What Is A Missionary?

What Is A Missionary?

"Missionary" is derived from missio, a Latin word that means "sending." A missionary is a Christian who goes or is sent away from home to share the Gospel with non-Christians. Apostle Paul was a missionary, as were Silas, Barnabas, Apollos, etc.

What is a vocational missionary?

Also known as a “tentmaker,” a vocational missionary is a missionary who financially supports himself or herself through secular labor (e.g., teaching English, operating a coffee shop, etc.). History's most famous vocational missionary is the apostle Paul, who made and sold tents (see Acts 18:3) at times during his missionary journeys to provide for not only himself but even for other Christians (see Acts 20:34). A "supported missionary," on the other hand, is financially supported by other Christians directly, through a church and/or a missions board.

What is an indigenous missionary?

An indigenous missionary is a missionary who goes to another region of his or her own country to share the Gospel with non-Christians among his or her own people. About two-thirds of the world's missionaries are indigenous, while one-third are "cross-cultural" missionaries who go to a different country or culture to share the Gospel with non-Christian foreigners. An inspiring recent example of the latter is John Allen Chau.

Who isn’t a missionary?

A "missionary" who doesn't share the Gospel with non-Christians isn't a missionary. For example, a Christian doctor who goes abroad to provide free medical care but does not share the Gospel is a humanitarian, while a Christian teacher who draws a salary to go abroad and teach at an international school, attends an expat church and joins its Bible study group is an expatriate, neither a missionary nor a humanitarian.