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By: Robert E. Zink
September 2, 2024
One of the critical intersections between the life of Christ and the life of Christ's followers is His pronouncement of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). It is at this point, just before His ascension and while still physically present with His creation, that the Lord Jesus Christ gives vital instructions for the continuation of the work that He has started. While the outcome of that work depends upon the work of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 14:16-18), the responsibility for engaging in that work lies with those who profess to follow Him (like you and I).
Many obstacles confront the engagement of this call, obstacles that have the potential to prevent the Great Commission from being accomplished. That's why Christ's words, "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age," at the end of the commissioning is such a great comfort. Were it not for His presence, protection, and provision, the Great Commission would remain unfulfilled. However, as we obey what the Lord has called us to in the Great Commission, we see the potential for roadblocks that can obstruct that work. Though there are many, one of the primary obstacles missions organizations cite in their efforts to accomplish the Great Commission is a lack of qualified missionaries (1).
There exists a combination of fewer candidates and a lack of training, which means that churches and organizations looking for pastors and missionaries are struggling. Though many articulate the effect (lack of qualified servants), few are able to articulate the cause of the effect, and until a cause is determined, a solution cannot be determined. Though such a discussion will not be exhausted here (likely taking hundreds of hours of research and reams of paper), a discussion can begin here. The difficulty in finding qualified missionaries (and pastors) may be unprecedented, but some basic observations allow us to plot a new course.
In these circumstances, the first indictment often made is against seminaries and Bible colleges for not raising up more trained individuals desiring to head to the field of ministry (whether at home or abroad). There is truth to the claim that this once plentiful source of recruits to ministry is drying up. Priorities for many Bible colleges have changed so that the focus has broadened to include degree programs in a wide array of disciplines outside of ministry. On the part of these schools, the broadening of degree programs is part of the survival strategy, noting that financially, many would not survive without attracting a range of students, resulting in more students interested in other disciplines and the production of fewer students engaged in vocational ministry. The impact of that particular move means this once productive resource no longer yields the recruits that it once did.
While many choose to lay blame on the steps of Bible schools and colleges, I think the changing priorities of schools are simply a reflection of the changing priorities of churches. Most often, the roots of a desire to enter ministry (whether as pastors or missionaries) begin not in the educational system but in the church (2). Our God has chosen the New Testament church as one of his means for inclining hearts toward Him, creating disciples who love God and desire to glorify Him. In the fleeting accountability and floundering discipleship that has infiltrated many churches today, the result is less of an inclination toward the Lord and more of an inclination toward self (3). Therefore, the people being sent from our church pews into the classroom chairs are already less inclined towards entering formal ministry to serve the Lord.
However, just as the issue of fewer missionaries from schools is indicative of issues within the church, it points towards something further down the line . . . the family. In His instructions to Israel, the Lord has ordained the family as a means to raise up disciples (Deuteronomy 6:4-7). The importance of the family in raising up God-following servants is further established in the New Testament. At the risk of over-generalizing, this role of shepherding and stewarding children is largely overlooked in the home. In fact, for many of us, we’ve delegated those critical responsibilities to others(schools, churches, etc.). But a parent's love for a child is the strongest motivator, and so in deferring these responsibilities, we've not only assigned them to others who may be less disposed to this role but also not given it reinforcements at home even if it is done well. In its place, many parents are cultivating children who are desirous of jobs that offer better pay, less stress, more benefits, and so on (especially compared to the ministry). I believe, in many cases, the motives here are noble, wanting the best that society has to offer for our children. However, this is not always God's best for them (but that is for another discussion). The point here is that the people being sent into the world by churches are a result of the people being sent into the churches by families.
I know that's a long way to get to the point: there is a common agreement that there are fewer qualified individuals for missions. However, I want us to think more about the root of the problem, seeing it's not merely the result of a change in school priorities. Instead, those schools are responding to the desires of those being sent to them, telling us there has been a change in church priorities. Yet, not even that is the end of the line: ultimately, it’s a demonstration of the changing priorities of families.
It's one thing to identify a problem. It's quite another to respond to it. As I write this, I do so not as an indictment against groups or churches but as a means to provoke thought and ask, ‘How do we respond?’
And that’s what I will address in the follow-up article to this.
(1) The lack of qualified servants is not a problem exclusive to missions but is cited as one of the primary impacts on the stability of the local church as well.
(2) Please understand that I’m not saying the Lord never utilizes circumstances in college to generate a desire for vocational ministry, especially as someone who comes to Christ while enrolled; however, we must also acknowledge that all believers are to be tied to a local church and through this institution the Lord influences people.
(3) I don’t have time to explore this, but books like Triumph of the Therapeutic by Philip Rieff and Psychology as Religion by Paul Vitz offer thought-provoking arguments for this.
