The Mechanics of Missions: Member Involvement in the Missionary Task

Paul’s letter to the Philippians reveals a church deeply invested in missionary work. From Lydia’s immediate hospitality to the Philippian jailer’s compassionate care, from Timothy’s pastoral support to Epaphroditus’s sacrificial service, we see a community where mission was not the responsibility of a select few but the shared calling of all.

This pattern offers us five distinct ways in which every believer can contribute to global mission: by planting, watering, supporting, sympathising, and sustaining.

Planters are the apostolic figures—those called to cross cultures, learn languages, and establish new churches on virgin soil. Like Paul himself, they venture into unreached territories, laying foundations where none existed before. These are the missionaries who pack their lives into suitcases, bid farewell to familiar comforts, and immerse themselves in foreign cultures for the sake of the gospel.

Whilst most Christians are not called to this pioneering role, the church desperately needs more planters. Particularly, there is an urgent need for young men to consider this calling. Since Hudson Taylor’s revolutionary decision in the 1800s to welcome single women as missionaries to inland China—women who had previously been denied missionary opportunities—the mission field has been increasingly dominated by female workers. While we celebrate the tremendous contribution of women in missions, this should not diminish our need for men to step forward as planters.

Today’s mission field requires young men willing to learn languages, adapt to new cultures, and establish indigenous churches that will flourish long after the missionaries have moved on. The shortage of male planters represents not just a numerical gap but a strategic limitation in reaching certain cultures and communities where male leadership remains essential for effective gospel witness.

Waterers represent the pastoral leadership that nurtures and supports missionary endeavours—figures like Timothy and Silas in Paul’s ministry. These are the pastors and church leaders who may not cross oceans themselves but who send others, provide ongoing support, and ensure that missionary work is properly resourced and sustained.

The role of waterer is crucial because it provides the ecclesiastical backbone for missionary work. Without pastors who catch the vision for global mission, local churches struggle to maintain long-term commitment to missionary support. Waterers help their congregations understand that mission is not an optional extra but the heartbeat of authentic Christianity. They preach missions, pray for missionaries, and create cultures within their churches where young people naturally consider missionary service.

Lydia exemplifies the third category—supporters who provide practical assistance to missionary work. As a successful businesswoman, Lydia immediately opened her home to Paul and his companions, insisting on providing hospitality despite their initial reluctance. Her conversion was measured not merely by her baptism but by her immediate practical commitment to supporting gospel work.

Modern supporters utilise their resources, skills, and circumstances to facilitate mission. They might provide financial support, offer professional services, host missionary families, or contribute their business expertise to mission organisations. The key characteristic of supporters is their understanding that material resources are tools for gospel advancement, not merely personal comforts to be hoarded.

What is remarkable about Lydia is that she became a supporter within hours of her conversion. This challenges the common excuse that new believers must wait years before contributing meaningfully to missions. Whether someone was saved yesterday or decades ago, they can immediately begin supporting missionary work in practical ways.

The Philippian jailer represents sympathisers—those with the spiritual gift of mercy who provide emotional and spiritual support to missionaries. When the jailer was converted, his first act was to wash the wounds of Paul and Silas. This tender care illustrates how sympathisers minister to the often-wounded hearts of those serving on the front lines of gospel work.

Missionaries face unique challenges: cultural isolation, spiritual warfare, family pressures, and the emotional toll of cross-cultural ministry. Sympathisers understand these struggles intuitively. They write encouraging letters, pray fervently, and provide the emotional support that sustains missionaries through difficult seasons. When missionaries return home, wounded by criticism, exhausted by language learning, or discouraged by apparent lack of fruit, sympathisers wash those wounds with words of encouragement and faithful intercession.

Finally, Epaphroditus embodies sustainers—those who may not preach or lead but who provide essential support services that keep missionary work functioning. Epaphroditus was so valuable to Paul that the apostle was reluctant to send him back to Philippi, despite his serious illness. His contribution wasn’t glamorous, but it was indispensable.

Modern sustainers might serve in administrative roles, maintain equipment, provide technical support, or offer short-term service during career breaks or retirement. They understand that missionary work requires countless behind-the-scenes tasks, and they gladly embrace these supporting roles. Many retired believers discover that their later years provide unprecedented opportunities to serve as sustainers, offering weeks or months of practical service to mission work around the world.

These five categories create something of a brick wall with no escape—every Christian fits into at least one category, often several. No believer can legitimately claim exemption from missionary involvement. Whether called to plant churches in distant lands or to sustain missionary work through faithful service at home, every Christian has a unique and essential role in fulfilling the Great Commission.

The early church at Philippi demonstrates that effective mission results from the coordinated efforts of diverse believers, each contributing according to their gifts, circumstances, and calling. As modern churches seek to impact the world for Christ, they would do well to help every member identify and embrace their particular role in the global mission of the church.

May today’s churches, like ancient Philippi, become launching pads for missionary endeavour, where every member understands their vital part in planting indigenous, mature churches that will outlive the missionaries who establish them, all for the glory of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.