What is missionary success? Why so many of our definitions leave us feeling empty
By Ken Guenther, SEND U —
In an earlier article, I listed 10 definitions of missionary success that miss the mark
— many of them stemming from my own experience. As promised, here is my attempt to critique these inadequate definitions of success.
2. Fitting in well into a new culture.
This can be true of someone who is not even a believer! I am reminded of Pearl Buck and other early 20th century missionaries to East Asia who fell so in love with the culture and religion that they ended up rejecting their evangelical faith. See “The Conversion of Missionaries”
by Lian Xi.
4. Nurturing a healthy, loving family.
Without question, if you are married, a healthy, well-adjusted family is foundational for effective ministry. But if our primary goal is to nurture the health and happiness of our family, then we have taken a means and made it an end in itself. We become focused on ourselves, our needs, and our enjoyment of life, rather than on being a blessing to others. I recognize that, historically, missionaries have been guilty of neglecting their families for the sake of the ministry. But the pendulum can also swing the other way. We can get so wrapped up with family matters that we have no time for anyone else.
6. Helping needy people.
I recognize that alleviating suffering is considered by many to be the heart of the mission of God. I disagree, and I believe that Scripture also disagrees. I do not want to give the impression that evangelism is the only mission activity of any importance. I believe that effective proclamation of the gospel results in communities of faith that are committed to social justice and helping the poor. I also believe that missionaries can begin by helping the poor as their primary ministry focus, but that any holistic approach to gospel ministry must include sharing the good news that God is concerned about saving people from physical suffering on earth, and especially from eternal suffering. See John Piper’s address to the 2010 Lausanne Congress.
7. Completing the tasks you were given to do
. The fallacy in this definition is that it assumes that our responsibility to God ends with fulfilling our responsibilities assigned by our mission leaders. We may have done everything our mission asked us to do, but have we done what God asked us to do? I do not want to set our calling at odds with the assignments given by mission leadership, but I also want to acknowledge that mission leadership can never fully comprehend everything that God may want us to accomplish by faith in his Spirit’s enabling. Our calling, our spiritual gifts, and our message come from God, not from mission leadership, and so ultimately we will have to give account to the One who has entrusted them to us.
9. Meeting a strategic need.
The aspiration to meet a strategic need is obviously not wrong in and of itself. It can be motivated by a desire to be a good steward of God’s gifts and resources. But it can also be driven by a desire to feel important, to promote ourselves. Furthermore, this definition gets us into trouble when we are asked or prompted to do something that does not seem “strategic,” like showing compassion to a beggar. Much of what we are doing as missionaries and in the kingdom of God will not be noticed by this world (or even by national church leaders). As servants of the King, we must be content to faithfully fulfill our King’s assignments, and let him determine how our efforts will contribute to his kingdom.
Remember, all of the above are good aspirations and commendable accomplishments. But I don’t think any of them, by themselves, define a “good missionary.” Some of them could just as easily be done by someone that is not a believer. Some of them (like numbers 9 and 10) are too narrow and can belittle less-strategic ministries that are truly God assignments. Some of them are too focused on ourselves and our own well-being.
A better way
1. His clear proclamation of the Gospel
( 2 Corinthians 4:2-7, 5:18-21). Read more.
2. The fact that the Corinthians believed and were changed by the Gospel he preached
( 2 Corinthians 3:1-3, 2 Corinthians 10:13-14). Read more.
3. His joyful acceptance of the hardships of being a missionary and apostle
( 2 Corinthians 6:4-10, 11:23-30, 12:9-10). Read more.
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
