The troubled voice of a tender-hearted Christian queried, “Is God not calling people to be missionaries anymore?”

Michael Berbin, veteran missionary to Aibai in the bush of Papua New Guinea has a ready answer. “God is calling people, but they are not going.”

God continues to stir many hearts to consider going into cross-cultural gospel ministry. Why does commitment wane? Not all obstacles to getting there are sin, but there are very real hindrances, nonetheless. Raising your awareness about seven common obstacles may help you see potential pitfalls ahead of time and avoid them.

The book of Proverbs describes the prudent and far-sighted person. He sees the spiritual danger ahead, knows the consequences of choices, and takes precaution. The simple-minded don’t take heed and suffer (Proverbs 22:3). Our enemy aggressively lays traps to keep us from commitment to go and serve Jesus. We must be alert to the distractions and aware of the devices he uses to hinder us. What are some of these?

1. Debt

Many young adults passionate about missions end up taking on serious debt while in college or seminary. Some get married while in school, and so follows the purchase of a home, the arrival of little ones, and all that family life entails. All through their college years and young married life, they pray earnestly about missions and seek counsel, and yet many never get around to a commitment to actually go. Why is this? The debt trap has handicapped their freedom.

If you are young or a young married couple that seeks to go into missions, do all that you can to remain aware of the danger of debt. Avoiding debt might require hard decisions. Make them. Debt binds the feet of those desirous of taking the Gospel to the nations because it hinders freedom of movement. Granted, some debt is unavoidable, but prudence can help us keep debt to a minimum.

If you have debt, I encourage you to do all you can to eliminate it quickly to free yourself for ministry. God will help you!

2. Procrastination

Some just never get around to it. Procrastination is delaying or putting off something important. It is well-known that young men and women today often find it difficult to make commitments, which is why Kevin DeYoung wrote his book, Just Do Something!

For some, the multitude of options is dizzying. It is true that opportunities to serve are endless. Know your gifts and desires, seek godly counsel, and make the decision! There is a sense in which making a commitment is an act of faith. In my experience, God opens and closes doors as we move forward.

3. Singleness

Some wrongfully assume that there is no place for a single young adult to serve in missions, especially young men. God gives a high place to single servants of God in Scripture: Jesus, Paul, and Barnabas were single. Our culture, however, has often relegated single adults to waiting on the sidelines. They are seen as less mature or less qualified as worthy of serving the Lord in significant ways.

Certainly, some circumstances of ministry need to be considered carefully for singles, and there are specific vulnerabilities and temptations that must be avoided. But this did not stop New Testament Christians from going for the gospel while unmarried. Did not Paul himself argue very strongly the benefits of being a single servant of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 7:25-40)?

Find an appropriate situation! Work with a team! Singleness is not a true obstacle.

4. Fear of risk, the unknown

Most of us have grown up in relatively secure, controlled, and comfortable circumstances. The idea of launching out into cross-cultural missions and living in uncertain and potentially dangerous situations engenders fear. We need to remember the words of Jesus about following Him (Luke 9:23-26). We must understand that being a servant of the Gospel means willingness to embrace suffering in whatever form it comes (2 Corinthians 4).

Commitment to gospel ministry is a commitment to self-denial, even setting aside some good things if those get in the way of effective ministry for Jesus’ sake (1 Corinthians 9).

5. Unwilling spouse

For some of us, an unwise marriage becomes a trap. Marriage to an unconsecrated believer who does not share the same level of commitment to Christ, or someone who does not share the same desires for service for the Lord, can lead to disappointment. It is disheartening to hear of men and women held back from serving in cross-cultural missions because either the husband or the wife is simply unwilling to commit. Those who have felt called into a certain ministry and yet fall into this trap may deal with regret and bitterness.

Conversely, the influence of a godly wife upon her husband can be profoundly good. Ladies, enable your husband and co-labor with him for Jesus’ sake!

If you are already married, your main commitment for service includes your spouse’s gifts and desires. It may be God will later work in his or her heart. The influence of a godly wife upon her husband

If you are still single, avoid romantic involvement with someone who does not share your same level of willingness and desire to serve Jesus wherever He leads.

6. Pornography

This trap is an especially devastating one. Sexual immorality and pornography strip many of us from our moral courage and our experiential knowledge of the Gospel’s power. Enslavement to these sins steals an individual’s heart for God.

Recently, I received a blog article from a missions organization that highlighted how pornography is severely damaging our Christian young people, making them unfruitful for God in their youth. The result is loss of any real potential in going for the gospel or having greater usefulness for God.

If you are struggling with these temptations, run to Christ and to pastoral leadership for help and accountability. Do whatever it takes, right now, to obtain victory from this evil. Be restored and cleansed by the grace of Christ and become useful for the Lord!

7. Deputation

Some hesitate because they are unwilling to raise financial support. We see the time required by some to raise support, and we consider it wasteful, a burden that is too heavy. While we might argue for better ways to handle raising support, the main issue here is not really a practical one about raising support. It involves the heart. We must lay down our rights to our desires and preferences and serve our Lord (1 Corinthians 9)!

Also, make sure that you are not thinking wrongly about deputation. Consider listening to this podcast: The Deputation Model: Is it Broken? or reading this article about what deputation can be.

Is something hindering you?

This article was first published on Commissioned: Extending Grace to the Nations.

Photo by Yann Allegre on Unsplash