Missionary or Pastor?

So yesterday I was texting a friend— asking random questions— and a crazy idea I had in church one day was brought back to the forefront of my mind. The crazy idea is to become a pastor (my life goal) and go on missionary adventures to places that have never heard the gospel before; plant churches and disciple some leaders and then move on. Kind of like Paul and Silas.

This thought first came up in a sermon about Big Evangelism vs. Small Evangelism at my church. Big evangelism is going out to places that have never heard the gospel and preaching to them. Small evangelism is going door to door and telling friends, family, coworkers, and random people on the street about the gospel. My pastor said that our church would one day like to be able to send people out to other countries but that we can’t do it yet. And I got this weird thought that I definitely didn’t put there myself about going somewhere and preaching the gospel to people who’ve never heard it before— planting a church, discipling it’s people, and moving on, or coming back to my home church for a while.

Now, you must understand, I had completely forgotten about this idea until yesterday. And now I can’t stop thinking about it, so maybe if I write it down it will help a little.

You see, my friend yesterday asked me what I want to do after college, so I logically said, “be a pastor,” because that is all I want to do (besides be a husband/father). And then she asked me if I’ve ever considered going to another country to be a pastor. I quickly said yes, but I’ve never really seriously thought about it.

Which was 100 % true until after she asked it. Now my brain has been going back and forth for 24 hours.

That’s what you should do!

Your parents wouldn’t be able to deal with you living overseas.

It would be an adventure.

America is in plenty of need spiritually. Why go elsewhere?

Other places have never heard of Jesus.

I could plant a church in America and train up lots of other people to go overseas or plant more churches in America so the cycle continues.

But you hate the United States government.

True, but maybe that’s more reason to stay.

You want to be somewhere and risk persecution. Life on the edge is awesome!

Persecution will be in the United States soon enough.

And so it continues. Part of me would love to go overseas and be an evangelist. But another part feels called to the United States. Our society is going downhill fast. The founding fathers would turn in their graves if they could see a glimpse of America. Sex sex sex. Drugs. Free money. The list could go on. The country was founded on Christian principles and now our government is trying to destroy them. If they have their way I can see America making it illegal to be a Christian in the next ten years.

We need a revival.

That’s basically all there is to it, but at the same time I’ve felt called to go to another country and plant churches there. There are 6000 tribes and tongues that have never heard the gospel and Jesus will not come back until every tribe and tongue has been reached with the gospel. It’s clear in scripture. So part of me wants to go do this as well.

But, I really don’t think I can live long term in a foreign country. What I would 100% love to do (though not necessarily what I’m meant to do) is plant a church in the United States and train up more leaders there so I can leave it in good hands while I take a year or two to do the same in a foreign country. Then come home, share the news about the trip, retake my position at the church, and then like a year or so later do it again somewhere else. It’s kind of like what Paul did in Acts 13-16. Thirteen, he leaves for his first trip, setting several able bodied men in charge. Fourteen he’s on the trip. Fifteen he comes home and sets some stuff in order. Sixteen he heads out again— to a new place.

That’s how I feel right now. Who knows what will end up happening though? Besides God of course. My life’s in His hands.