Confessions of a Reluctant Home Missionary

One of the best books on church planting in my opinion is a short work by Mark Driscoll, founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle and a leader of the ACTS29 church planting network. The title of this honest and straightforward book is Confessions of a Reformational Rev. His transparent treatment of his journey as a church planter inspires me to write the following personal comments about yours truly.

As a new home missionary (every Christian is a missionary according to the Scriptures), I have several things I need to confess to my readers and supporters.


Confession number 1: I had to overcome the fear of asking people to support my ministry.

A little voice inside me said, “Don’t ask, because people you know will refuse, or even worse, be offended.” But God showed us that he indeed will work through people we know, even without our asking. As I studied and read about faith missionaries, I learned that building a ministry partner team is not about me, it’s about asking people to give to God working through me and to pray. God has me on a journey of moving from fear to faith (1 Chr. 28:20). You might say I’m overcoming the fear of asking each day as I do ask people to partner with us in ministry.

Confession number 2: I had to become convinced that being a faith missionary doesn’t mean I am begging for support.

I guess I’ve seen too many men and women with their shopping carts and plastic bags standing on the street corners of Bellingham, Washington close to where we live holding up cardboard and crayon signs that say something like, “Please help – anything – candles, food, God bless.” I know that’s not what missionaries do, but when I am the one that needs to ask, it is another story. I am learning that we are asking people to become partners with us in God’s ministry (Phil. 4:10-19). Why shouldn’t ask our friends to join with us in doing God’s work? And, I am learning that I am asking to minister to others.

Confession number 3: I really have a hard time trusting God to meet my needs, really.

In the past I have trusted God to provide through a regular pay check, either from a job or from a ministry. But now I am learning that we are trusting God for whatever he sends through others. I had to dig deep, and when I did I discovered that pride and a spirit of self-reliance was getting in the way of saying yes to faith missions work. Now, God has to show up big time, and when he does as Jehovah Jirah (The LORD, the Provider – Genesis 22:14), it’s all about Him! I have preached on Abraham’s story in Genesis 22, but now God is giving me the opportunity to practice what I preach. I am learning that God really honors faith and it pleases Him when I rely on God alone (Heb. 11:6). I want above all to please God.

Confession number 4: I had to stop telling myself that I am getting too old for this.

When I began considering a faith ministry where I would need to build a ministry support team, I we told that it’s much more difficult to raise your support when you are my age than when you are much younger. I even began to tell that to myself, and often! Here’s wheat is replacing “you’re too old.” Do I really believe what God says about prayer (Eph. 3:20-21)? Do I really believe that the Lord provided for Abraham after he turned 99 years old (Gen 21-22)? Do I really believe that God doesn’t look at the outward appearance (including age) when he wants to use men and women (and me) for his work (1 Sam. 16:7)?

And so, we are on a journey of faith, and are inviting others to join us in ministry along the way.