The trouble with us missionaries

I’ve never considered myself to be a missionary, but I guess that’s how most people would perceive me. We left our home in the UK and have lived in South Africa, planting and serving churches for over eight years. Do I qualify to talk as a missionary?

Maybe.. but allow me to make some observations about missionaries from personal experience. I do this only because I want the Christian church to be effective in reaching the many millions who have never heard the amazing message of Jesus. 

These are only my personal reflections, and represent some significant lessons I’ve learned.

1) It’s expensive

The time, effort and costs involved in simply getting to know the world that you have landed in should not be underestimated. It will be five to ten years of language and cultural training before you can really begin to understand the world that you are in. Only then can you start to think of influencing people at a level of worldview and core beliefs which are needed in order to begin to make disciples of Jesus. This is a long term and costly commitment.

2) It’s hard work

Those years are tough. They are going to be lonely, and the likelihood of leaving the work is very high. If it’s a family then the toll it takes on the children to be taken away from their familiar surroundings can be massive. Much can be done in the way of preparation, but the reality of a new life in a new culture can only be learned through the experience. Also, the role of the sending church is significant, and usually misunderstood by both parties.

3) Some would consider it ineffective

Many times that a church is planted by a leader from a different culture, that church will carry a ‘foreign’ DNA. In today’s global society, the church will often attract other expats, looking to find a spiritual home that they can belong to, but this only exacerbates the problem. Many of our churches will not impact the local culture at all, but remain as ‘international’ or ‘ex-pat’ churches.

4) It’s tribal

OK, here’s a confession that I’m not proud of. When we went to South Africa to church plant, I had no idea about what was already happening there. I knew there were many other churches, but not OUR kind of church. In my mind, there was a deficiency, a need of our help. As I look back on that now, I see it as a sign of some deeply rooted pride. Am I alone in this? It’s unlikely.

And here I land on my reason for writing this seemingly rather discouraging and somewhat hypocritical blog. God is at work all over the world. Wherever you look, he has people who are already at work there, or at least close by. The fact is that getting behind ten or twenty of these amazing servants of God over their lifetimes will still cost less than funding one western family to spend five years learning a new culture and language. Plus they are going to be better at the work than any westerner will be! The fruit will be longer lasting, and the impact in the local communities will be greater. 

I believe the days of the west sending missionaries to the unreached places of the world are coming to an end. A far better model for our modern day of instant communication and translation apps is to get to know and work alongside those who are already in place. Those with a cultural understanding of the world they are reaching, who can truly bear fruit in these places. 

As we discuss reaching the unreached parts of the world, places that are often antagonistic to the western world, this is surely our best strategy. I promise you, once you start looking you can find hundreds, no, thousands of partners who would love to be connected to you. It’s worth a thought!

I’d love to hear from you if you have questions, thoughts or any disagreements! 
Much love, Colin. 



Surely there’s people more qualified than me to communicate well with this group in Myanmar?! I meet with their leader and his guys via zoom and send them training material.

I’m sure I’d be more of a hindrance than a help here, as my presence as a white Christian man would escalate the situation. In the top corner you can see some of what our friends are dealing with - knives, attacks, and their brothers being beaten to death. We can only befriend, encourage, send resources and pray.