PART TWO of TWO
In the last article, we addressed some of the common misconceptions that missionaries and churches have about the furlough. You can refer to that article here.
When understood properly, the furlough can be a blessing to the missionary, to the supporters in North America, and to his ministry on the foreign field. A furlough done right can actually help to advance the work on the field.
Furlough can actually help to strengthen and indigenize the foreign church plant.
Acts 16:5 says, “and so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.” In context, Paul had been away from many of these churches that he had started and had returned to “see how they do” (Acts 15:36).
The leader’s absence has two effects:
- The local disciple is tested on his own and strengthened through resistance.
In Acts 16:5, the word ‘established’ means to solidify or confirm. It carries the idea of ‘making one strong’ or ‘to receive strength.’ When a muscle strains through weight training or resistance training, it is actually being torn. Sports science explains that strength is increased when the muscle heals. The greater the resistance, the greater the tearing, the greater the healing which leads to greater strength. A church planter/disciple maker is like the spotter at a gym. He can hold the weight if it’s too heavy, but only when you try to lift it on your own will you begin to see actual growth.
The missionary/church planter who truly desires to see his church plant become a mature, indigenous work, must be willing to see his people grow without creating dependency upon himself. The missionaries goal is to work himself out of a job. Taking a furlough gives the church plant an opportunity to face difficulties on their own and learn to lean on the Lord.
- The leader’s absence allows the leader to better gauge the growth and stability of the church plant.
All ministry presents an array of difficulties and challenges. Any area of life that involves working with people and their most intimate problems can get messy. A preacher often questions how much their preaching and teaching is actually getting through to their people. Take that common feeling and compound upon it the challenge of getting through to a people that speak a different language than your own!
I would say that one of the greatest challenges that missionaries face is not adjusting to life overseas, but rather discerning just how effectively you are communicating the truth of the Gospel to them. Most cultures will move heaven and earth to avoid offending their foreign guest, which means they will often agree with everything you say, even if they have no idea what you are talking about.
Paul would leave the churches he planted to grow on their own for a season. He would often leave behind a fellow-laborer to establish elders within the church. Paul was able, upon his return, to gauge just how much they truly understood and accepted. Most of Paul’s epistles are written to address concerns and to praise the positives that Paul discerned during his absences.
When the farmer plants a crop, he cultivates the field through extensive preparation leading up to the planting. After the seed takes root, the farmer is able to tend to other fields while the plant grows. The seed still has needs and God provides the needed rain and sun while the farmer will check up on it periodically. The farmer also understands that there are appropriate times, especially during harvest, to return to the field and spend more time on the field.
Paul understood that church planting is a process and it requires a team effort to effectively fulfill its objectives. He said, “I have water and Apollos planted.” More curiously, he told the church in Corinth that Christ had not sent him to baptize but to preach the gospel. He seemed to understand that God had gifted him in a very particular area for a specific task in the greater picture of missions. He left the follow up to other gifted men (either men from his team or other ministers like Apollos). If missionary church-planters would focus more on specific objectives in areas where they are gifted rather than trying to ‘do it all,’ I believe we would be far more effective and efficient in reaching the world and fulfilling the Great Commission. It’s God’s work. Let him handle the big picture.
Furlough will push the indigenous church to take ownership of the work and not to rest content in dependence upon the foreign missionary to do all the work.
An impending furlough also pushes the missionary to focus on intensive discipleship and the training of effective ministry partners to carry on the work in his absence.
Conclusion:
No missionary worth his salt would seek sympathy from their non-missionary counterparts by asking you to walk a mile in their shoes; he understands that God has not called every believer to mission work overseas. However, we would not be remiss in asking our family, friends and supporters to trust the methods and policies that missionary veterans and mission agencies have put into place. There’s a reason why every mission board allows for and often requires furloughs of their missionaries.
The secular world pays higher salaries to employees they send overseas. They not only account for higher expenses but for higher stress as well. The military also understands the need for furlough. Even though a tour of duty can last 3 to 4 years, they often limit the time a soldier actually spends overseas to under a year. Some military leaders are even pushing for a shorter 4-6-month limit of actual overseas deployment.
There is a toll that overseas living can and does take on the missionary. Most missionaries do not share this struggle with their supporters. Often they either do not recognize the toll it is actually taking or they sincerely do not want to complain about their life overseas. Most missionaries, and especially long-term missionaries, love their place of service and are content to serve on the foreign field, but no one is so strong or so spiritual that they never need a break to rejuvenate.
Although the missionary finds rest and rejuvenation on furlough, his ministry never ceases. His heart and mind are always on the ministry he has left behind. The missionary on furlough tirelessly travels his home country presenting the needs and opportunities for service on his mission field. He is ever praying for more laborers, seeking to encourage his supporters and give vision for the work of World Evangelism. Whether we call it furlough or home assignment, this ministry is essential to the work of missions at home and around the world.