At first thought, it might seem like the primary difference between a pastor and a missionary is that missionaries are simply pastors who are in a different country. And while it’s true that missionaries are doing pastoral work–often in a cross-cultural context–the job descriptions and goals of these positions are actually quite different.
The Missionary’s Primary Goals
GOAL 1: Establish Healthy Churches
Missionaries often have pastoral training and experience. They do pastoral work, but they are not your typical pastor. During the process of starting a church, a missionary may model the role of the pastor or fill in temporarily, but they do not have the same ambition as a pastor.
- They are not planning to shepherd a congregation for a long time
- They aim to leave
- They view themselves as temporary
- They are working themselves out of a job
- They are the instigators and initiators
A pastor typically wants to stay for a lifetime. He wants to perform the weddings of the grandkids of the kids in the youth group, but that is not the ambition of a missionary.
GOAL 2: Train the Next Pastor and Church Leaders
Both pastors and missionaries are leaders. And one thing no leader can delegate to others is training the next generation of leaders. So, there should be a line item to train leaders in every pastor’s or missionary’s job description. And while the end goal is the same for both missionaries and pastors, the timeline is much different. Pastors may be training the next pastor to take the lead when he retires – later in life. Missionaries are training leaders to take the lead as soon as possible so they can initiate the next church plant. There are some key milestones along the way, but as soon as the church is healthy and thriving, meaning the church is self-supporting, self-propagating and self-governing, with the next generation of pastors and church leaders ready and in place, the goal of a missionary is to transition out.
GOAL 3: Transition Out
Here is the key difference between a pastor and a missionary: if there is no exit strategy, this person is most likely more of a pastor than a missionary. We sometimes use the term “missionary pastor” because some missionaries do that as they start a new church. That is one of several strategies to plant churches. Missionary pastors may pastor a church for a time, but the goal is to train a local pastor to take the leadership so the missionary can plant another church elsewhere. This approach allows the missionary pastor to establish a healthy church and model the role as he trains future leaders.
Of course, there are other models for church planting that do not require being a “missionary pastor.” Regardless of which approach a missionary takes, his ultimate goal is to work himself out of a job.
The timing for that transition will depend on many variables, and no two situations are the same. In some instances, it is possible to establish a church in four years, and in other places, it may take twenty! The issue is not “how long does it take to plant a church.” The critical question is whether there is a clear strategy to disengage. Missionaries must have an exit strategy.
How we can help
If you are a pastor, church leader, missionary, or aspiring missionary, Biblical Ministries South Africa provides helpful resources, free workshops, and consultation, whatever stage of the journey you may be in. Contact us or check out our resources to take the next step and learn more.
