I am going to broach this subject only because I have spent the last twelve years on the field.  It may be inferred that I am anti-missionary in these posts on missionaries so I will state more than once that I am not anti-missionary.  Unfortunately, the attitudes and philosophical problems I have encountered have not been isolated.  They are prevalent.

American pastors and American churches, in general, are generous.  This is not a fault, but rather a gift (II Corinthians 8 -9).  Missionaries (men starting churches) and missions giving is not an unaddressed subject in the New Testament.  Acts is chock full of missions.

Philippians 4 is a missions chapter.  The famous Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply your all your need…” is a verse directly talking about missions support.  Paul tells the Philippians that God will supply all their need because they are giving to missions.

II Corinthians 8 talks directly about the “grace” of giving.  Paul tells the Corinthians in verse 7 to abound in faith, teaching/preaching, knowledge, diligence, love…and giving!

I do not want to address giving at this point, but I simply want to point out that it is clearly in the Bible.  What I want to address is the modern profession of “missionary”.

I address this not because I am without fault in this area.  I address this because I have accrued a little tenure as a missionary and because my father is a pastor who has dealt with missionaries and missions for years.

Somewhere along the line, “missionaries” have become professional “Christian” welfare-recipients.  A welfare-recipient is one who expects and even demands someone else take care of his needs.  I think many pastors may secretly harbor these feelings, but do not feel it would be correct in addressing it publicly or in a public forum because they have never lived on a foreign field.  They feel used, abused and are continuously thrown under the guilt-trip bus by missionaries.  For all of those pastors, let me address the welfare-recipient missionary.  Like it or lump it.  It will take more than one post, but we have to begin somewhere…

Paul was a tentmaker as we know.  He worked a job to compensate or complement the gifts (financial support) that were given by the churches to sustain him.  He had a profession and knew how to labor outside of starting churches.

I understand there are many places that do not allow the “foreign missionary” to pull an income in the local economy.  We live in one such place.  I am not necessarily addressing the subject of support, but rather, of labor and secular profession.

I am not saying one must have a secular profession in order to be a missionary.  I am saying, one must have proven himself to be able to work a secular profession before he relies on the gifts of others to sustain him.

“Missionary” has become a career and not a ministry.  I have to admit that I am sick and tired of hearing that Mr. “career-missionary” has to go back to the States to raise more money.  Just sick and tired of it.  Sick and tired.  Paul said, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am…”  And that was in the chapter on missions giving.

If I were a pastor, I would support no missionary who had not proven that he can take care of himself without the welfare system of missions giving.  We don’t need Christian Bernie Sanders’ out there who have never worked an 8 or 10 or 12 hour a day job, who just vacuum up the support of hard-working Americans.  We don’t need professional Bill Clintons who have never lived by the sweat of their brow representing us on the mission field.  I am a currently a pastor and I don’t support these welfare lifers.

Pastors, check with the secular bosses of these missionaries coming through.  Stop judging them by their political speeches (presentations), their dress, their savvy, their talent, their oratory.  You never would have supported Moses.  Nor Elisha.  Nor probably Paul.  Talk to their secular bosses and see if they are legit “tentmakers” or simply professional welfare recipients in the name of missions.

So ends part 1…