

Kiki Adams’ Call to Counseling in Thailand Unfolded in God’s Perfect Timing (VIDEO)

When Trey and Kiki moved to Thailand, Kiki put her gift for counseling on the shelf. Years later, the Lord made a way for her to use it.

See More right-arrow
video

What’s Really Needed to Serve in Global Missions? 7 Qualifications You Likely Already Have

Some perceived barriers are just weaknesses God can use. While others can be easily developed.

See More right-arrow
video

Do We Love the World as God Loves the World? (VIDEO)

In this talk from the 2024 Global Missions Conference, Lloyd Kim reminds us of God's sacrificial love. What are we to do in response?

See More right-arrow
video

The Slow Work of Waiting

Waiting stretches us. It tests our patience and humbles us. But God's plans go deeper, wider, and broader than we can imagine.

See More right-arrow
prev
next

Pray for missionary kids growing up overseas, and for missionary parents with concerns about the impact of missionary life on their kids.

Related Story right-arrow

Pray for the future church planters being trained in the Timothy House in Senegal. Pray also for recent graduates as they plant churches.

Related Story right-arrow

Pray for those being ministered to through missionary Kiki Adams' counseling ministry in Thailand, and for the Thai people being trained and equipped to counsel others.

Related Story right-arrow
video

Ministry Expanding: Join a New Team in Southeast Asia

Longer More right-arrow
video

Join an Expanding Team in Occidental Mindoro

Longer More right-arrow
video

Madagascar: New Team Forming

Longer More right-arrow
video

The Joys, Challenges, and Lifelong Impact of Growing Up Overseas: A Conversation with Four Former Missionary Kids

Missionary kids grow up traveling to new places, eating good food, and meeting different types of people—all leading to an adventurous childhood full of opportunities to experience the beauty, diversity, and complexity of God’s great, big, wonderful world.

See More right-arrow
video

Timothy House: Church Planter Training in Community (VIDEO)

A two-year intensive church planter training model is producing fruit in Muslim-majority Senegal, where new churches are greatly needed.

See More right-arrow
video

Kiki Adams’ Call to Counseling in Thailand Unfolded in God’s Perfect Timing (VIDEO)

When Trey and Kiki moved to Thailand, Kiki put her gift for counseling on the shelf. Years later, the Lord made a way for her to use it.

See More right-arrow
video

What’s Really Needed to Serve in Global Missions? 7 Qualifications You Likely Already Have

Some perceived barriers are just weaknesses God can use. While others can be easily developed.

See More right-arrow
video

Do We Love the World as God Loves the World? (VIDEO)

In this talk from the 2024 Global Missions Conference, Lloyd Kim reminds us of God's sacrificial love. What are we to do in response?

See More right-arrow
video

The Slow Work of Waiting

Waiting stretches us. It tests our patience and humbles us. But God's plans go deeper, wider, and broader than we can imagine.

See More right-arrow

Pray for missionary kids growing up overseas, and for missionary parents with concerns about the impact of missionary life on their kids.

Related Story right-arrow

Pray for the future church planters being trained in the Timothy House in Senegal. Pray also for recent graduates as they plant churches.

Related Story right-arrow

Pray for those being ministered to through missionary Kiki Adams' counseling ministry in Thailand, and for the Thai people being trained and equipped to counsel others.

Related Story right-arrow
close-icon

Donation Error

Please enter valid amount.

mtw logo
Mission to the World
1600 North Brown Rd
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
United States
Donor-Advised Fund Portal
Circle Portal
About
  • Who We Are
  • Where We Work
  • US Regional Reps
  • Our History
  • MTW Staff Careers
  • Contact Us
Pray
Stories & More
Events
My Account
  • My Account
    • My Giving
    • My Profile
    • Giving FAQs
Go
  • Search Opportunities
  • Mission Trips
  • Summer Internships
  • 1–11 Months
  • Longer Term
  • Join the Story
  • Specialized Ministries
    • Medical
    • Workplace Ministries
    • Arts, Music & Media
    • RUF Mentored Internships
  • Multicultural Mobilization
Give
  • Donations Hub
  • Missionaries
  • Projects
  • Estate & Gift Planning
  • Disaster Response/Compassion Fund
Resources
  • All Resources
  • Cultivate
  • Videos
  • 1% Challenge
  • Resources for Kids
image description
image description
image description
image description
image description
image description
1-678-823-0004
[email protected]
mtw logo
Mission to the World
1600 North Brown Rd
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
United States
Donor-Advised Fund Portal
Circle Portal
About arrow-down
    • Who We Are
    • Where We Work
    • US Regional Reps
    • Our History
    • MTW Staff Careers
    • Contact Us
Pray
Stories & More
Events
My Account arrow-dwn
    • My Account
      • My Giving
      • My Profile
      • Giving FAQs
Go arrow-dwn
    • Search Opportunities
    • Mission Trips
    • Summer Internships
    • 1–11 Months
    • Longer Term
    • Join the Story
    • Specialized Ministries
      • Medical
      • Workplace Ministries
      • Arts, Music & Media
      • RUF Mentored Internships
    • Multicultural Mobilization
Give arrow-dwn
    • Donations Hub
    • Missionaries
    • Projects
    • Estate & Gift Planning
    • Disaster Response/Compassion Fund
Resources arrow-dwn
    • All Resources
    • Cultivate
    • Videos
    • 1% Challenge
    • Resources for Kids
image description
image description
image description
image description
image description
image description
1-678-823-0004
[email protected]
Manage Consent

To provide the best experience, we use cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent may adversely affect certain features and functions. If you wish, you may view our privacy policy.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}