There are a growing number of missionaries, who live in the states. What should a church mission team do with this growing number of stateside missionaries? Should they support them, reduce their support, drop their support? There are a lot of factors to consider in making this decision. Lets explore those resons together.

Common reasons for missionaries to live stateside:
– Family. This is a big reason for many missionaries. For example, I returned back to the states from Romania at the end of 1997, because my mother had terminal cancer. It was at that time that I transitioned to the CONNECT team, which focused on mission
mobilization.
– International teaching ministry. Some missionaries have a gift of teaching and equipping national leaders around the world. In a year, they will go to different countries and continents. They can be a real blessing to the national church.
– Mission mobilization work. There is a growing need for laborers to go to the mission field. To fill this need, there needs to be stateside people who can give vision and recruit others to go to the ends of the earth.
– Safety. Many countries around the world are not safe for missionaries. Our church supports a mission couple, who used to live in Venezuela. They are still involved there, but due to security concerns like being kidnapped, their role is now discipling and helping with humanitarian relief in this country.
– Support staff. (Dave Bliss contributed this reason.) This might look like pastors to missionaries, counselors, area business managers, MK (missionary kid) teachers, mission leaders and stateside personnel that keep the mission organizations functioning.

Questions to ask of your missionaries who live stateside:
1. Is this a valid ministry to support? Is there fruit?
2. What caused you to begin to support this missionary? Has their role changednow that they are stateside?
3. What if most of your missionaries are now stateside? How should you balance your supported missionaries who live here and not overseas?

In Christ,
Steve Austvold