Q: I have a heart for both my profession and church planting. How do I choose between these -- or can I do both?

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A: You can use both.

Answer from David, an physician internist who has served for eight years in Honduras and coordinates the medical aspects of several community development groups.
I consider that nothing I do medically will do any lasting good without a church in the community. Therefore, I would like to take -- instead of my doctor's bag -- a Bible teacher "under each arm." I follow the advice of St. Francis: "Witness wherever you go. Use words only if necessary." Read everything you can that has been written by Dr. Paul Brand and Dr. John Patrick. Dr. Brand pointed out that "Nobody who goes to the mission field ever does what they thought they were going to do."

A: Yes you can do both.

Answer from Harold Adolph MD who served in three Ethiopian hospitals over 30 years performing more than 25,000 operations
The mission hospital is and was responsible for the most church planting of any single missionary endeavor. If you are a doctor burdened for the lost and filled with the spirit you will be a church planter. The fact that God has gifted you for these ministries is special. You don't have to choose but you can do both.

A: You can certainly do both.

Answer from Elizabeth, missionary nurse to Zambia.
I came as a medical missionary and am preaching, helping plant churches and assist in many other areas. You do have to decide which you think will be your priority and put that first in any case. As a medical missionary, I have used my talents in the medical field to open the doors for evangelism, which is at the heart of my being a missionary.

A: In many places you can do both.

Answer from Cynthia Hale, MD, MPH. Cynthia and her physician husband Tom served in Nepal under the United Mission to Nepal. For their first twelve years in Nepal they served in a remote rural mission hospital where Tom served as both surgeon and medical director, and Cynthia served as pediatrician and family physician.
In many places, you can do both. In highly restricted countries, you will not be able to do outright church planting. However, your witness will be even more important there because there are probably very few groups of believers, let alone registered churches.

Some mission organizations will emphasize one; some the other; some will seek to do both.

Service in Jesus' Name in a wholistic manner sows the seeds for the church to be planted. If you are part of a team approach, some people may spend more of their time giving health care and some doing direct church planting.

A: You can and should do both.

Answer from Donn, a General Surgeon MD who retired from ABWE (Association of Baptists for World Evangelism) after 26 years in Bangladesh.
Healthcare will consume all your time if you allow it to do so, but if you can be part of a medical team, you can carve out time to work with nationals in planting a church. The first church planted in our work in Bangladesh now has a terrazzo plaque announcing the names of the people who planted that church. Of the five names on the plaque, two are doctors and one is a nurse.

A: Yes. Prepare to do both.

Answer from Terry, a RN BSN missionary nurse who has served with the C&MA for 12 years in the Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, Africa.
You can certainly do both and I would encourage any medical missionary to seek to be prepared to do both. In reality, it's not one or the other - medical ministry is an expression of Christ's love and concern for people. As we build relationships with people, we naturally share who we are with them and seek to lead them into a relationship with God. Those who believe, we disciple. If we are actively involved in evangelism and discipleship here in North America, why would we quit when we go overseas? (If we aren't involved in evangelism and discipleship here, why would we think we would start doing it over there?) There are many good schools that offer a missions track for medical people to prepare them for cross-cultural ministry.

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