As Mission and Church leaders we must reflect on why we are losing so many people from the mission field and look for solutions that can attack in offence before the missionary ever gets to the field. With this in mind we need to investigate reasons given for men and women leaving the field. Outside the fact that it is truly God sending them home there will be means that will help us see the attrition rate go down.
As leaders we must not be afraid to put the blame on our front door if in deed that is where the trouble lays. I think we need to get our house in order up front and then we will have liberty to instruct those in our charge. We can educate and lay out instructions for our members but they will be no better than the examples they see in us their leaders here and aboard.
Writing to the seven churches in the book of Revelation chapter 2:4, while dealing with the attrition rate in those days, Jesus started with the leaders and worked down. I am not saying the problem is with us but it is always a good idea to check our own hearts and make sure we have not fallen away from our “first love’ in our busy days of leadership in the church and on the mission field.
With the attrition rate growing with each passing year I feel we might be in trouble and if it stays on this course we will somewhere come to a time when we will be no more. Missions will die from lack of people being on the field. I like the advice God gave to the church of Sardis, “Wake up! Strengthen what remains.” “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it and repent.”
Let’s pray that God will do a work in our hearts and even like David open the door of our hearts to God for a check up and then let this feed down to those under our charge in the church and on the mission field. Let us strengthen what remains of this great work of winning souls here and in the regions beyond.
Jack Housley, just a servant of Jesus Christ our Lord.