What responsibility do mission field leaders have in finding suitable ministry assignments and opportunities for other missionaries? In the last few weeks, this question has been asked in a number of different contexts. These missionaries needing a ministry placement could either be missionaries on the leader’s own team, or new missionaries who are finishing language school or missionaries returning to the field after a period of home service or “furlough”. Sometimes missionaries returning to their home countries after completing their overseas assignment are open to a continuing ministry with the mission if a suitable assignment could be found. Who bears the responsibility for identifying potential ministry placements?
To some, this may seem to be a strange question. There are so many acute needs on the mission field. Aren’t mission organizations always looking for more missionaries? Why is there ever a need to “find” a ministry assignment for a missionary? Isn’t the bigger problem knowing how to say ‘no’ to the myriad of opportunities and needs?
While this may be true for some, most missionaries are looking to join a ministry team, one in which they can make a valuable contribution to a larger purpose, without requiring them to be the primary initiator or visionary for that ministry task. But not every available missionary will fit on every team with personnel needs. One needs to carefully consider the vision, gifts and personalities of the existing team and potential team members to determine whether this will be a good fit.