May 16, 2025

The SEND U Blog

Reflections and Resources for Lifelong Learning for Missionaries

Category: Missiology

Beyond the Missionary To-Do List: Finding True Rest in Sabbath
Cross-Cultural Living, Missionary Roles

Beyond the Missionary To-Do List: Finding True Rest in Sabbath

As missionaries, we pour our hearts and souls into the work God has called us to. We navigate new cultures, build relationships, share the Gospel, plant churches, train leaders, and manage countless practical tasks. It’s demanding, rewarding, and, quite often, overwhelming. Indeed, if someone asked, “What will be your biggest disappointment and frustration on the field?” many of us might honestly answer: What I haven’t accomplished – what is still left undone. The sheer volume of need and opportunity can feel like a relentless tide, always threatening to pull us under. Consequently, we constantly face the pressure of the unfinished task list. It takes real courage, as counsellor Geoff Whiteman once noted in the context of work-life balance, to simply walk away from what is yet undone. This is precisely where the ancient, yet perpetually relevant, practice of Sabbath comes in. Sabbath isn’t just about stopping work; rather, it equips… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther13 mins read
Persons of Peace: What Are They?
Church Planting, Missionary Roles, Evangelism, Gospel

Persons of Peace: What Are They?

This entry is part 14 of 15 in the series "Church planting". When we enter a new area, we often wonder, “Where do I start? I don’t know anyone here, and who am I to come into their world and start teaching them?” Jesus prepared his disciples for this by giving them a strategy When Jesus was sending out His 12 disciples on a missionary training trip in Matthew 10, and when He was sending out 72 of His followers on evangelism training in Luke 10, he gave them each some special instructions. This command was to be part of their strategy for reaching those areas. Jesus told them to find a “person of peace” (CSB) or “someone who promotes peace” (NIV).1 See Luke 10:5,6. In Matthew, Jesus calls them “worthy” people. Jesus told them they were to look for these kinds of people who would help them reach the… Read the whole post
David North12 mins read
What type of mission team is best for you and your context?
Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay
New Missionaries, Teaming

What type of mission team is best for you and your context?

This entry is part 7 of 7 in the series "Types of mission teams". In mission work, when engaging unreached people, working in teams is essential. One person cannot do it alone. However, not all mission teams are the same. Over the years, we have observed four main types of teams on the mission field: basketball teams, track teams, X-teams (expedition teams), and combo teams. Each type has its own unique characteristics and purposes. I have written about each of these in a series on types of mission teams, but I thought it might be helpful to summarize our thinking into one post.1 The SEND U wiki also provides a Word document summarizing these 4 different types of teams in point form. Basketball Teams: Working Closely Together A basketball team is a tightly-knit unit, where five players work closely together on the court to defend and score. Similarly, in mission… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther2 mins read
Are there shortcuts in missions?
Photo by CALIN STAN on Unsplash
Missiological Issues, Church Planting, DMM, Book Reviews

Are there shortcuts in missions?

The book, “No Shortcut to Success: a Manifesto for Modern Missions” by Matt Rhodes piqued my interest as soon as I saw the title. Over the past couple of decade, I have often reflected on the question of what success means for missionaries. A number of the posts on this blog present those reflections. How does the author define success? Despite my expectation, Matt Rhodes does not put much effort into defining success for missionaries in his book. While admitting that every missionary dreams of success (p. 53), the author is quick to question the validity of many so-called “success stories” in missions (p.47). He is adamant that success can not be measured by numbers alone. Ultimately, “success” in ministry isn’t a matter of numbers but of ministering in a way that honors the Lord. Rhodes, Matt. No Shortcut to Success (9Marks) (p. 56). Crossway. Kindle Edition. According to Rhodes,… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther2 mins read
The Kingdom of God: what you see is what you get
Moravian Seal, or Agnus Dei, stained glass window in the Rights Chapel at Trinity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, NC
Hardship, Missionary Roles, Christ, Gospel

The Kingdom of God: what you see is what you get

Gordon D. Fee | Faculty | Regent College (regent-college.edu) A few months ago, I saw the news that one of my professors in graduate school, Dr. Gordon Fee, died at the age of 88. Dr. Fee taught with fervor and intensity, often slipping unconsciously into passionate preaching in the middle of a lecture. He was also an excellent biblical scholar. For many years, he served as the general editor for the acclaimed New International Commentary series. I am very grateful that I had the privilege to learn from him. The absolutely crucial term for understanding Jesus My favourite course with Fee was on the life and teachings of Jesus. I sat spellbound in one of the front rows of the lecture hall as he unpacked the message of Jesus from the four Gospels. When Dr. Fee came to Lecture #13, “The Proclamation of the Kingdom”, he announced that this was… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther2 mins read
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