The Path to Being a Missionary A Guide for the Aspiring
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
Assessing Missionary Readiness Through Character, Conviction, and Competency
Should I become a missionary? Many who ask this question have a genuine love for Christ and a desire to live out the Great Commission. Yet even good intentions can sometimes cloud the judgment of our abilities, and personal ambition can make it difficult to keep our eyes fixed on what is necessary for the glory of Christ and the building of his kingdom. The decision to pursue missions should not be shaped by impulse or idealism but by discernment, prayer, godly counsel, and immersion in the local church.
In The Path to Being a Missionary, Ryan Robertson and Matt Bennett lay out practical advice and questions for readers as they consider if missionary work is the right fit for them. Through each concise chapter, readers will consider preparation for a life of service while honestly evaluating their character, convictions, and competencies. Rather than asking, Am I called? Robertson and Bennett urge men and women to ask the more important question: Am I qualified?
- Valuable Church Resource: Serves as a helpful guide for churches in the sending process, offering insights from experienced missions leaders
- Offers an Honest Perspective: Urges men and women to set aside personal intentions to determine if they are truly qualified for a life in missions
- Practical and Action Oriented: Features concise chapters that spur reflection, prayer, and tangible next steps
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- Lays out practical advice and questions to help readers discern if missionary work is the right fit.
- Urges men and women to evaluate their character, convictions, and competencies.
- Serves as a helpful guide for local churches to use during the missionary sending.
Foreword
Introduction: So You Desire to Be a Missionary?
Part 1: Consider Your Character
Chapter 1: Love the Glory of God
Chapter 2: Cultivate Gospel Awe
Chapter 3: Put Sin to Death
Chapter 4: Pursue Disciplined Holiness
Chapter 5: Be Teachable
Chapter 6: Serve Your Local Church
Chapter 7: Be Qualified
Chapter 8: Keep a Pulse on Your Motivations
Chapter 9: Pursue Mentorship
Chapter 10: Say Follow Me as I Follow Christ
Chapter 11: Learn Contentedness in Waiting
Chapter 12: Work as Unto the Lord not As the Lord
Part 2: Consider Your Convictions
Chapter 13: Consider Seminary
Chapter 14: Do Theology with the Help of the Great Cloud of Witnesses
Chapter 15: Know the Triune God and His Imposters
Chapter 16: Know What the Church Is & Does
Chapter 17: Know the Mission of the Church
Chapter 18: Keep Scripture Central
Chapter 19: Celebrate God’s Sovereignty
Chapter 20: Rightly Esteem Culture
Chapter 21: Understand & Apply Theological Triage
Part 3: Consider Your Competencies
Chapter 22: Distinguish What the Gospel Is & Does
Chapter 23: Estimate Your Capacity for Language Learning
Chapter 24: Measure Your Cultural Agility
Chapter 25: Disciple Others
Chapter 26: Do an Internship
Chapter 27: Consider a Training Program
Chapter 28: Choose a Lane
Chapter 29: Choose an Agency
Chapter 30: Choose a Job, Location, & Team
Conclusion
What exactly is the path to becoming a missionary? Thankfully, that question is well answered in this work produced by Ryan Robertson and Matt Bennett. The Path to Being a Missionary is incredibly helpful, and it should be of particular interest to Christians considering the call of God to missions. At the same time, all Christians will be greatly edified by reading this book and come to a deeper understanding of our gospel call to the nations.
-R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
This book is a treasure for those who are thinking through missions as a goer or sender. Robertson and Bennett have the history, skill sets, and love for the church that make this book eminently practical, easy to read, and biblically grounded. By God’s grace, it will be a blessing to many in the church and especially to the nations.
-Brooks Buser, President, Radius International
The Path to Being a Missionary is the kind of book I want in the hands of anyone asking, “Is the Lord leading me to the nations?” Robertson and Bennett wisely and pastorally aim you toward what really matters: Christlike character, biblical convictions, and proven competency—all tested, clarified, and affirmed in the context of the local church. If you want a practical, theological, church-centered guide that will steady, clarify, and amplify your ambitions—and strengthen sending churches—this is it.
-Nate Akin, Executive Director, Pillar Network