Resources for Missionary Recruits Online by Marty Andry, Doug Lucas, and Chris Bushnell

Chapter 1

Making Good Decisions

The "Will of God" Myth

Decision making is serious business. From the beginning of time men have been trying to discover a means whereby they can be sure they are making the right decisions. Magic, sorcery, ritual prostitution, worship, and manipulation of the gods have been some of the ways chosen to try to force the divine powers to make decisions in the worshiper's favor. The ancient Greeks and Stoics of Rome believed that we were in the control of Fate. Happiness could only be found in accepting Fate. But one never knew exactly what Fate had in mind.

Many Christians today operate the same way. A common misbelief is that God has a plan for each person. If that plan is not followed, then the person will be miserable and unfulfilled. The major problem in this concept is that we can never be sure if we are in the "perfect will of God" or "in the center of God's will." Various schemes are suggested to get God to either do what we want him to do or to find out exactly what he wants us to do. For people who hold this position it is acceptable to change location, occupation, move to a larger church or better paying position, or even choose a new life mate. All of this is credited to "the will of God." "God showed me that I was in the wrong place" or "God revealed to me that I should divorce my wife and marry this other woman because she was the one he intended for me to have all along."

First, let's look at God's personality for a moment. One veteran missionary explains it like this:

God is a father, not a three year old child. Yet, so often, when it comes to discerning His will, Christians tend to forget this obvious truth. When our son was three years old, he came to me and said, "I want 'gi–guy.'"

"Martha," I called, "What's a 'gi–guy'?"

"What are you talking about? " she responded.

"Well, Jeremy wants a 'gi–guy', and I don't know what he means."

"Try giving him a glass of water and see if that satisfies him."

And so the age old process began, a game known to every young parent which we will call, "Guess What Baby Wants." The water did not satisfy him, nor did the toy nor the cookie which I offered him. In fact I never did find out what 'gi–guy' was.

So often a similar game takes place as Christians seek to discern the will of God. They seem to detect some obscure message from Him and become bogged down in the hopeless task of trying to figure out what it is He wants. As with the efforts to understand the three year old son, these Christians' efforts will more likely end in feelings of futility, frustration, and insecurity than in any real peace that they are walking in God's will.

On the other hand, my communication with my earthly father followed a different pattern. If when I was a teen, my father asked me to take out the garbage, it was quite unlikely that I would turn to my brother and say, "You know, I have this feeling that my father is trying to tell me something, but I don't know what it is."I assure you, if my father wanted me to take out the garbage, he was more than capable of making his will clearly known.

Of course there are other matters to consider. If I had my walkman on and the volume was on high, chances are I would never hear my father's orders to take out the garbage. Or if I was seldom at home, stayed out late at night, slept in late in the morning and rushed off too quickly to even have breakfast, I would have had a hard time knowing what my father had to say to me. But as long as I was in a position to hear, I never had to guess what Dad wanted of me.

So, in making good decisions, the question is not, "How do I know God's will?" The question is "How do I make good decisions?" Three areas are involved in making good decisions.

Knowledge of the Scriptures

Anyone who has built model airplanes or cars, run a computer, assembled a bicycle or an electric train will tell you one all important procedure––Before doing anything, read the directions. Christians have been given a master plan, a divinely inspired guidebook in which God provides the foundational directions for life. No Christian should make any decision that is going to affect the rest of his life, such as career or marriage, without first consulting the "directions."

One veteran missionary, Timothy, was advised by the inspired master missionary, Paul, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of God." (2 Timothy 2:15)

In the same book, Paul advises Timothy concerning the place of Scripture by telling him:

"All Scripture is inspired by God (God breathed) and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

Timothy had been involved in missionary work for more than 20 years. He was the closest friend and colleague of the Apostle Paul. Of all the men who traveled with Paul, Timothy was closest to his heart. After 20 years of faithful service, though, Paul uses his last letter to Timothy to call him back to the basics.

"Be diligent"––Keep your mind active, alert, and alive. Keep your focus where it needs to be––on God's word and God's business.

"To present yourself approved to God"––presented to the One who must be all–important in one's life, the only One from whom we need approval. It is His approval for which we are looking.

"As a workman . . . not ashamed"— Recognize that we are workmen who are committed to a task which means we will give it our all. We do not want to be ashamed; thus we will give the task our very best. What is our work?

"Handling accurately the word of God"—Read all of 1 and 2 Timothy again to see the list of deceptive, false, and immoral practices that were in operation under the guise of religion, perhaps some even claiming to be Christian. Most of these false practices are still in operation today all around the world Only by diligent study of the word of God can we keep on the right track. The scriptures must be our standard, our criteria, our canon, for every decision we make. An emotional high or low is hardly a sufficient basis on which to make a life–affecting decision.

"All Scripture is inspired by God"––Scripture comes from God through his inspired writers, prophets, poets, kings, apostles and others. The high place of Scripture can never be over–emphasized. God's instructions are clear. But we will have to study to tap this unending resource. Our concern is to determine how we will execute that will in our lives.

"Profitable"––Knowledge of God's inspired word brings great dividends to the believer. Some of these dividends are physical, but the most important are spiritual dividends.

"That the man (or woman) of God may be adequate"—Isn't that what we are striving for––to be adequate? We attend school for 12–20 years so that we can be adequate. We eat the right foods and exercise the right amount so that we can be adequate. Knowledge of the word of God is the only way we can ever hope to be adequate as workers in the Kingdom of God.

"Equipped"––Why are we Christians? Jesus said in his final declarations "Go, Make Disciples," and "You shall be my witnesses!"

In the small community of Clifton, Colorado, in a rather insignificant building, some of the finest fire trucks in Colorado are built. There are not very many, though, because they are all hand built — no assembly line. What makes them so special? These fire trucks are well equipped, designed by men who fight fires every week. They know what is needed on a good fire truck.

We are facing a major crisis, perhaps the greatest crisis that has faced the church through all of her history. Evolutionary thinking, materialism, existentialism, Eastern religions, pluralism, biblical criticism, situational ethics, and unrestrained immorality are threatening to devour the church. It is imperative that we are equipped with the word of God to meet this crisis.

"For every good work"––So you think you want to be a cross–cultural worker or a missionary? Is that a good work? If it is, then a diligent study of God's word will have a major impact in preparing you for that work.

The Holy Scriptures show us God's will. As relates to missionary work two famous passages need to be kept in mind:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) "The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

God did not love just 20% or 50% or even 80% of the world. John says he loved the WORLD. God showed how serious he was when He cared enough to send the most valuable person he had. No thing or person is as valuable as the Son of God. So we can ask, "Does God care? How serious is His commitment?"

Then we must ask ourselves, "Do I care? How serious is my commitment?" God wishes that no one should perish. But He has left the responsibility in the hands of his Church of which you are a part.

The apocryphal story is told of the day Jesus returned to heaven after his resurrection. He was met by the archangels Gabriel and Michael. They were concerned about how things had gone. When Jesus had finished elaborating on his years on earth and his victory over the devil, Gabriel asked, "What now, Lord?"

Jesus answered, "I have left the rest of the world to be reached by 12 men."

Michael was amazed and questioned Jesus, "What happens if they fail. After all they are only men?"

Jesus replied, "I have no other plan."

Prayer

Jesus, along with the writers of the New Testament, recommended, commanded and practiced prayer.

Early in his ministry, Jesus told the disciples,

"Ask and you shall be given; Seek and you shall find; Knock and the door shall be opened to you." (See Luke 11:9–13)

James, the brother of the Lord, wrote in his epistle,

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)

As a prospective missionary, you need wisdom to make decisions correctly. James says to ask for such wisdom, having faith that God will provide such wisdom.

Jesus also specifically commanded us to pray for workers for the Harvest (Matthew 9:37–38). Sometimes we discover that we are the answer to our own prayers. In John 14:13–14 and I John 5:14–15 we are told that we will receive whatever we ask for, as long as we are obedient to Christ and seeking to do His will.

Prayer is our communication with our heavenly Father. He will answer our prayers. Sometimes the answers may come in the lightning and the thunder. Martin Luther discovered that. More often though, the answers come as they did to Elijah, in a still small voice. Abraham was visited by angels and Jonah had a time of great soul searching while studying the inner anatomy of a fish's digestive tract. Be assured that God will give you the wisdom and guidance you need. Just remain open to that guidance. But He will not make the decision for you. That will be your responsibility.

Good counselors

Consultation is big business today. Schools, governments, industry, and projects spend millions of dollars in consultation fees. Whenever we face a serious medical problem, we are advised to seek "a second opinion." An eminently wise man who lived almost a thousand years before Christ left several books with gems of wisdom. Concerning counseling and counselors, he had this to say:

"Where there is no guidance, the people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is victory." (Proverbs 11:14)

"Through presumption comes nothing but strife, but with those who receive counsel is wisdom." (Proverbs 13:10)

"Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed." (Proverbs 15:22)

"Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days." (Proverbs 19:20)

"Prepare plans by consultation, and make war by wise guidance." (Proverbs 20:18)

"For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory." (Proverbs 24:6)

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel." (Proverbs 12:15)

Summing up these proverbs we can say that failing to use counselors shows that we are presumptuous and fools. The results will be strife, frustration and failure. But using wise counselors provides wisdom, victory, and success.

What does this mean to you? It means you need to talk to your minister, elders, and missionaries as well as other experts on the area you in which you are interested. From good friends and family members discover both your strengths and weaknesses. You may be in for some surprises in both areas. Don't let tunnel–vision distort reality. Respect the wisdom of older people even when it seems to be contrary to what you thought to be true.

Providence of God

Sometimes things happen that we cannot attribute to coincidence. A few years ago, a young lady walked into the office of the director of a mission agency. She held in her hand maps, pamphlets and demographic studies of her favorite country, Ireland. She said, "It's time you consider Ireland as a mission field. The director was in a hurry to leave for a speaking engagement at a Bible college, but he felt he could not put her off so he discussed it with her and prayed with her. But deep in his heart, he didn’t think that Ireland qualified as a mission field.

A few hours later he arrived at the college. One of the first people he met was a young man who wanted to be a missionary in Ireland. The mission director opened his eyes, did his research and found that Ireland was considered to be the least evangelical English-speaking nation in the world. Within a year, that mission agency's first missionaries arrived there to begin church-planting.

Another young lady wanted to be a missionary in Latin America. When she returned to her college from summer recess, she found that she had been assigned a roommate from the People's Republic of China. They became close and soon, the young girl began to eat, sleep and breathe China. She decided to go to China as a missionary.

There are times when God speaks to us through the circumstances that he sets up in our lives. One of the most vivid biblical examples of Providence is the story of Esther. We never read the name of God in the entire book. God does not speak to Esther audibly, but He put her in circumstances where she knew that she was the chosen one for the task of going to her husband, the king, on behalf of her people. She could have said,"Well, God hasn't really told me that he wants me to save his people, so maybe I shouldn't risk it. "Her uncle Mordecai said to her,"Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Who knows whether or not God orchestrated the housing officials at the school to put the Chinese girl with our friend or whether he caused those to people interested in Ireland to speak to the mission director on the same day. But in each case, God used the situations to bring good news to people in Ireland and China.

The great missionary Praying Hyde was handed a note as he boarded ship for India. The very fact he was on his way to the mission field demonstrated how spiritual he was, or so he thought. The note said, "You will be a good missionary when you are filled with the Holy Spirit." Hyde wadded up the note and threw it down, furious that anyone should question his spirituality. But soon he was overcome by the fact that he needed the Holy Spirit in his life. He fell to his knees and began to pray. The rest of the story is history. The rest of our lives is up to Him.

Questions to consider...

• What is God saying to you about His will for your life through His Word?
• Have you really, really asked Him to speak clearly to you?
• What are your Christian friends telling you you're good at? Where do "God's great hunger and your deepest gladness meet?"
• What circumstances seem to be guiding you these days? Instead of coincidence, could some of them be "God-incidents"?

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