Missionary Jobs -
Maybe, But Most Prefer "Calling"
Missionary Jobs are available. If you search for the term on a computer search engine you'll get over two million results in less than a second. However, these jobs are different then most others you'll find on the web.
Why?
I think the most important difference is found in the pay scale. when most people look for work, one of the most important questions they ask is...
"How much does it pay?"
Mission jobs are widely available and can be found in almost any area of expertise, but almost without exception they aren't paid positions...
Instead, if a person wants to work in a mission job, they have two options. They can be self funded...
Another way of saying this is, they can volunteer their time to accomplish something in missions, while supporting themselves financially through retirement income, or doing another job on the side to bring in money.
Mission organizations such as Tentmakers follow this model for doing mission work.
The second option for taking a mission job is to provide your necessary finances by visiting like minded believers, and asking them for their prayers and financial support.
Most people currently serving in mission jobs, have followed this approach to provide the funds they need to live, while doing mission work.
This is probably the reason why most missionaries don't consider what they are doing a "job", instead they consider it a "calling", or "mission work".
There is no question it is work, but since there isn't any guaranteed pay, many people wouldn't consider it a "job".
How to Find Missionary Jobs
If you want to look for a missionary job:
- Please read What is a Missionary?, to be sure you have the qualifications, and mission work is something you truly believe God has called you to do.
- Decide
which mission organization (mission board) you want to work with. Generally speaking,
mission work isn't done in a vacuum. Since your fundamental beliefs and
faith will be part of your work, you will want to work with others who
believe the same things you believe. If you don't, it will cause many
problems later on.
If you don't know anything about boards, click on the link above to visit the missionary resources page where there is a section providing links to some fundamental boards. Click on their links and explore. - If you should decide to work independently, be sure you've thought the decision through.
While working independently...With whom will you be working? Do you know they want and need your help? Will they be able to help you, if you should have an emergency?
If you are self supporting, do you have a plan B if plan A doesn't work out? If others are supporting you, will they back your decision to work independently? - If you are working with a mission organization, you will need to follow their procedures for determining what your job will be, where you will work, and how you will get there.
What Missionary Jobs are Available
Jobs are available in practically every field where you are serving or helping people.
Pastors and teachers are always needed, but so are translators, information technology specialists, pilots, airplane mechanics, doctors, nurses, house parents, counselors, construction workers, secretaries, accountants, electricians and more.
However, since your primary priority as a missionary is to reach others with the gospel, it is much easier to get help from others for your work, if you are doing something that is directly related to spreading the gospel.
If you plan to be self supporting this won't be an issue, but if you want others to support you, you could find it much more difficult to fund your missionary job.
Missionary Jobs -
Personal Experience
If you want my complete story please read about my college mission trip, and then my missionary calling. By that time you'll understand how I came to find a missionary job to begin with. But to get the full picture you'll also need to explore Puerto Rican Mission Trips as well.
At this point you have a good overview of how I became involved in missions. I trust it was clear to you that I don't feel what I've done in missions has ever been a "missionary job", rather I see it as a calling. Nonetheless, it was my job as well for about fifteen years of my life.
When I first became a missionary, I went independently under my local church. After I had to leave mission work for health reasons, I returned to the mission field under Baptist International Missions, Inc. (BIMI), an independent Baptist mission board.
I was with that board for close to five years even though I actually spent less than a year of that time on the mission field. The rest of the time was spent in "deputation", or "pre-field ministry".
If you don't know what those terms mean, they refer to the time you will spend traveling to churches, explaining what you plan to do on the mission field, and asking them for their prayers, and financial support.
Although it can be frustrating to have to wait in the States and travel when you want to be busy serving the Lord on the mission field, deputation teaches many valuable lessons.
In addition, since mission work is truly spiritual warfare, it also provides the prayer support you need to be effective in your mission work once you reach your field of service.
Unless you are a self supporting missionary, you will spend a good deal of time in your pre-field ministry. During that time it is also important to build a list of people who want to get your prayer letter and pray for you personally. When I left for the mission field the second time I had more than 500 people on my prayer letter list.
No matter what your job is on the mission field, it is important to communicate with these people who are praying for you so they know what your challenges are, and can support you in prayer effectively.
Missionary Jobs -
Investing in Eternity
There are many ways of investing in eternity, but not many seem to be interested in doing it these days.
If you are considering a missionary job, you're the exception to that rule.
However, please understand, if you give your life to a missionary job, you probably won't be able to make many sizable financial investments in eternity because you shouldn't have much more support coming in than what you need to live on.
But rather than investing money in eternity, as those with good paying jobs can do, you are investing your time and energy into those things that have eternal value.
Just as others give their money so you can go, you give your time and energy to reach those on the mission field with the gospel. As people come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior, their money and your life will gain eternal dividends that will be enjoyed forever.
