Should you consider visiting a mission partner?

I used to be the senior minister at a church named after a Victorian missionary martyr - so I thought we’d better take world mission seriously, and therefore take our mission partnerships seriously, too.

But why should that be reserved for the handful of churches who think they ought to do that because of what they’re called?

World mission should be on the agenda of all our churches, and that means being on your agenda as well. I won’t go into the biblical justification; if you’re a minister, you’ve probably done that at Bible college. If you need a refresher, just look up the word "nations" in a concordance.

I’d just like to make one main point: why not go and see your mission partners?

Let’s be honest, how do you react when some well-meaning individual says something to you like "world mission"? Perhaps it is a bit of a trigger to feelings of guilt: "That’s just slipped off my agenda I’m afraid." To feelings of anxiety: "I’d love to do that but how can I fit it in before next year?" Or feelings of resentment: "But I’ve got 100 plates spinning at the moment and I really can’t add that one too."

Or, when I suggested going to visit your mission partners, did a penny drop? "I’ve never thought until now that our family could do that..."

Here are three reasons why you might.

1. The impact on you
   
   First, think of yourself. If you went to visit a mission partner it could be a good little break, and probably good spiritually, too. You could see if the church could pay - and start with your nearest mission partner, so they get the idea! The nearest mission partner in our church lives in the East End of London, which isn't too far. But thinking long haul, a minister friend of mine went to Vietnam for two days as he didn’t want to get in the way of what they were doing, and two days were enough. Just go. It’s good for you!
   
2. The impact on your mission partner
   
   Second, consider the impact on your mission partner. "They’ve come out here to visit me! That is just so encouraging." We know a family who weren't especially well off, but they saved up and used two summer holidays to visit mission partners in Laos. Impressive, huh? It builds bonds between us that we might be bothered enough, and of course, it will fuel your prayers for a long time afterwards too. Just go. It’s good for them.
   
3. The impact on your church
   
   If you are a pastor, it's especially impactful if you go. It’s one of the very best ways of raising awareness of global mission in your church. That's huge, because if the pastor can go, maybe we could too? Just go. It’s good for us.

So whoever you are, church member or church leader, how about it?