Welcome to the Table: An Invitation to Participate Beyond “Goer or Sender”

You may have heard that when it comes to missions, “You’re either a goer or a sender.” But what if that’s not true? What if your unique giftings and skills have prepared you to participate in cross-cultural ministry in a way that’s outside of those two boxes—a way that’s beyond serving on the field or being part of a cross-cultural worker’s support team?

God has diversely gifted the Body of Christ, and through those gifts, His people have unique and beautifully varied opportunities to help build the Church around the world.

An engineer might come alongside a team serving half a world away to help them bring a reliable source of clean water to a least-reached community. By sharing his knowledge and pointing these workers to relevant resources, he’s opening opportunities for them to share the gospel with people who’ve never heard it.

A financial advisor and entrepreneur might use her expertise to help a missions organization operate more sustainably and launch new initiatives. As she asks hard questions and challenges the status quo, she enables them to move forward and adapt to become more effective and be better stewards of God’s resources.

The old two-piece puzzle analogy of “goer or sender” falls short because the Great Commission is given to all believers to fulfill, and their roles are as diverse as the people who fill them. Imagine millions of unique puzzle pieces fitting together as each person’s giftings, experience, talents, skills and resources become means to extend the reach of the gospel. Every believer is suited for a specific and necessary part and is invited around the table where the puzzle is taking shape.

As an organization, Christar has a unique opportunity to extend this invitation further and wider throughout the Body of Christ. We seek to act as a hub, connecting churches, cross-cultural workers, and gifted and skilled believers to share resources, ideas, opportunities and challenges. It’s our prayer that through these partnerships, the gospel will be more effectively mobilized until the glory of God is reflected in the faces of His image-bearers from every tribe, tongue and nation.

Together, we can be better stewards of the Great Commission. This stewardship leads us to value one another in new ways, and as we recognize the complexity of the challenge, we value the diversity of the participants. We see that we each hold a vital piece. And so, we gather around the table to listen, to imagine, to wonder and to seek. Together we consider how to expand the reach of the gospel and be part of God’s promise to build His Church. There is joy in investing together for a purpose that cannot fail. We were made for this. Welcome to the table …