Interactions between churches, pastors, and missionaries should be relationship-based, not transactional. As a lead pastor, I wanted to pursue a relationship with missionaries, but I did not always do a good job. Honestly, sometimes, all it felt like was a check we wrote and a thank you we received.
I’ve lived on the other side of the equation for the last eight years. During this time, I have learned several things that have encouraged me from pastors and churches, and I believe they will encourage the missionaries you support.
Do you want your interactions to be based on a relationship rather than a transaction? Then maybe you should pursue these eight steps.
First, sign up for their communications. When they visit your church, ask them how you can get the most people on their email communication list. Encourage your church to sign up on their list. If they do not have a planned visit soon, contact them, letting them know you have people who want to sign up for their updates. This will let them know how much you value hearing about their ministry.
Second, read their communications. This may sound obvious, but if you and your church sign up for their updates, make it a priority to open the email and read it. I have close to 500 people on my weekly “3 Ways to Pray” email that is sent every Monday morning. We feel blessed for the many people who have signed up to pray for us.
Did you know we can see who opens the email? Most missionaries use a platform that tells them who reads their communications. Please don’t let that scare you away from signing up. We usually see a 50–60 % open rate, which most people believe is an incredible number of people reading our communication.
I will tell you, your missionaries will be so encouraged if you open their communication. It might encourage them to do it more often, which leads to our next step.
Third, respond to their communication. Email them back. Let them know you read it and are praying for them. I sent our weekly email this morning and have already received a few responses back. I love that. It encourages me that they opened it, read it, and are thinking about what I shared. Sometimes, I will ask our team how we can pray for them. I might get a couple of requests. But let me tell you, we mean it. That is a relationship. We want to pray for others as they are praying for us.
Fourth, engage them on social media. Like, follow, or subscribe to their social media. Do what you can to use technology to make the world a smaller place. Comment on their posts. Help them increase their ability to influence people. Redeem this means of communication for genuine relationships that flow from gospel partnership.
There is a word of caution here. Be wise. If you have a missionary who engages in tough places and there are security issues, don’t post that online.
Fifth, send birthday and anniversary cards. Find a way to encourage them on their special days. Send one or dozens of cards from the church. Put one person in charge, have everyone bring a card, and send them all at once so they get a package with 20 or 30 cards in it. Do something special to let them know you are thinking of them.
Sixth, send someone to care for their soul. Create space and room in your budget to send someone for a few days to spoil them and care for their soul. Ask them questions about their heart for ministry.
Can I be honest? If they feel your engagements with them are transactional, then questions about ministry and their servants’ hearts will not go over well. If you are not doing the first five steps, this one will be tough. Help them feel safe so they don’t have to put on a show for you. Genuinely care for them.
Seventh, meet some wants, not just needs. Don’t always make it about what they need. Ask them what they want. You and I may take things that they cannot get in their country for granted.
One time, I was visiting a missionary, and I asked them what they really wanted me to bring them. You should have seen their kids’ smiles when they came out for breakfast the morning after I arrived, and there were five boxes of their favorite cereals. Not expensive. Not a big deal for me. But it meant the world to them.
Eighth, pray for and with them. This should seem obvious, but let me say it anyway. When they share requests, stop what you are doing and pray. Let them know you are praying. Maybe even see if you can find special nights from time to time and Zoom with them to pray for them. Depending on their location, what would it mean to them if you Zoomed them in on a Sunday morning service to have your church pray for them?
I am sure there are more things you can do, but this is just a start. I’m pretty sure this is what the Apostle Paul felt from the church at Phillipi. Read these words from Philippians 4:15–16.
“And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.”
It’s no wonder Paul rejoiced at their gospel partnership at the beginning of the book. And I’m pretty sure if you followed these steps and others, your missionaries will rejoice in you, not for the check, but because of the true partner they have in you.