What are "Missionaries"?

The body of Christ consists of many members with different functions. The church of Christ has a great commission: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15,16).

Since these words were spoken, thousands of Christians have left their home country to tell the goods news about Jesus Christ. Often they must learn a new language, and almost always they must adapt to a different culture.

Missionaries are people just like you and me who feel God's call in their lives to share the Gospel with a special group of people. What makes them different is that they often leave their job, homes and even family to go to a different place in order to tell those people about Jesus.

So, the most simple definition of a "missionary" is this: A missionary is a Christian led by God to cross over geographical and/or cultural barriers that are beyond the reach of the local church in its own outreach with the Gospel.

"For 'whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!'" (Romans 10:13-15).