Can God use writing, photography or journalism in missions?
I am in engineering. How could I use this in missions?
» more related questionsQ: What are the ethical implications of entering a closed country on a work visa so you can be an undercover missionary?
A: Be salt and light as you do your job
A lot of people have asked me this question over the years and I have always answered, "I'm not lying to anybody, I REALLY am doing what I'm in the country to do (whether that be teach, business, etc.) and I'm doing it with integrity and with all of my heart."
I think we often tend to compartmentalize our faith too much and this results in frustration when we are involved in closed countries. I'm sure if you asked Peter what he did, he would have told you he was a fisherman. No matter where you are and under what kind of visa you have, God has an ultimate goal for you to be salt and light. If you are in prayer and keeping your heart and eyes open for opportunities, He will move heaven and earth to make sure people are drawn to Him.
As for the ethical implications, we must always weigh the eternal implications of not going to these closed countries.
I think we often tend to compartmentalize our faith too much and this results in frustration when we are involved in closed countries. I'm sure if you asked Peter what he did, he would have told you he was a fisherman. No matter where you are and under what kind of visa you have, God has an ultimate goal for you to be salt and light. If you are in prayer and keeping your heart and eyes open for opportunities, He will move heaven and earth to make sure people are drawn to Him.
As for the ethical implications, we must always weigh the eternal implications of not going to these closed countries.
A: Actually do the job you re supposed to do.
I think this all boils down to one issue. Are you actually doing the "thing" you say you are in the country to do? If you go in as an English teacher, then teach English. I think we tend to blur the lines of integrity when we tell people we are on a particular platform and then rarely, or never, actually do the work related to that platform. Don't get me wrong, time spent on the platform is not the issue. The real issue is whether or not you actually are "doing" the work related to the platform. Hope this helps clear up a generally "muddy" issue in restricted access missions. Then, you have to decide whether you will choose to obey Caesar or God, much like Daniel had to decide. Press on!
A: Serve your official business well.
One important thing to keep in mind is that whatever official business or service you go in to provide, it ought to be done well (in other words, not substandard, lick-and-a-promise, or just a "guise" for another activity, however important). If you are going as a teacher, teach as best you can; if you are a builder, use good materials and conform to local building codes; if you are a tentmaker, make sure you put good material into your tents and sew them up well! Otherwise you are living a lie, and I would expect that that fact would have a tendency to spread and contaminate your other work of sharing the Gospel as well.
It's also true that you are very likely to meet people with whom you can share the Gospel through your official work. If that work is done competently and ethically, you are likely to win a hearing for the Gospel as well--especially if you are working in a field in which corruption is widespread.
If you go in with the kind of attitude described above, that might solve the other ethical problem for you (the one of dishonesty or at least lack of openness). You will then not be an undercover missionary masquerading as a teacher, builder or whatever; you will instead be an honest-to-goodness builder, teacher, etc. and a very good one! and the fact that you are a contagious Christian as well is an added, if less prominently mentioned, benefit to your adopted culture. It is not really necessary to choose between "secular work" and "missionary work"--most normal Christian people do both, either at home or abroad, even though they habitually identify themselves by the name of their secular work ("What do you do?" "Oh, I'm an architect," etc.) But they are not dishonest in identifying themselves so.
For more resources on the worker's duty to God (through the work he performs), see Dorothy L. Sayers (one anthology is called "Creed or Chaos?" and is still in print now, I believe). She has some excellent ethics essays which bear on this point.
It's also true that you are very likely to meet people with whom you can share the Gospel through your official work. If that work is done competently and ethically, you are likely to win a hearing for the Gospel as well--especially if you are working in a field in which corruption is widespread.
If you go in with the kind of attitude described above, that might solve the other ethical problem for you (the one of dishonesty or at least lack of openness). You will then not be an undercover missionary masquerading as a teacher, builder or whatever; you will instead be an honest-to-goodness builder, teacher, etc. and a very good one! and the fact that you are a contagious Christian as well is an added, if less prominently mentioned, benefit to your adopted culture. It is not really necessary to choose between "secular work" and "missionary work"--most normal Christian people do both, either at home or abroad, even though they habitually identify themselves by the name of their secular work ("What do you do?" "Oh, I'm an architect," etc.) But they are not dishonest in identifying themselves so.
For more resources on the worker's duty to God (through the work he performs), see Dorothy L. Sayers (one anthology is called "Creed or Chaos?" and is still in print now, I believe). She has some excellent ethics essays which bear on this point.
A: Be like Jesus and don’t share everything at once.
I think a helpful biblical illustration is the life of Jesus. He did not begin His ministry announcing outright that He was the Messiah. If He had, the Jewish authorities would have stopped him immediately for blasphemy.
In contrast, his method of teaching - such as the parables - really shrouded the Gospel, pushing people to think until illumination came. As He developed His key leaders, He began to speak more and more openly, until the inevitable occurred: He was killed. However, He had completed His objective (Jn 17:3).
Entering into a Muslim context to immediately proclaim the Gospel would be suicide. This does not mean that one tells a lie. If one goes in as a teacher, he or she must genuinely teach, with the goal of fulfilling one's contract, and with the training and capacity to doing it well.
However, in the process of one's occupation, it is expected that one's light would shine (Mt 5:16).
This was my experience in the very hostile Marxist environment of the National University of Colombia in the early 70's. As a genuine professor of English I taught effectively, had the respect of colleagues and supervisors, and made many friends. I invited them to my home, shared with them over coffee in the cafes, and entered into their world honestly and genuinely. As I gained their confidence I was able to introduce them to Jesus.
I don't see this as deception. One is not telling a lie, one is just not saying everything at once.
I think this is what Jesus did, and I feel that in the Muslim (Hindu, Buddhist) context it is the only viable option we have.
In contrast, his method of teaching - such as the parables - really shrouded the Gospel, pushing people to think until illumination came. As He developed His key leaders, He began to speak more and more openly, until the inevitable occurred: He was killed. However, He had completed His objective (Jn 17:3).
Entering into a Muslim context to immediately proclaim the Gospel would be suicide. This does not mean that one tells a lie. If one goes in as a teacher, he or she must genuinely teach, with the goal of fulfilling one's contract, and with the training and capacity to doing it well.
However, in the process of one's occupation, it is expected that one's light would shine (Mt 5:16).
This was my experience in the very hostile Marxist environment of the National University of Colombia in the early 70's. As a genuine professor of English I taught effectively, had the respect of colleagues and supervisors, and made many friends. I invited them to my home, shared with them over coffee in the cafes, and entered into their world honestly and genuinely. As I gained their confidence I was able to introduce them to Jesus.
I don't see this as deception. One is not telling a lie, one is just not saying everything at once.
I think this is what Jesus did, and I feel that in the Muslim (Hindu, Buddhist) context it is the only viable option we have.
