Growing up, my mom had the biggest heart for international ministry. From first grade on, we had multiple foreign exchange students floating in and out of our house. Some of them we actually hosted, some would live with us for the school year, some we took to go see the Amish, others we would just fill their hungry stomachs. No matter the student's background or religion, my mom always brought the Gospel to her surrogate children. Her hospitality brought them in, and her wisdom keeps them asking questions.
That's not me.
I love my mom and support her ministry, but my heart does not lie within international ministry.
During lecture series at school, we had a few missions-oriented individuals come in and tell us about what God has been doing in their ministry. Through avenues of music and creative arts, these guys are reaching and preaching to a demographic that is largely unreached or indifferent. God has been using these guys in big ways through their evangelistic ministry and were encouraging all of us as students to consider serving overseas.
That's not me.
I have an appreciation for their ministry, but my heart does not lie within overseas ministry.
I see such an intense need for keeping people in the Church than getting them there first. I want to be in community with the ones who've walked in saying "Now what?" If we can't answer that, then why are we in the Church in the first place?
I definitely felt a similar reaction to the repeated insistence that fully responding to a call from God can only result in overseas "extreme" ministry. God made me in certain ways. My gifts and abilities and call are unique to me. Thus, my response to the Spirit needn't be identical to anyone else's.
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