Mission Sundays [Part II]: How churches can discourage visiting missionaries

This is a guest post by Scott Fulks. He and his family are headed to Spain in the next month, so I asked him to share some thoughts on the deputation process.
You can read post one here.
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Mission Sundays [Part II]: How churches can discourage visiting missionaries

In the previous post, we considered five ways by which churches can encourage visiting missionaries. Whereas the overwhelming majority of Missions Sundays are uplifting, from time to time, these visits can lead to discouragement. By the following five encouragements, a congregation can evaluate whether their interaction with a visiting missionary can inadvertently dishearten them.

1. Keep yawning through the songs.

Through our deputation travels, I have seen virtually every style and flavor of worship; this does not discourage. What does discourage is to scan an auditorium and see a majority of people disinterested, unimpressed and unconcerned with the majesty of our Lord. A missionary who is as prone as any believer to wander spiritually, forget the glory of grace, and cave to temptation is certainly disheartened to run the Christian race when he is surrounded by a host of witnesses who demonstrate spiritual apathy and carelessness.

2. Talk to me as if I’m Dr. Phil.

While I refuse to wear my mission board’s name badge while attending other churches [I don’t need any help sticking out like a sore thumb], from time to time I feel that I have one on. It must read – Dr. Phil. When your talking to him, it’s all about you. Though I do not in the least bit desire to be the center of attention or crave popularity, it can certainly be deflating to endure an entire conversation, meal or evening when the several-hour-long conversation revolves entirely around the other person. Don’t get me wrong, I love talking to others and about their lives – there is so much to learn! Yet when not one question about our ministry, background, or interests arises, one can wonder why we ever visited. Though this experience is certainly not common, unfortunately it is not rare.

3. Assume I’m single.

We have stayed in some unbelievably gigantic and gorgeous homes and some petite but welcoming residences. Most hosts bend over backwards for our arrival. The hosts who are least prepared are those who fail to consider the needs of the entire family. In my case, our two infants pose potentially difficult Sunday afternoons and little forethought in this area leads to undue stress. Whereas the male missionary is assured of speaking arrangements, technological details and housing arrangements by the pastor, the rest of the family can, on occasion, be neglected or overlooked for its unique stage in life. Failure to know the missionary’s family can lead to the missionary’s failure to communicate well.

4. Bolt out of town.

Though I have not encountered this myself, I speak from the (frequent) experience of others on this matter. It is not uncommon for missionary candidates to arrive at a church only to learn that the pastor is away on vacation. While the missionary was assured that he could have the morning sermon, it was only to fill pulpit not to evaluate potential for partnership. This misguided tactic informs the missionary that the host is preeminent and that the guest is secondary, at best.

5. Convince me of your hobby horse.

Every once in a long while, I have left a church exhausted because someone has cornered me for what seemed like an eternity. While enduring a one-sided conversation, I have heard some Christians trying to convince me that their method of schooling is exclusive, that their perspective on the fiscal situation in Europe necessitates my close study, or that their technique to reach the Roman Catholics is unequalled. A member that is quick to speak and slow to hear can cause tremendous, though unintentional, consternation.

How do you perceive Missions Sundays? Are you a catalyst for encouragement in the lives of your guests or are you a detriment to the perseverance of your brother or sister in Christ? I speak not as one who desired better than I deserved, but as an increasingly seasoned traveler who desires to implement principles among my congregation from my own observations. May God use us to demonstrate “hospitality to one another without grudging.” [1 Pet 4:9]