"So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us." (1 Thes 2:6 NRSV)

Non-Western missionary force growing five times faster than West's

God is finding help in the Third World for global witness as American and European commitment wanes. So reports Dr. Larry Keyes, founder of Global MissionThrust21, in Assist News.

"The numbers of missionaries are far reduced in the U.S., Canada and Europe," Keyes says, while remarkably, "the missionary force from the non-Western World or Two-Thirds World is growing five times faster than the growth in the U.S. and Europe."

"Most people are going out short term, not career," Keyes notes. "Instead of sending out a dozen career missionaries from a church, now you might have only one go out for a full-time career. But, you might have 30-100 go out for two weeks in a summer," he adds.

Keyes isn't opposed to short term mission. But he does say the trend points to an obvious question of whether significant inroads into developing strong indigenous churches around the world can be made on a mainly youthful, short-term mission force. "The answer is no," he says. "To think a young person who doesn?t know the language or culture can impact Guatemala in only two weeks is a misnomer."

Presbyterians serve as full-time career missionaries in droves, though most of them find their homes in various mission agencies. The PC(USA)-sent missionary numbers are beginning to grow again, however. The PC(USA)'s Worldwide Ministries' Mission Service Recruitment Office maintains a Web-based listing of all available mission co-worker opportunities -- all of which are fully funded and ready to go, if only gifted people are located for the positions. As of today there are 18 available full-time positions in evangelism, global education, community development, health ministries, peace and justice, and interfaith dialogue.

PC(USA) Mission Co-Workers are mature Christians - not necessarily Presbyterians - who wish to live out their call to Jesus Christ through service alongside our church partners around the world. Beyond professional experience or credentials which match the position, candidates for these positions must have a commitment to Jesus Christ, be able to live a simple lifestyle and have previous intercultural experience and language acquisition skills. They must be willing to make a commitment to service, partnership and mutuality in the work they perform.

Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship holds that long-term career missionaries are essential for establishing vital, indigenous churches among unreached people groups. Will you consider your call to international, cross-cultural mission?

As Paul's letter to the Thessalonians puts it, only when we have Christians expressing love so deeply for those of another culture that we share not just a gospel message but the core of our own selves as well -- and that means long-term commitments -- will the Spirit of faith be freed to spread outward with joyful success, to the glory of God in Christ.

-- Dave Hackett