National Christian Missionaries with GFA World
Christian missionaries serve people all over the world, both cross-culturally and within their own culture, bringing hope to mission fields on every continent. Throughout the Bible and history, there are several examples of missionaries, including Paul, Peter and John, and more recently, people like Corrie Ten Boom and Jim Elliot have followed in their footsteps. But what is a Christian missionary? A missionary is a person who has dedicated his or her life to fulfilling the Great Commission, as outlined in Matthew 28:19–20.
According to Compelling Truth, this commission involves sharing the Good News and showing God’s love to the world. This can take on many different forms, but whether a missionary is a translator, a pilot, a teacher, or a pastor, their primary job is to “lovingly point people to Jesus.”[1] They reach unreached people who have yet to hear of Christ.
The early church understood this calling deeply. Often, missionaries face many challenges, and it has been this way from the beginning. Paul wrote, “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—” (2 Corinthians 11:24–27).
As in Paul’s life, struggle is part of many Christian missionary stories. But these men and women choose to serve God and share about Him despite that, and many lives are transformed through their care and the love of God.
The Power of National Workers
The apostle planted churches across the Mediterranean world, in cities where the name of Christ had never been spoken. Paul was the first cross-cultural missionary, meaning that he shared the Good News with Gentile people outside his own Jewish culture.
This model has been the traditional mode of missions for a long time, but it is not sufficient to completing the task of sharing God with “all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Modern workers continue this as they plant churches worldwide, building fellowships that serve their neighbors for generations.
John Allen, a missionary to Papua New Guinea for fifteen years, said, “The best way to learn about a people is to sit in the mud with them, eat their food with them, sleep in their huts with them, rejoice in their joys with them, and go through their burdens with them.”[2] Foreign missionaries are able to learn new cultures, but national missionaries are born into the culture and understand the way it operates implicitly. National workers serve with a depth of understanding that takes outsiders years to gain.
Sharing the gospel takes many forms. Missionaries provide aid, education, and healthcare that build trust. These acts of service open doors for deeper relationships and demonstrate Christ’s love.
GFA World founder K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan) understood the power of national Christian missionaries and challenged the body of Christ to support and train national missionaries who are already in place rather than send westerners to minister within a foreign culture. His dream was to see many community-transforming national workers across Africa and Asia, equipped with the training and resources needed to break extreme poverty and offer hope, all in the name of Christ.[3]
National workers carry a unique advantage in their own communities. The language flows naturally, and cultural rhythms are second nature. Unspoken rules that confuse outsiders are simply how life works. This familiarity opens doors that remain closed to foreigners.
Women in Ministry
Women have always held essential roles in the expansion of Christ’s kingdom, from Priscilla teaching in Ephesus to modern pioneers. In addition, GFA World has a heart for equipping Christian female missionaries, who are uniquely able to give hope to other women in many of the regions we serve in. Many of these women once experienced the same shame, fear, abuse, rejection and heartache that their neighboring women experience, but then they discovered the amazing, transforming love of Jesus Christ.
Now, they want to share that comfort and hope with others. In some cultures, it is difficult for women to openly interact with men, but women missionaries can approach other women when male missionaries wouldn’t be able to. Through the ministry of these female missionaries, women in all walks of life receive love and care that can change their lives.[4]
GFA World’s missionaries are powerful forces for love. Gaile is just one example. She was one of six siblings and came to know Christ through one of her brothers-in-law. Later, Gaile followed God’s calling into full-time ministry. She attended ministry training and was part of a film team, and then she enrolled in seminary. Despite her family’s dissatisfaction with her choices, Gaile called them often to encourage them with God’s love.
When she was done with training, Gaile joined the leadership in the region’s Women’s Fellowship. She trained others to teach literacy classes, organized healthcare training seminars, coordinated seminars for pastors’ wives and helped with ministry in the slums. Gaile was a blessing and an encouragement to those she worked with and served, bringing them tangible hope amid despair. Even through several medical issues of her own, Gaile was unwavering in her love and service. God healed her illnesses, but even if He hadn’t, her joy in His love was immovable.[5]
Stories like Gaile’s repeat across the world. In slums and villages, women serve with quiet strength. Their work transforms communities one relationship at a time.
How You Can Help
Christian missionaries bring the love of Jesus to those who have never experienced it before, but they cannot do it without support. Sponsorship works because it connects believers—one gives resources, the other serves on the ground.
It takes just $45 a month to sponsor a missionary with GFA World. Gifts are tax deductible as charitable donations. By financially supporting national workers, donors enable full-time ministry in places where outsiders might never be trusted. You can help them meet people’s needs, revealing God’s love, care and hope.[6]
What do Christian missionaries do? Learn more at GFA World
[1] “Who Are Christian Missionaries and What Do They Do?” Compelling Truth. Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.compellingtruth.org/Christian-missionary.html.
[2] Luckhurst, Toby. “John Allen Chau: Do missionaries help or harm?” BBC. November 27, 2018. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-46336355.
[3] Lukins, Julian. “National Workers: Unstoppable Compassion Force.” GFA World. August 19, 2021. https://www.gfa.org/special-report/missionary-work-by-national-workers/.
[4] “Women Missionaries.” GFA World. Accessed November 27, 2024. https://www.gfa.org/women/overview/.
[5] “Keeping Her Eyes on Her Calling.” GFA World. November 21, 2021. https://gospelforasia-reports.org/2021/11/keeping-her-eyes-on-her-calling.
[6] “National Missionaries: Sponsor a National Missionary.” GFA World. Accessed November 27, 2024. https://www.gfa.org/sponsor.